Nolan,
You may be correct that the engine is "Junk". Only time will tell.
The only thing I can see by looking inside is that the pistons are
new. I'll let all know what the mechanic finds.
Mike http://pages.prodigy.net/mikeross
'63 Spitfire
'66 Spitfire
'68 Spitfire (donor body tub for GT6 convertible)
'69 GT6+ (donor chassis for GT6 convertible)
'70 GT6+
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nolan Penney" <npenney@erols.com>
To: "MICHAEL C ROSS" <mikeross@Prodigy.net>
Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 10:16 PM
Subject: Re: GT6 Thrust washer question?
> Don't be falsely "encouraged" because they weren't in a dozen
pieces. They
> wouldn't be. As John described, they simply fall out. They stay in
place only
> because they are a little bit thicker then the slot they would fall
out of. Once
> they wear thin enough, they always fall out. That's why the rule of
thumb about
> replacing them about every 30-50k miles is important. It's a
preventative
> measure.
>
> There are several possible reasons for having different sized thrust
washers, and
> none of them are terribly good. A "make do" effort to compensate
for badly
> ground down bearing cap or block (which means the parts are
mismatched btw), lost
> a new one and used an old one, different sizes on different sides of
the bearing
> cap. Like I said, none of these are good things.
>
> The *only* way to check the damage is to remove the crank, and
closely examine
> the block and crank. This is not a job for the average do it
yourselfer, it's a
> machine shop job.
>
> Yes, there are various methods of better affixing the thrust
washers, from pining
> them to modifications allowing a saddle type. I'm personally a
little hesitant
> about pining them. The drilled hole inherently creates stresses on
an already
> severely stressed member. The claim that because the pin is brass
it never wears
> the steel is baloney as well. The brass wears faster then the
steel, but the
> steel crank does wear.
>
> You mention now that the engine is changing timing. As I recall,
the earlier
> stories were that it simply was not able to run when it was placed
on correct
> timing via the pulley marks. Has that story changed? For jumping
timing is a
> far different problem them merely incorrect timing.
>
> All these things make me very skeptical of the quality rebuild this
engine was
> supposed to have had. I think the one who has been had is the
person who
> purchased this engine unfortunately. Be prepared to find the engine
is actually
> nothing more then junk.
>
> MICHAEL C ROSS wrote:
>
> > Well, I've pulled the oil pan and found some metal filings
> > in the bottom, but not allot. The thrust washers had fallen
> > out, but were whole. Curiously, one was nearly 1/2 thinner
> > than the other. Both were scored and they were not mirror
> > images, i.e.. one looked like the radius was larger, as
> > though it had been pulled apart slightly.
> >
> > I'm thinking that maybe when the engine was rebuilt, the
> > crank was polished and either the original old worn thrust
> > washers were reused or new ones used that fit too loosely
> > now that the tolerances had changed after polishing the
> > crank (I'm just thinking out loud since I've never opened an
> > engine up before tonight). I am encouraged that they
> > weren't in a dozen pieces in the bottom of the oil pan.
> >
> > I was considering just installing new thrust washers, but
> > decided to take it to the shop Tuesday to have them remove
> > the crank and thoroughly inspect everything. I'll ask them
> > to check the possibility of using thicker thrust washers and
> > even putting an opposing pair on the bottom.
> >
> > As for the pulley: The woodruff key on the front pulley
> > assembly was in place. Could the balancer part of the
> > pulley assembly with the timing marks be rotating. Isn't it
> > welded to the pulley? I couldn't get it to move with hand
> > pressure. I thought I'd buy a strap wrench and really put
> > some rotational force to it. I have no other explanation
> > for why the timing marks kept changing.
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