BlueStag Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 So, nothing is for nothing. When the muffler shop owner handed it to his guy, the guy took it to a huge spinning sanding disk and buffed it a little, then declared it so distorted that it was going to take at least one disc to flatten it and that he'd need to charge me $60 to do it. Back to my garage and out with the large belt sander. I used some relatively (considering how hard the cast iron is) fine paper (80 grit) in order that I not remove too much material too rapidly. Also I used a large magic marker to blacken the surface as I got closer to being even and flat. It was radically out of flat, with the web between the two exhaust ports being very much higher than the outer edges. I am on my fourth belt and have just about got the two circumferences close to flat all across, although the outer edge of the two outer ears are still back a bit from the ideal line. At some point I need to call it good and put it all back together. If you ever need to get a cast manifold off a SU equipped L6 in an hour, I'm your man. I dread putting it together yet again and having it leak, but I also do not intend it to sit in the garage unused for days on end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 (edited) Oh Morse knows me as the guy who keeps bringing him "rusty old datsuns". They know their stuff, I bring 90% of stuff I need welded there and Tim is a certified welder and has done work on sand rails to roll cages to seam welding. For a little incentive, I got everything for a turbo swap ( minus the long block and intake manifold) for $650, buying what I could in bulk. Defiantly possible for under $1000 Edited May 22, 2012 by BluDestiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 Oh Morse knows me as the guy who keeps bringing him "rusty old datsuns". They know their stuff, I bring 90% of stuff I need welded there and Tim is a certified welder and has done work on sand rails to roll cages to seam welding. For a little incentive, I got everything for a turbo swap ( minus the long block and intake manifold) for $650, buying what I could in bulk. Defiantly possible for under $1000 Now I just need the $1000. I find it hard to imagine putting a FI engine into a car without rebuilt or new injectors.....just like you would replace the plugs and wires. And you'd probably want to replace the water and oil pumps, or at least look them over. Which is a strong argument for buying a whole car that one can test drive. Still, I just don't see my luck running to $1000. Back to this pile of poo. Just how flat does the manifold surface need to be to get a valid seal with a felpro gasket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 And how the hell do you have a photo of Morse's sign? (Blue used to live near me. I'm counting on his return before I work the turbo swap. Blue is about 30 years younger than I am and I don't have a son, it sure helps to have help that is agile.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I'll be back in early-mid july. I took a picture of their sign on one of the many occasions I was stuck there waiting for them to finish one of my projects. You are correct about going through everything to make sure its in working order. I still have to send my turbo injectors off to get cleaned and flow tested, and I want to get the turbo ex manifold sandblasted, decked and coated along with a few other things that need a deep cleaning. Luckily I had the engine rebuilt back when I was going to Burroughs so I'm good on that. Enough thread jacking, you'll want it as flat as you can get it. Use a straight edge and some thin feeler gauges. If you kept blowing out the RTV then it had to be bad (as you stated), so you're just trying to make it just a little bit better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 Oh, if anyone wants to complain about us chatting on a thread, I say they should get a life. I don't know when I'll have the scratch for a turbo swap, lord knows there are about 200 other ways that I could spend $1000, and have my wife not kill me. Be sure to come around when you are back. The local Triumph guys meet at the Bob's Big Boy in Toluca Lake 1st and 3rd Sats of the month. Come eat breakfast with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Watch Craigslist, it's amazing what shows up! About the only thing I will change "automatically" is a water pump, oil and injectors give plenty of warning beforehand, and there are mitigating things to do in the interim to keep them going. Frankly haven't had to ever mess with the oil pump. You want a shiny silver surface around the entire periphery of AT LEAST 1/8" if not more. Take the time to do it as best you can now and reap the rewards of security later. Shouldn't have to take more than 1/8" off to get it flat. I'm pretty good with an 8" Wherl Grinder, I usually get close with that and then go to the sandpaper for final setup. It's a shame you weren't in league with a compressor guy that spends more time in the USA, he could take you to a shop and stick that manifold onto a valve disc lapping machine and have at it with coarse compound for a while... Then again, for that effort setting up a Bridgeport with a fly untying head would make quick work of it as well... After setup hassles were done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share Posted May 23, 2012 Watch Craigslist, it's amazing what shows up! About the only thing I will change "automatically" is a water pump, oil and injectors give plenty of warning beforehand, and there are mitigating things to do in the interim to keep them going. Frankly haven't had to ever mess with the oil pump. You want a shiny silver surface around the entire periphery of AT LEAST 1/8" if not more. Take the time to do it as best you can now and reap the rewards of security later. Shouldn't have to take more than 1/8" off to get it flat. I'm pretty good with an 8" Wherl Grinder, I usually get close with that and then go to the sandpaper for final setup. It's a shame you weren't in league with a compressor guy that spends more time in the USA, he could take you to a shop and stick that manifold onto a valve disc lapping machine and have at it with coarse compound for a while... Then again, for that effort setting up a Bridgeport with a fly untying head would make quick work of it as well... After setup hassles were done! My 8" Makita belt sander is doing wonders. The whole surface is shiny. And it is much flatter than it was. As I wrote earlier, the web between the two pipes was distinctly proud of the two outer points. I'm getting there. What I am not going to do is load up some crazy coarse paper on the sander and wade in. I prefer the control of 80 grit, even if it means that I will end up burning thru ten belts. The belts are cheap compared to the manifold. I might take it back tomorrow to Morse and see if they will give it a spin against their machine, now that I have got it much closer. As for the ZX Turbo, I'll save my pennies and get back to you. If you see a silly good deal, just go get it. If I can't afford it, someone in the community will take it off you, yes? Or you will just build another motor for fun. Yes, the oil pump has the virtue of being replaceable without tearing the whole engine out of the car..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Finally. I hope. But I have mastered getting the intake off without breaking it down...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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