Serpentine front cover conversion

[ed_crouch]

Heres one for the V8 geeks. (yes, well done Ed, that'll have them flooding out of the woodwork to help you...)!

I hear a lot of stuff about the standard oil pump being a bit poo, which is semi-true - the pump covers and valve assemblies dont seem to last very well.

What would need to change to convert a pre-serp engine to a serpentine front cover, so as to make use of the better oil pump design??

Is it just the cover and some alternator/PAS/waterpump pulleys and brackets, or is the crank different?

I'd be interested to know!

Thanks.

Ed.

[Terence]

As far as I know the crank is different, longer, as it passes through the oil pump. Terence

Edited by Terence on Tuesday 11th March 18:12

[Number 7]

I'm not sure about a full conversion, but I believe that there was an "intermediate" front cover which retained the distributor, but used the new oil pump driven from the crank, which needed machining though.


7.

[shpub]

It's also different PAS pump and alternator. It is an expensive conversion for something that is not really an issue. Put another way... the cost would pay for several new old style oil pumps. Also many of the fittings are in the wrong place as well.

[rev-erend]

The only real advantage would be the better oil flow capacity of the newer pump design - so unless you have serious bhp then it just is not worth the bother..

Just buy an old Griff or Chim 500 engine..

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

One option, but not sure if posible.
Is to just change to the intermidate cover, but keep all the rest not serp.

I'll have a quick look the weekend if this is posible. unless somone else says it's not.

Main problem I can see is the water pump runs the other way.

[Mr Jenks]

Not really a viable option, for a serp setup you need a different crank, the pump is driven directly by the crank not via the cam and distributor. As said by others, if you have oilflow problems and big bhp then maybe, dont forget that early Chim and Griff, even the 500`s, were non-serp and not particularly troublesome. The intermediate setup mentioned is still a serp oil pump, crank driven, but retaining the distributor, prior to changing to the GEMS distributor free system.

[JR]

ed_crouch said:

I hear a lot of stuff about the standard oil pump being a bit poo, ... Ed.

As shpub mentioned it's not worth it. I got paranoid about the oil pump in my car after reading about them and so stripped it down; there was nothing wrong with it so I just faced the cover and renewed the pressure relief spring. I had a quick look at your profile. There's usually enough to worry about running these cars without trying to fix problems that don't exist. Finish your car and enjoy driving it. Good luck, Jonathan

[ed_crouch]

Cheers chaps.

The only problem Ive really got is that the pressure relief valve is ailing a little, and I want to change it. when I stripped it down, the bore was quite scored.

I think I'll go for the Flowtech pump cover as sold by RPI - its a much better solution than using the SD1 cover and whacking a sandwich plate and a blanking plug on it (heavy, a bugger to fit, and gets pretty close to the steering rack!). Also, it doesnt use any of the original parts for the relief valve, unlike the Mocal one... Come to think of it, Im not even sure if the oilstat still works - prolly renew that aswell!

I get up to 70PSI cold - Mobil1 motorsport 15W50 - and it drops to about 30PSI on hot idle.

Isnt 70PSI cold a bit high!?!

Ed.