S2C Cutaway 2.25 Petrol Engine resurrection

[diffwhine]

Another appeal for help...
If you look at the picture below, you can see that the oil filler tube side plate is bent. It is bent because there are now only three fixings holding the plate in place at the bottom and nothing supporting it up top. Even the brace tab is floating in mid air. The first time somebody trues to move the engine by pushing on the oil filler, it clearly must have bent. I can of course straighten it, but I'm looking for a solution. Anybody keen to offer some some fabrication skills?

I'm think of a steel plate (maybe 2mm) cut to the shape of the filler plate which I can sandwich behind and bolt to the block and then nut and bolt the upper fixings through to give it a modicum of strength.

Alternatively, if anybody has a spare plate off a military engine (24V), that has the front cover mounted oil filler and a blanking side plate. We could just fit that along with the filler pipe

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[diffwhine]

This is what I'm after... Anybody got one?

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[Alan Drover]

I think I might. I'll have a look tomorrow.

[Alan Drover]

Sorry Diffwhine. After a thorough search during which I turned up Land Rover things I'd: forgotten about, I couldn't find one.

[JonB]

DW, this is my other breather cap that we've tried the special powdercoat on.

It's darker than my original, but would look pretty good with the AC sticker I gave you on it.

Anyhow, it's here and yours if you want it 👍

The rest is looking great 🤩

Jon

[diffwhine]

Sorry Diffwhine. After a thorough search during which I turned up Land Rover things I'd: forgotten about, I couldn't find one.

No problem - thanks for looking. The hunt goes on!

[diffwhine]

DW, this is my other breather cap that we've tried the special powdercoat on.

It's darker than my original, but would look pretty good with the AC sticker I gave you on it.

Anyhow, it's here and yours if you want it 👍

The rest is looking great 🤩

Jon

Thanks Jon - that's great. Yes please!

[Morf]

Quick appeal...

I therefore need a bog standard later civilian water pump. Anybody got one they don't want?

I

Somewhere I have a water pump with a corroded hose connection you can have, if you are still looking for one.  I will find it this weekend and send you a picture.

Kind regards, Martin

[diffwhine]

Made good progress this morning. Timed up the engine and am currently doing battle with the distributor gear.

However we have hit a snag...You cannot view this attachment.

Does anybody have any images of this cutaway engine as it was originally before it was stripped down into a pile of bits some 5 or 6 years ago? It has an early head with the deep thermostat housing. That's the original cutaway head. However it appears as though the cutaway front cover we have is the later one with a standard water pump. As the top of the front cover has been cut off, it clears the thermostat housing. What I had not realised was that of course you cannot fit a water pump as it will foul the thermostat housing.

Therefore I'm wondering of this engine ever had a water pump fitted? It looks like its always been built with the later front cover. The only way round this is to change the head or change the front cover. Clearly the machining on the head makes changing that prohibitive, but it may be feasible to fit an early front cover and water pump. I think that cutting the same holes in an early front cover would be relatively simple (although a lot of work).

So - if I cannot find an early front cover and water pump, it will have to stay as is with the wrong later front cover. If anybody has an early front cover and water pump which I can butcher, that would be great. If not, it starts its new lease of life with an obvious inaccuracy.

And yes - I do know the lifting eye is cracked. I put it there so I don't lose it. I'll either repair it or use it as a template for a new one.

[JonB]

Mark, how about cutting a later water pump housing to match the cover, thus clearing the head, but leaving the shaft and impeller on view. The bearing could be fixed in place somehow so it could even turn with a fan belt?

There was an early cover on the bay for £25 I think, I'll try to find it

Jon

[diffwhine]

Thanks Jon,
I thought of doing that, but the impeller will still be very close (if not fouling) the thermostat housing.
I think another front cover suitably modified is our best optio, so if you find that one on eBay please send me the link.

Makes me wonder what this cutaway engine was really like originally...

[diffwhine]

Pleased to confirm that JonB of this manor has offered not just to donate his spare early front cover to the cause, but also to do the cutaway work for me!   

This is excellent news as we can obviously make the engine look far more period correct. We are proposing to not cut the top of the front cover like the old one, but to cut a water pump casing instead (when we find one).

We are therefore now pretty much there with the rebuild. The front cover in the image below will be replaced with Jon's one and I need to find a water pump. We are then waiting for the Distributor Doctor to send back the DM2 Distributor, find a few more front cover fixings and then we are pretty much ready for the NEC show in November.

I'm after a dynamo stay bar / adjuster bar if anybody can spare one. Item 24 in the image below (P/N 247523)
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Apart from that, the only significant outstanding issue is how to reinforce the oil filler tube side plate. Ideally I want to get a 3 - 4 mm plate made up in the shape of the gasket which I can sandwich between the block and the plate. If I then nut and bolt the top of the filler tube plate, it will give some rigidity. The alternative is to find an old military side cover plate without a filler on it and modify that. - again looking for donations!

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[JonB]

Here 'ya go DW, I cut somewhat more than the other cover but I'm quite pleased with the end result.

Jon

[diffwhine]

So am I!
Thanks Jon.
Need to make a plan to collect, but this is excellent news.

[JonB]

Regarding the oil filler,

I think I've got a spare fuel pump plate, would that work as the support? I'll check tomorrow

Jon