Using a standard Clarke engine hoist (hired for £25 for the weekend), we put the engine in.
The hoisting points are not particularly helpful:
- the obvious one is on the rear LHS of the engine, and is oval in shape
- the less obvious one is on the opposite corner - RHS front - and is a circle milled into a hose bracket. This hole is fairly small
So, using normal thick lifting strops is a non-starter; the holes are too small. Instead, I doubled up smaller tie down straps, looping them a few times to make a circle. Even then, when the hoist begins
- the engine is trying to twist around, which you need to counter
- the centre of balance means that the gearbox will point downwards if left alone
Now it's time to connect everything up. The Assembly Guide assumes a few things that are not safe assumptions:
- that we know the names of every part of the engine (though there isn't a detailed guide)
- the photos in the Assembly Guide often are taken after subsequent parts are installed. This can be really confusing, so it's worth reading and re-reading ahead, before you go ahead!
The hoisting points are not particularly helpful:
- the obvious one is on the rear LHS of the engine, and is oval in shape
- the less obvious one is on the opposite corner - RHS front - and is a circle milled into a hose bracket. This hole is fairly small
So, using normal thick lifting strops is a non-starter; the holes are too small. Instead, I doubled up smaller tie down straps, looping them a few times to make a circle. Even then, when the hoist begins
- the engine is trying to twist around, which you need to counter
- the centre of balance means that the gearbox will point downwards if left alone
 |
| Lifting in the engine |
The engine does go in fairly easily. A few bits and pieces do almost catch on the chassis pipework, plus the tunnel is narrow.
- that we know the names of every part of the engine (though there isn't a detailed guide)
- the photos in the Assembly Guide often are taken after subsequent parts are installed. This can be really confusing, so it's worth reading and re-reading ahead, before you go ahead!
Hi there great build read btw.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if you had any idea what the gearbox is typically found in (except Caterhams! ;) ). I've heard rumors of what they're out of but nothing confirmed?
Cheers,
David
Many thanks for your feedback.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that the entire drive train is from a Suzuki Jimny. I'm not 100% sure though. The engine and diff, at least, have been highly modified, so possibly the gearbox casing has too.
All the best
Ned