Gearbox swop?

[billwill]

Wot no ejection seat, oil spray & wheel hub knives?

[alexblack13]

Obvious time to sort out the couple of little niggles so I whipped the oil pump off to fix the wee drip/leak out of the end-plate. Got to be the o ring eh? Sure enough it was a bit flat. Knew I should have changed it! So I did now. The 'O' ring came from my 'O' ring kit I carry in the car. Select the correct dia rubber and cut to length. Small dab of super glue (supplied with the kit) and sorted. A little clean and its ready to refit.. The other niggle, the Clutch line is attended too also. I did a custom job on the item I bought from S.M. which was routed over the bell-housing and down to the Slave Cy'l, passing a bit too close to the exhaust. The stainless pipe now terminates in a bulkhead male fixing (which will be) secured to a bracket on the bottom of the bell-housing with a Kunifer pipe continuing to the slave. Neatly routed as far away from the heat source as possible. Sorted I think.

The Block has had another two coats of the Grey and I've painted the mounts and filled the voids with some black Silicone RTV.

Snow though is now stopping play as I can't get the day car out from under the lift onto the driveway as Mrs B point blank refuses to move it. ( " It'll get covered in Snow for gods sake!") That means I can't lower the lift to get on with it. Not worried though as I am well ahead of the game so far.

Waiting now on Sue miller sending me the box and clutch assembly, but we have no chance of getting post or deliveries of any kind just now, so I am shooting any skiers / snowboarders I find doing the snow dance.. Shoot on sight is my moto....

Getting bored now though....

Anyone got a spare oil pump gasket??



Al'

[rgh0]

You dont need to use a gasket - put the oil pump back on with a loctite flange sealant. The paper gasket enable the pump to vibrate which causes it to crack around the mounting bolts in high rev engines which is why i dont use them anymore in my race engines or road engines as easier just to use loctiite on them all.

Also be careful with just a straight replacement of the end cover O ring. There are batches of pumps with too small an O-ring which is why they leak. I think it relates to use of a metric versus imperial 0- ring size from memory. I dont have my notes with me currently to check

cheers
Rohan

[alexblack13]

Thanks Rohan,
I will take that on board. The o ring I made up I think should be fine. I checked the plate clearance before bolting it down. It was about .020'' / .5 mm.. I am sure it will be fine at that.

Do you recon' that a silicone gasket is best then?.. I'm not racing this remember.

Alex B....

[elans4dhc]

To add another angle to this already long list, I would be keen to hear from other posters what procedures they would use to run-in a rebuilt Lotus 5-speed gearbox that has all new gears, synchros, synchro rings, shafts and bearings - everything other than the Lotus-peculiar input and output shafts and casing. What oil(s) would be recommended for running-in and post running-in, bearing in mind that these same components ran in engine oil in their original Austin Maxi application?

Andrew

[alexblack13]

Hi Andrew, All....
I am going to run in using a std 80/90 ep gear oil and after running in I am using Redline synth' gearbox oil.

If you need a hand remember I am here to help... I would like to try my bored out bearing holder on your gearbox input tube. Just to make sure it fits ok... If thats ok (and if this snow ever stops!)....

My box will be delivered nicely in time for Xmas...Spoke to Susan today.. She can't find a 5 spd bearing carrier..

Anyone got a spare 5 speed carrier? I have the moded 4 speed but would prefer the proper item (me being me again)

Thanks again for the loan of the parts Andrew..Will return them asap.

Alex...

[rgh0]

Alex -in metal to metal joins like the oil pump to block the silicone gets squeezed totally out and ends up where you dont want it. The loctite anerobic sealants are purpose designed for this sort of join and stay in place. For road use the original paper gasket is perfectly good for this join but if you dont have one then use the right grade of loctite.

Andrew
I would use Redline MTL from the start. There are no heavily loaded sliding metal to metal surfaces in the gear box unlike in an engine or diff so no real need for any special running oil or precautions. It is advisable to do an oil change after the first few hundred miles just to remove anything that may have got in the oil on the intial running and Redline is expensive so if your worried about the cost then use a conventional good quality GL-4 gear oil for the first few hundred miles and then change to Redline MTL, you will notice the improvement in the gear change when you do.

cheers
Rohan

[alexblack13]

OK Rohan, Thanks again. I have some in my car kit. Don't know what without looking..

Andrew.. Rohan has put into words just what you need to do. I changed the box oil after 500 mls. Redline after that... & you will notice the difference...

Good advice...


Thanks..

Al'

[elans4dhc]

Rohan,

Thanks for your Redline MTL recommendation. I've noticed over the years that you have consistently recommended Redline oils and I feel the time has come for me to put them to the test once my winter refresh of my Elan is completed - Feb/March next year. I'll let you know how I find it.

Andrew

[john.p.clegg]

Is this your spigot bearing?

John

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LOTUS-TWINCAM-BRO ... _500wt_949

[alexblack13]

It looks like it John. I think its for a ford anyway. I remember them from the Errr ..past.. Not sure if it will do for the 5 speed as a roller bearing carrier. Without measuring it I cant tell.

Worth a punt though I would have thought..

Alex.

[bcmc33]

It looks like it John. I think its for a ford anyway. I remember them from the Errr ..past.. Not sure if it will do for the 5 speed as a roller bearing carrier. Without measuring it I cant tell.

Worth a punt though I would have thought..

Alex.

OK Alex, I won't bid - on the usual basis that you measure it and send me the details.

[alexblack13]

I don't need it Brian, so I'm not bidding...

The pdf for the carrier was I'm sure posted somewhere in the topic ?? I think!!

Just in case...PDF attached.

Al.....

[alexblack13]

The bad weather is causing some grief. Sue is struggling to get stuff to me and I have been in our Italian office all last week. It was bloody cold there too. So not a lot to report. Brian sent me a lever pivot complete and i would like to thank also John for his help and sending me this n that..

You know you can rely on me for any bits n bobs needed. If I have... I will share. Many thanks again chaps..

Andrew gave me access to his super looking box to check the release bearing holder and kindly loaned me his new gearbox mounting plate to copy. Thanks Andrew! I unfortunately forgot to take it with me to Italy (CNC plate cutting etc!!!) so I have not progressed that either.. Doh!!

My Son has promised me a lift with the gearbox out of the car tomorrow and I will start to the mount issue then. Plenty to be getting on with..

Cheers guys... Merry Xmas to you all & a good HEALTHY new year too. All the best.. Hope Santa is good to you!!

Alex...

[john.p.clegg]

Did anyone get the bearing carrier?

John