B7's C2.7 Build - FINITO!!!!!!

[Jesus325iTouring]

Coming along well Trev,I have to admire your attention to detail

[josh-hocking]

what a great read... you better finish it in time for santa pod this year and get down there i wanna see it

[Jhonno]

Come on Barry, get some proper pics up of the oily interesting bits

[B7]

Looks splendid,Trevor!! Did you sort out the bearing shell issue? Seem to remember(and it's almost 3 years since I built mine!!) that top and bottom shells are a different shape,there is a notch in one that locates them? Important to get it right as there is an oil feed through the shell... reckon you ought to be buying a shiny HT exhaust manifold,though...

Malc, they are on order as we speak. Should be Blue shells in the con rod and red in the end caps. That may be the reason that they had started to pull slightly. leave them much longer and it would have been another grind on the crank.

No 6 branches on here I'm afraid. can't stand the arguments

Come on Barry, get some proper pics up of the oily interesting bits

Very soon my friend, very soon. I ordered all the parts on the 29th but much of is coming from Germany. Being Xmas / new year it's taking a little longer to come through at vines. I should have a picture by the end of this week of a lounge FULL of BMW bags and labels
Oh and I'm Trevor, Barrys the young thin one with hair, I'm the fat bald old bloke! It's an easy mistake to make.

[B7]

Thats Clean!

A

i want that engine bay, what colour is the engine rocker cover and that??

I mixed the colour on the bench, trying to get the alpina grey. It was a mile off but still looked the b0llocks. Want to buy the pair????

[Jhonno]

Come on Barry, get some proper pics up of the oily interesting bits

Very soon my friend, very soon. I ordered all the parts on the 29th but much of is coming from Germany. Being Xmas / new year it's taking a little longer to come through at vines. I should have a picture by the end of this week of a lounge FULL of BMW bags and labels
Oh and I'm Trevor, Barrys the young thin one with hair, I'm the fat bald old bloke! It's an easy mistake to make.

Oops, yeah I meant Trevor..

It isn't that I confuse you two, I just always think Barry due to your B7 username for some reason!

[B7]

And so just for jhonno heres some more oily photos. Only they ain't oily. Today i've spent a VERY cold day in the garage cleaning bits ready for the parts when they arrive. I hate this job, especially the head but it has been worth it. One thing I can never understand is when people build an engine or replace an engine and leave everything dirty!!! I want the oil to stay clear between oil changes and my hands to stay clean when i work on it in the future.

I still want to lap the valves in to give them a nice seal (theres no sign of any burning so they should lap okay) but once thats done, it's ready to start reassembly, of the head anyway. I still have to hone the bores and sort that sump bolt out but I finally feel i'm getting somewhere.










More to follow VERY soon, starting with the valve reassembly etc.

[Jhonno]

Looks good Barry

Do like nice shiny engine parts.. By oily bits I just mean stuff that goes inside the engine, much more interesting

You going to get the inlet/exhaust ports cleaned up Trevor?

[SteSE]

Happy New Year Trevor!!!

Glad to see this still ticking over, i'm up for moving the engine any time you want fella just give me a call

[oakey]

You going to get the inlet/exhaust ports cleaned up Trevor?

Like this-




Why does this look so different to yours?^^^

[Jhonno]

You going to get the inlet/exhaust ports cleaned up Trevor?

Like this-




Why does this look so different to yours?^^^

Exactly like that!!

Trevor's looks like it was taken straight from the mould without being finished after..

[Jhonno]

Did you get that done to the head Dave?

[Jhonno]

S50 inlet shot for comparison

[oakey]

Did you get that done to the head Dave?

I had it gas flowed and polished just after I bought it from FAB. Then Ant got his mitts on it and it had a re-fresh before it went on the new engine. I'm not sure what work Ant had done to it.

[daimlerman]

Great attention to detail,that cast exhaust does let you down,though...how about having it ceramic coated to match the cam cover and inlet?

[oakey]

Did you get that done to the head Dave?

Sorry I understand what you meant now
No the head as standard doesnt have smooth ports etc.

[B7]

That does look the nuts Oakey. I may well have a go to be honest. Mind you it's damn cold out in the garage!!! What are the REAL benefits of the extra work though? Really..... There was an argument I heard some years ago that the polishing the ports actually benefits very little. In fact the opposite side of the coin was that rough ports were better as it created turbulance and therefore a better mixture . And now here ensues a debate

Malcolm. Now theres a thought. I may look into that. i used to love the old Jag XK manifolds when they were done. Any ideas of the cost implications?

[Jhonno]

Did you get that done to the head Dave?

Sorry I understand what you meant now
No the head as standard doesnt have smooth ports etc.

No, you answered my question with your 1st reply

[Jhonno]

That does look the nuts Oakey. I may well have a go to be honest. Mind you it's damn cold out in the garage!!! What are the REAL benefits of the extra work though? Really..... There was an argument I heard some years ago that the polishing the ports actually benefits very little. In fact the opposite side of the coin was that rough ports were better as it created turbulance and therefore a better mixture . And now here ensues a debate

Oakey's aren't polished.. They are still slighty rough, which is what you want, and what you are referring to. Yours looks like it was cast using pebbles, and left as done

Compare Oakey's to the factory finish on the S50 ports.. It is the same

[E30BeemerLad]

Trevor, what have you used to clean that head up with? TFR concentrated?

[oakey]

That does look the nuts Oakey. I may well have a go to be honest. Mind you it's damn cold out in the garage!!! What are the REAL benefits of the extra work though?

The REAL benefits are probably feck all tbh Maybe 1bhp

An argument for smoothing the ports is that most tuned or performance cyl heads have smooth ports- ie Jhonnos pic of the S50 ports

What cam are you using Trevor?

[B7]

That does look the nuts Oakey. I may well have a go to be honest. Mind you it's damn cold out in the garage!!! What are the REAL benefits of the extra work though? Really..... There was an argument I heard some years ago that the polishing the ports actually benefits very little. In fact the opposite side of the coin was that rough ports were better as it created turbulance and therefore a better mixture . And now here ensues a debate

Oakey's aren't polished.. They are still slighty rough, which is what you want, and what you are referring to. Yours looks like it was cast using pebbles, and left as done

Compare Oakey's to the factory finish on the S50 ports.. It is the same

See what you mean now. So basically, de-nib them?

[Jhonno]

Yeah, just clean them up, you aren't looking to port it, just smooth it

probably worth a few bhp and some torque, makes sense whilst the head is off etc

[B7]

Trevor, what have you used to clean that head up with? TFR concentrated?

First of all engine degreaser then cellulose thinners. Ports were done using scotchbrite scouring sheets and f*cking sore fingers The sump was done with TFR and if you look at that, you can see why i don't use TFR on main parts. It sends it slightly matt. On the sump thats fine for me as thats the finish they had when new but the heads always were all shiney.

[B7]

Yeah, just clean them up, you aren't looking to port it, just smooth it

probably worth a few bhp and some torque, makes sense whilst the head is off etc

Back later

[oakey]

The exhaust ports on my head are smoother than the inlet ports. Which is opposite to the standard head going by your pics B7. May be worth some consideration?
My head was done by MiniSport who I have been told by people, who have heard of them, that they are very good.

[B7]

The exhaust ports on my head are smoother than the inlet ports. Which is opposite to the standard head going by your pics B7. May be worth some consideration?

Which actually makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks for the pics. I'm going to bite the bullet.

[Simon13]

Not for the faint hearted Trevor don't fook it up!

[daimlerman]

Malcolm. Now theres a thought. I may look into that. i used to love the old Jag XK manifolds when they were done. Any ideas of the cost implications?

Less than a BTB2,but probably more than a hottuning!! Think fuzzy mentioned £150 for a 4 cylinder manifold...it's just that no matter what you do with the standard cast thing,and I take on board your wish to retain a 'stock' appearance,it lets down that inlet and camcover.It's the 'how far do you go' thing,really.

[B7]

Not for the faint hearted Trevor don't fook it up!

I've got an angle grider with a disc worn very small. will that do?

[Simon13]

you are a bad man!

[Jhonno]

Not for the faint hearted Trevor don't fook it up!

I've got an angle grider with a disc worn very small. will that do?

Yeah, that'll be fine

[Jhonno]

The exhaust ports on my head are smoother than the inlet ports. Which is opposite to the standard head going by your pics B7. May be worth some consideration?
My head was done by MiniSport who I have been told by people, who have heard of them, that they are very good.

That is how it should be again!

Smooth/polished exhaust ports as you aren't worried about mixing, just getting the gases out as quick as possible!! None polished inlets to help with mixing and therefore combustion

[B7]

Listen, I have a city and guilds in origami, it'll be fine.

Seriously, i ain't going mad on it. Just cleaning up the high spots.

[Jhonno]

You got some cable ties handy Trevor?

Long as you are careful and aren't using a chainsaw you will be fine.. Longer it takes the less likely you will fook it up, if that makes any sense?!