Timing Cover Removal - or not

[mikehy+2s130]

Hi
Trying to get the timing cover off a +2S130 that has been laid up for 20 years.
Tried
1.) Heating
2.) Turning the pump pulley
3.) Plus Gas penetrating fluid
There is a tiny gap opened up around the water pump casting and I can get plus gas in there.
Unfortunately the back plate is now distorted and moving around but the timing cover looks OK.
I reckon I'll have to cut off the back plate very carefully and then try and seperate. Any suggestions on how best to do this would be very welcome.

Thank you
Mike

[rgh0]

From your description it appears the front cover / water pump housing has corroded to the back plate via the alloy spacer and o-ring assemble that connects the 2 at the water pump. The back plate is still bolted to the block by the single internal bolt behind the front cover.

I believe it is possible to reach up or down and release this bolt and then remove the cover and back plate as a single unit, never had to do it myself but I have heard of it being done. Once off the block you can then separate them on the bench by driving out the alloy spacer from the rear.

cheers
Rohan

[elanman999]

Mike,
I use a pair of long flat tyre levers. Use them back to back operating down the gap between the front and rear covers. That way you can apply the force very near to the water pump to avoid distortion of the front cover.
Best of luck,
John

[types26/36]

I believe it is possible to reach up or down and release this bolt and then remove the cover and back plate as a single unit, never had to do it myself but I have heard of it being done. Once off the block you can then separate them on the bench by driving out the alloy spacer from the rear. Rohan

I have managed to reach the bolt that holds the backplate onto the block with a thin spanner but the complete backplate & timing cover will still not come off as the jackshaft sprocket is still there, you cant get to the sprocket bolts or the jackshaft thrust plate (lock tabs fitted) to pull the whole jackshaft out.
I had a very difficult one that the alloy spacer had corroded and I used heat/leverage and lots of penetrating oil, with time it eventually came apart (the alloy spacer was so bad that it split in half.

[mikehy+2s130]

Thank you for the suggestions

I've got the bolt off that holds the back plate, it was loose and the plate was moving around anyway. I'm not sure whether I will be able to get down between the front cover and back plate to release the lock tabs and remove the bolts that hold the jackshaft sprocket or cover so that I can remove the bolts and the whole assembly.

Mike

[alexblack13]

Brian Buckland's Book has a good method of removing the front plate. Involves frimly holding the backing plate by fixing it via semi cricular wood blocks with g clamps down into the top of the bore and up from the bottom end also. I use a similar method and then used a small slide hammer I made up (providing you are changing the waterpump) and gently (ish!) slide hammered / pulled it off the o ring adaptor ass'y. The slide hammer I made fits onto the waterpump drive flange. But you must not use excessive force. If you are lucky it will easily seperate the front cover ass'y for you. If unlucky it will neatly remove the drive flange...The bearing ass'y Must be changed when rebuilding. Which one does anyway??

A few light blows did the trick for me.. Gently does it though... Don't go pulling the front off the pump cover !!

Alex B....

[billwill]

If the timing case is already a write-off or you plan to fit a new Burton timecase and module pump. (&) perhaps you could cut a circular hole in the case over the jackshaft pulley, and undo it that way.

(&) they are EXPENSIVE!

[alexblack13]

Come on now ladies..NO butchery and don't go writing off difficult and expensive to replace parts. Take it easy and use good engineering solutions to remove. It will come off I promise you.

How would a pro engineer remove it? Have you read Brian B's Book on this subject? Would you like a scan done and posted?

Let me know..

Alex B....

[david.g.chapman]

If it all ends in tears I have a couple of spare front covers I can sell for a modest sum each.

Dave Chapman.

[ricarbo]

What i did on mine was to wiggle the front cover from side to sidep until it was detached from the rear cover by everything except the water pump. Then i put a 16 oz Stanley hammer into the case, handle end first, and twisted it to push the water pump out. so, no force on the edges of the front cover. worked fine with no damage.
ATB
R

[billwill]

Bye the way, in case members who still have the old style water pump don't realise.

You don't get this problem with the modified Module water pump and casing.

Though they are expensive they are worth their weight in gold for saving on these problems.

You don't have to open the chain case to get the water pump out, It is fitted into the (new) front chain case from outside and when you want to remove it, you take out the three bolts, and find another one of the smaller bolts then you screw them into the other holes on the pump module and it acts as its own puller to pull the module out of the chain case, despite whatever goo you used as a flange seal seal.

Strictly speaking it doesn't even need any sealant as there is an o-ring in there to do the job.

[Steve G]

As I'm rebuilding my whole engine and was planning on replacing the water pump, should I invest the ?375 in one of these? I plan on keeping the Elan forever so it might pay for itself over a couple of rebuilds. Oh dear, have I gone and answered my own question again? Yes. Twice.

[alexblack13]

Yes, yes, yes...Wish I had done so when I was building mine!

Ah well.. Going to buy one at the lotus show if anyone there selling..

AB....

[billwill]

Yes, yes Yes..


But its a bit more expensive than ?375 at Burton prices
https://www.burtonpower.com/product_mai ... twin%20cam

You need at least
FL861K ?35
FL860 ?66
FL844 or FL844T ?229.99
FL843 or FL843T ?135

Which I tot up to ?465.99

Plus gaskets etc.

Ask Burtons if they, instead, supply the module already made up, though if you have done water-pumps before the assembly is pretty much the same, slightly easier as the module is less cumbersome than the old front timing case when pressing in the bearing.

But then future water-pump repairs just need the FL861K kit. And take 2-3 hours instead of having to get the head off and the timing case open etc. (16 hours?).

If you invested in a spare FL861K and FL860, you could pre-assemble a module & then change a water-pump in about 60-90 minutes even at the roadside while touring.

[alexblack13]

I was having quite a good day till you came up with those prices Bill




Alex B....