Don't be mean, he's busy co-ordinating a sting exercise to catch surly looking yoofs peering through car windows in the middle of the night..
was that a fast response or what Bet you've never seen the old bill turn up that quickly before? The fact they never actually caught him was a technicality
I wish I hadn't bothered I'm almost ready to remove the old engine BUT two of the six manifold/downpipe nuts are seized & rounded (not by me) and I can't even see never mind undo the sixth one I don't have access to any Irwin grippers & nor can I afford a set[:^(] Is it possible to remove to the engine with the downpipe still attached as this seems to be my only option?
Update: I now officially hate everyone who suggested a 2litre block swap I have been fighting the ba***rd thing for 4 days now & all I've done is got the old engine out, removed gearbox, flywheel, pressure plate & put them on the 2E block, then took them all back off again because the gearbox end plate is different on the 2E block & needed to be swapped for the EV item. The manifold/downpipe nuts were all seized/rounded/broken. The gearbox mounting bolt sheared off meaning a new mount. The alternator mounting is different on the 2E meaning that the cambelt cover back plate from the 2E had to be binned & the EV one won't fit. The rear engine mounts are different so had to be swapped over. I cant get the pin out of the dizzy to swap the drive gears over. I now have a 2E block with gearbox attached sat on the floor under my carport waiting for the head to be bolted on, unfortunately I have no means of keeping the f***ing thing still so that I can torque up the head bolts. Apart from that everythings going wonderfully & I anticipate it all to be finished sometime in the new year.[:^(]
Swap to the 2E alternator setup if you can, it'll save a whole world of annoyance. Drill out the dizzy pin, 2.5mm (carefully) then 4mm and the rest will knock out. Pause occasionally to breathe/swear. You can always add the head when it's bolted in the car.
Unfortunately I can't use the 2E dizzy as the EV head has mecnanical vacuum advance. I have been swaying towards putting the block & gearbox in then bolting the head on after but I had such a fight with exhaust manifold/downpipe nuts I really wanted to get the downpipe attached with engine in the bay but not on its mounts. I'm also running very low on patience and just want the damned thing in asap[:^(]
What did I tell you lots of posts ago? Send tickets: Aberdeen to Bristol = Danster Knock to Bristol = daved and Brian.G Problem solved! ps. Don't forget: Real Ale + Fish 'n Chips + Haggis pps. East Mids to Bristol = Stella. So's you can lock her in the cell again!
If it's any consolation Gaz, the chores you are doing now that are causing you trouble would be the same on any engine swap. I thought there was a bunch of folk in Bristol all geared up for this? You would have been quicker driving to mine and letting me do it. 6 hours was the time it took for last complete engine and gearbox conversion swap. That was drive in and drive out, it included changing front struts and numerous other little faults too. This was in the garden with a jack and axle stands, no fancy ramp or air tools either. I am getting old now so not as quick as I used to be. Edit, Daved, you are on the ball!
I could have done it that quickly if I wanted to, I just didn't want to rush it. [:^(][:^(][:^(][:^(][:^(][:^(][:^(][:^(]
Nothing to stop you bolting the head on as tight as you can as it is, mounting the whole lot in the car, then doing the final torquing of the headbolts.
