Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: brucelotus26r on Monday,November 26, 2018, 04:58:43 PM
-
With my new lift working I decided it's time to look into a problem I have been having with my Europa.
When I got my Europa I did a major tuneup to get it running.
It runs good and doesn't leak oil to much but it blows a lot of oil out of the dipstick?
So I pulled the cylinder head and oil pan.
I removed the pistons and it's not looking good?
-
It’s hard to see, but are the rings scored? It looks like a lot ofvertical scratches.
-
Not going to be able to diagnose from a single photo. Measure the actual piston clearance, ring gaps, etc.
-
If your dipstick is being blown out, maybe your crankcase ventilation is the problem.
Is that copper on the rod bearings on the third rod from the left? Are they scored? Otherwise, the bearings don't look bad. What was the oil pressure like and what was the compression test results before you took the engine apart? Did it burn any oil? Were there any red flags?
Having taken the motor apart, I would put it back together with new bearings of the proper size. I would check the ring gaps and replace the rings if necessary. I might even check the valve guides even if it wasn't burning oil so essentially refresh the entire motor.
One of my problems is mission creep and probably wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to refresh all the moving parts. After all, the motor is already apart! But that's strictly not necessary especially if there were no red flags. You might use plastigauge to check bearings and check ring gaps and if they check out, put it back together with those used parts and refresh those parts that are suspect.
-
Difficult to see properly on those pics,
The bronze showing through on the main bearings, so they are worn through the lead and indium layers. But that would typically be low oil pressure (especially at tick over) and maybe rumbling
Big end bearing difficult to see
Were the rings gummed up on the pistons?
Certainly check the crank, bores and pistons
But new bearings, and rings minimum and while you're at it balance and new big end bolts
-
Engine run good has good oil pressure compression is 150-160 on all 4 cylinders but a leak down test showed 95% on 1/4 but only 65% on 2/3. If you look at the pictures # 3 piston the peace at the bottom is from between rings 1/2 and the peace at # 4 is a broken #1 ring.
The main bearing shown, are worn out?? Thinking some P/O did a fast / on the cheap rebuild as there is no ridge at the top of the bores & they are all messed up & the rod bearing where replaced. The timing chain is at the end of adjustment and the water pump is at it's end too? :blowup:
-
Time for a complete overhaul then. Completely strip the engine except for the head. Bring it all to a good machine shop for evaluation. Follow their advice.
-
Ah yes notice the broken rings now you point them out. so the bores are scored then. yep total rebuild then.
You getting the head checked out?
-
Any update Bruce?
-
If you are going to rebuild your engine it's a good idea to remove the old freezeout plugges.
As my car was not used much buy the P/O and I flushed the cooling system 5 times last spring it's pretty nasty.
-
I glassbeaded my Europa headers and had them ceramic coated. I did this to my Elan headers and found that it helped to lower the under hood temps.
-
Totally agree on removing the freeze plugs (I have them in stock in my garage in case you don’t have them) and flushing the block.
Also agree on ceramic coating to reduce temp in the engine bay.
How is the rest of the rebuild going?
-
I would also add that you should take the block to local machine shop for cleaning. They will clean all the corrosion from the cooling jacket and clean the oil galleys. They can also check line bore and deck height.
-
Block cleaned, broad .020, new forged pistons and painted.
Crankshaft polished. Will have rods sized with ARP bolts.
Ready to go allmost. A lot of work to keep a # matching engine.
-
That looks great! Are you going to take the opportunity to optimize anything - i.e. balance the crank or rods, cc combustion chambers, etc.?
-
Looking good Bruce! Should have everything buttoned up in time for spring sports car driving weather :)
-
You might want to consider having your cams reground to a higher spec. Makes a significant difference.
Wesley
-
Ready to go allmost. A lot of work to keep a # matching engine.
Bruce, was this the original matching numbers engine, but with a different Weber head?
-
Numbers matching engine and transmission with a Weber head and carburetors. And the P/O up dated the badges the last time Lotus won the World championship.