Nick Jones Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 RWD gearbox for the Alfa lump is not very easy. The "whole hog" conversion with transaxle would be a hell of mission........ Could be quite a beast if done right. Given your starting point I'd probably just freshen-up and sort the 2.5. May not give huge power but will give a fat torque curve and thus bright and accessible performance in such a light car. I've avoided 2.5s up to now mainly because I like a revvy engine and don't like breaking transmission parts. Additionally the 2L tends to be better on fuel. However, the electronically managed 2.5 in my PI had impressive grunt, even though not very high tune, and such an engine in the Vitesse would produce a TR6 eater...... Once I've got a stronger diff sorted I may revisit this idea..... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Heresy here but the Alfa V6 option would probably include the rest of the Alfa ;-) I'd love to make a mid-engined GTV 916 but that's a lottery win job for the moment Back on planet bank account I'll go with Nick's suggestion and stick with the 2.5L but not tune the crap out of it. If it eats the box/diff down the line then I'll have a re-think. Be nice to get something lighter or re-mount it a la Paul Tegler (along with stronger box and dif). Be nice to get it running by Easter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 1, 2016 Author Share Posted February 1, 2016 Burlen kit turned up. Carbs refurbed (so much easier than 2 stroke ones). Going to do a little light porting on the manifold for cyl 2 and 5. The casting is actually quite good otherwise. The HS6 adaptors arent bad so they stay. Unlike the homemade heat shields which were restricting things quite spectacularly on one carb. SS replacements on the way. Next up I need to whip the head off and decide which one to use and how much work to get done on it. I don't suppose anyone knows whether a Phoenix 6-3-1 header for a gt6 will fit round the 2.5L engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esxefi Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 the engines are identical on the outside so the manifold is made to fit both,more of a problem is that it doesn't foul on the steering shaft and that you may have to lever it about to get it on the manifold studs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Manifold will fit the 2.0 or 2.5 equally well or badly dependent on your luck. They are somewhat variable, as are the cars. May foul on the inlet manifold and almost certainly will foul on the steering column...... This rather entertaining vid suggests that a little bit of relieving using, er...... basic methods, doesn't hurt power as much as you might think..... Further challenges include doing up the fixing bolts (some use cap head screws and ball-ended allen keys) and persuading the 3-1 joint to seal and keeping it sealed....... The heads are mostly pretty similar. Core shift can make for some nasty steps at the back of the valves. Some late heads (219015 & 219016 and I think one other) have smaller exhaust valves (presumably to reduce incidence of cracking between the valves). However, 219016 (2500S head) also has a difference in the way that the inlet valve throat is treated which, according to some (Chris Witor for example) give the best flow of any of the standard heads. Other differ. I have one of these on my Vitesse (needed a HUGE skim to get decent CR on a 2L!) with fairly minimal other work and it gives good power. More info on DIY head work here http://sideways-technologies.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic/690-diy-heads/ and here http://sideways-technologies.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic/6080-nicks-diy-head/ Don't get too crazy opening the manifold out...... Chris Witor actually adds material in the areas you mention, though that is on a Mk1 manifold. Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 1, 2016 Author Share Posted February 1, 2016 Nice one. The phoenix is on the list. And i have a dagenham screwdriver. Cant be any worse than doing the seals and bushes on vfr750 forks. Only way I could separate those cnuts in the end was to fill with water and use sash cramps to hydro the old seals out. And don't get me started on checking the bucket shims. Having said that if the viffer was a car it would be an nsx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 Some fairly mild manifold modification so far. Also planning to tidy up the "knife and fork" ( haven't heard that one before but seems to sum it up) job with some new linkage bits including an alloy push bike brake hanger to clamp round the servo tske-off for the throttle cable. Rather than a bit of bent rusty scrap nailed on with a wood screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Hi all, New head has arrived .thanks to Nigel in Anglesey for sorting that. The valves and seats appear to be in excellent condition. No core issues either. But doesn't have uprated exhaust seats. So should I A slap it on, use an additive and drive it B strip it and send it off to get new seats then fit it C a n other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Re the valve seats My usual approach is: a) If the head has run many miles with a long history of running on leaded fuel, shows no sign of recession AND haves valves/seats that are good enough to go without even lapping the valves in, I run it as is. Ran the Vitesse for at least 25k fairly hard miles on unleaded with no ill effects to the valve seats before the head was removed for other reasons. If any kind of work on the seats is done then I consider it necessary to have hardened inserts fitted to the exhaust valve seats as any residual work hardening of "lead memory" will be thinned or removed. I should also say that I run 95 unleaded (usually the cheapest I can find) and don't/won't use additives. You could skip the hardened seats if you are prepared to run additives all the time. Works out quite pricey if you do use the car much. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 Cheers for that. I'll just clean it up and slap it on then. Can always get the other one converted down the line if needed. Hopefully a couple of evenings in my swearatoium will have it back on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Swearatorium...... What was wrong with the original head? Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 Valves and or seats on the way out judging by compression and inspection. The replacement one was pretty cheap so I took a punt on it. Pulled the tappits and valves today and started cleaning everything. Looks good. Coming up a treat with bbq cleaner.(also brilliant for wood burner glass) Smooth castings, good seats so I'll just give the valves a light lapping and swap it. Might have some fun getting the 2500 water hose connector out to fit the gt6 plug. Picks of it pre cleaning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Looks like a pretty good one. What number is it - I'm guessing 219015 or 6 from the smaller exhaust valves? Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 yeah 219016 so identical (in theory) to the one on there. Bit of gunk and pressure washer action at lunchtime (followed by WD40) and its come up very nicely. Interestingly it has iron guides but stem seals fitted on the inlets. Not sure if that's a good idea for lubrication. Also has red marked single valve springs which I assume are stock. Looking forwards to seeing what crap is fitted in the one on the car at present. Hmmmm...looks like a daleks orgy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 22, 2016 Author Share Posted February 22, 2016 sidetracked by some Ikea wardrobes....I think the trumpet is easier to work on. Am I right in thinking the water drain above the starter towards the back of the block should be connected to the water channel which goes up into the head at the rear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 22, 2016 Author Share Posted February 22, 2016 just answered my own question with a (yet another) coathanger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Yes! Sometimes it appears that there is no way they could be joined. The crud sets like cement and has to be chiselled out. Blocks that have spent time on the saloons are worst 'cause it tips to that corner and the bottom of the water jacket appears to be a good inch above the drain. My PI was like that.... There's probably some previous bad tempered comment about it on here somewhere....... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 Crap. Found a fairly big verticle gouge in cyl1. But the compression seemed ok on 1 so I'll ignore it and slap it back together. Basically if this engine pisses me around any more I'll try and put together a pimped 2L on the bench then swap. Water pump housing needed more TLC than expected. so I had it in the electrolyte bath and finished it with BBQ paint. If only I'd remembered to put gloves on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 .......and finished it with BBQ paint. If only I'd remembered to put gloves on. Like POR15 then..... that takes weeks to wear off. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Probably the tidyest bit under the bonnet. Unfortunately it seems hermatite is no more so I dug out the threebond. Doesn't smell as nice...hermatite takes me back to dad's garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted March 5, 2016 Author Share Posted March 5, 2016 Nearly there. Should be running tomorrow if I don't get too hammered tonite. And assuming I haven't cocked it up. Picture of the the re-knife-and-forked carbs with my cunning bike brake hanger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Well it starts and runs without any proper carb tuning. Getting some carb overflow. It has a facet pump but no regulator. Should I get one?. Or just fudge the float valves Might even drive it tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattius Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 i found the facet pump overpowered the float valves, fitted a malpassi and sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbike Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Nice one mattius.....got one ordered. Might help the mileage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 SUs (and Strombergs) don't like more than about 2psi, which is frequently a problem these days as most pumps available now seem to give more like 5 psi. Interesting throttle cable bracket...... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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