Engine testing

tipo158 · Postby **tipo158** » 19 Sep 2011 16:20

I got the engine from my TR7 mostly reassembled now. However, the car is no longer mine, so I don't have it to use as an engine test stand.

The engine is on a normal stand now. There is not quite enough room on the back to fit the flywheel.

Any ideas for how I can test the engine given the situation?

alan

Marko · Postby **Marko** » 19 Sep 2011 17:55

I don't understand you, what do you want to test?

If you can turn the engine over with a big enough socket wrench on the front pulley bolt , and the engine can turn without anything blocking it it is probably assembled correctly and nothing will hit each other(valves-pistons).

Without a flywheel you cant turn the engine over with the starter to do a compression test.

Leakdown test can be performed.

But it wont show you anything right since the engine is freshly assebled, ppiston ring have not bedded in themselves.

tipo158 · Postby **tipo158** » 19 Sep 2011 19:38

I am trying to figure out what I can test. I want to test as much as I can to confirm that it is correctly assembled.

I can get bolts onto the crank and turn the engine by leveraging a breaker bar between the bolts. If I could get another 1/4 inch between the back of the stand and the engine, I could get the flywheel on. But the stand is using two of the three starter bolt holes in the adapter plate, so ...

alan

Marko · Postby **Marko** » 19 Sep 2011 20:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tipo158

I can get bolts onto the crank and turn the engine by leveraging a breaker bar between the bolts.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

you'll just ruin the thread on the bolts that way.
There's a big socket on the front engine pulley that you can turn the engine easily with , especialy without the sparkplugs.

Other than checking if the engine is turning you cant do anything else.
With the camshaft cover off you can check if it is phased right, adjust valve lash. and that's it.

tipo158 · Postby **tipo158** » 19 Sep 2011 21:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Marko

you'll just ruin the thread on the bolts that way.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They were already ruined. I have another set for the flywheel that I will use.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
There's a big socket on the front engine pulley that you can turn the engine easily with , especialy without the sparkplugs.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Uh, there isn't a crank pulley bolt yet. But there will be soon though.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Other than checking if the engine is turning you cant do anything else.
With the camshaft cover off you can check if it is phased right, adjust valve lash. and that's it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

How about oil pressure and flow? Or does the engine need to be turning at engine speed for the oil pump to work?

Another question - can the block-to-gearbox adapter plate hold the whole engine weight (without the front supported like it would be if the engine was in the car) for an extended period of time?

alan

Marko · Postby **Marko** » 20 Sep 2011 08:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tipo158

How about oil pressure and flow? Or does the engine need to be turning at engine speed for the oil pump to work?

Another question - can the block-to-gearbox adapter plate hold the whole engine weight (without the front supported like it would be if the engine was in the car) for an extended period of time?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Nope , engine has to turn much faster than you cant turn it by hand [:D]

Unles youre Chuck Norris. [:D][:D][:D][:D]

That plate is 5mm(-ish) thick and it isnt designed to be stressed in bending , it designed to hold the engine torque.

Depending on what bolts on the plate you secure it, the whole engine could wobble on it like a weigh on a spring, bare engine is realy heavy.

There is enough mounting points on the side of the engine, why dont you mount it there? Engine mounts to those holes anyway when in the engine bay.

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 20 Sep 2011 15:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Marko

Depending on what bolts on the plate you secure it, the whole engine could wobble on it like a weigh on a spring, bare engine is realy heavy.

There is enough mounting points on the side of the engine, why dont you mount it there? Engine mounts to those holes anyway when in the engine bay.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The engine is supported by the bottom mount with side mount to take up torque. Never thought of mounting from side. That would allow you easy access front and rear. Would it work? Any one mounted it from there? I always thought you mounted from flywheel side after bellhousing and flywheel is removed.

- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 20 Sep 2011 16:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by FI Spyder

... Any one mounted it from there? ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Dolomite 1850 used engine mounts fitted to both sides of the engine.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

tipo158 · Postby **tipo158** » 20 Sep 2011 17:06

I think that I should probably get the engine off of the stand. Got some wheel dollies that I can attach some framing to for the engine to sit on.

Then again, I am getting the sense that I am building the engine only to have to throw it out after I get done (as there hasn't even been a nibble). But I am learning stuff, so I am getting what I wanted out of it.

alan

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 20 Sep 2011 18:17

The problem is getting a good rebuilt engine from a reputable machine shop leave alone someone doing it to learn stuff, that's why you want to do it yourself. Club member has a professionally rebuilt engine that still burns a quart/litre of oil per one thousand miles after 4,000 miles driven (smokes). Shop says he has to drive it 6,000 miles to break it in. (might be Km). What do you bet the warrany expires at 6,000?[:p]

- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

tipo158 · Postby **tipo158** » 20 Sep 2011 20:26

Yeah, but a) this isn't my first engine (it is my fourth) and b) the asking price is what one would pay for a used motor (and the "will take" price is much less.

In the local places where it is listed, it just says "rebuilt but not run" with no reference to who did the rebuild and no one has even called to ask. Seems like the other local people selling TR7 bits on craigslist aren't getting much action either because their ads keep getting renewed, but the items that they are selling remain.

Are these engines prone to leak even when built correctly?

The Lotus 907 engine that I did for my Esprit was supposedly a leaker, but mine didn't leak after I did a top end rebuild/water pump/timing belt (25k mile timing belt - yuk!) on it. Seemed like the stuff around the engine was dependent on the leaks for corrosion protection because rust start popping up down there afterward.

alan

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