64 replies to this topic

[David Birchall]

Before the internet police get to me:

I just started my DB2 engine, after nearly eighteen months of locating parts, machining, fiddling, replacing parts, assembling and finally installing what is a beautifull looking but complex and heavy lump of English cast iron.
The feeling as it crackled into life was well, like an automotive orgasm
Despite the fact I had stupidly installed electronic ignition at the last moment thus introducing yet one more risk of failure-and fail it did-anyone want a Crane Cams black box? I stuffed an old distributer from an Austin-Healey in and away she went!
Unfortunately, there is only minimal oil pressure

Does this constitute "Motorus Interuptus"?

[dretceterini]

I have had a similar experience with an Alfa 2600. There is a one-way valve under the oil filter. I don't know about DB2s, but if there is somthing similar, make sure it is free of all grit and opening properly.

[David Birchall]

Thanks Stu, I am about to go out to the garage to check the oil pressure relief valve with a pressurised oil feed. I will also look at the oil filter valve.

Lovely engine the Alfa 2600. I raced one once; sounded glorious at 8000rpm and would stay there all day if you wanted.
David B

[scags]

David, good luck! The hard part is remembering where everything goes after it's apart for a bunch of months.. One thing I've found with newly rebuilt engines - check the oil pressure gauge send line to see if it's clogged. Mine drove me nuts, until I found gasket sealer in the tube.

[David Beard]

Yes, there are few things more satisfying than the collection of mechanical parts that were recently strewn around the garage actually bursting into life like a living creature...especially when one's own nervous mits have assembled them. The most exotic I can claim is a Lotus Twin Cam, however...what must it have been like for those who first fired up the V16 BRM, for instance?

[scags]

When they fired up the H-16 for the first time, everyone was probubly hiding behind something solid, waiting for the shrapnel!

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by David Beard
Yes, there are few things more satisfying than the collection of mechanical parts that were recently strewn around the garage actually bursting into life like a living creature...especially when one's own nervous mits have assembled them. The most exotic I can claim is a Lotus Twin Cam, however...what must it have been like for those who first fired up the V16 BRM, for instance?

I agree absolutely.

Funnily enough, my recently rebuilt Fulvia engine has lowish oil pressure, but seeems OK.

Sadly it has to come out again as the infernal gearbox has an oil leak, grrrr.

I would love to read an account of reactions to the first firing-up of the V-16; I suppose PB's secrecy prevented word escaping!

PdeRL

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by David Birchall
Thanks Stu, I am about to go out to the garage to check the oil pressure relief valve with a pressurised oil feed. I will also look at the oil filter valve.

Nothing to do with the dreaded cheeses I hope David?

Best of luck.

PdeRL

[man]

Slightly off topic, but didn't Alessandro Nannini once say that the first time he drove a non-turbo Benetton he got a hard on because of the vibrations after being so used to the Motori Moderni turbo in the Minardi?

[mudpuppy]

I have not tried to rebuild my Porsche flat-6 yet, so I only assume that your AO is something like my (heavy) right foot fetish?

[dbw]

well...i hear you...tho when i lit off my bugatti blown eight for the first time i think i was was closer to incontinence than to an orgasm....[big plus; the roller crank doesn't much care about oil pressure..

[D-Type]

Do you have to act like an overgrown schoolboy - and boast about it!


In other words - Congratulations.

[Lotus23]

Slightly OT, but the words "low oil pressure" flashed me back nearly 40 years, and this story does involve the Lotus23.

When I bought the car, it came with the usual supply of "spares" from its previous owner. Among these were 8 or 10 sets of new main bearings. They were all the correct size, I was assured.

While I never deluded myself into believing I was a top-notch mechanic, I did get reasonably adept at changing out those main bearings 'cause it had to be done after every race weekend. On this occasion, I was running late, and managed to wrap the job up quite late Friday evening. Faced with a long tow to VIR overnight, I decided to abstain from my usual practice of firing up the engine to check the oil pressure. Instead, we just rolled the car onto the trailer and set forth for Virginia.

We arrived at the track early Sat morning and only then did I crank her up. Imagine my shock when, instead of 80psi, I got only 20!! I managed to find a nearby phone and woke up the Previous Owner, who then recalled that "maybe" one of those seats of bearings was 0.030 oversize!

There followed a hasty thrash of changing the #@$*! bearings in the muddy pits. My buddies who constituted my crew had talents, but they didn't extend to bearing-changing. So Hero Driver had to do it himself. An hour or so later, grimy and tuckered, I fired 'er up again: 80psi. After that debacle, the rest of the weekend went okay.

Moral of the story: he who doesn't check is asking for trouble. And Murphy's Law is alive and well at any racetrack in the world.

[rdrcr]

Some cool stories guys...

Here's one that makes my wood hard..... real hard

Turn up the volume!!

The sound of power
(for windows media player)



Can anyone recognize it?

[David Birchall]

[i]
Can anyone recognize it? [/B]

Well, there's a hell of a lot of valve noise there~

Its either pre-war or its a racing Chevy V8!




Many thanks for all the words of support guys


I can relate to all the above except the Bugatti-God I would like to relate to a Bugatti!


My father, who joined the RAF in 1935, went through an apprenticeship with them, survived the war despite being a tail gunner for part of it, used to tell me that the mechanics would put buckets over their heads when an engine was started for the first time!











incidentally: Ilefttheoilwaydrillingplugoutofnumberonebearingdidn'tI

[rdrcr]

Well, there's a hell of a lot of valve noise there~

A lot of valve noise?!?! Damn I hope that's not a bad thing! But I will concede that it's a large valve train...

Its either pre-war or its a racing Chevy V8!

NO and NOPE!

Congrats though on getting your DB2 engine to fire and run... I know the feeling ~ it's swwweeeet...

next guess then...

[Frank S]

Hmmm.

Is it related to this one ? (403K MP3 file will work in Windows Media Player)

[rdrcr]

Hard to say...

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by David Birchall
.....Lovely engine the Alfa 2600. I raced one once; sounded glorious at 8000rpm and would stay there all day if you wanted.

There is nothing as sweet in the world as a fine inline six at max revs...

I fell in love with this sound at the Speedway as the Repco Holdens went around, been tantalised by it ever since... I would imagine the 2600 would be among the great ones, though I don't think I'd mind listening to a K3 either.

Just what oil feed did that missing hole block off?

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by man
Slightly off topic, but didn't Alessandro Nannini once say that the first time he drove a non-turbo Benetton he got a hard on because of the vibrations after being so used to the Motori Moderni turbo in the Minardi?

Check out All But My Life (Stirling Moss with Ken Purdy) for an account about an American race driver in the twenties reporting that he frequently had an erection, sometimes an orgasm, when racing!

[oldtimer]

Originally posted by David Birchall
:... what is a beautifull looking but complex and heavy lump of English cast iron.

Does this constitute "Motorus Interuptus"?

Wasn't that heavy lump based on a W.O.Bentley design used in the post-war (2) Lagonda?

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by Ray Bell


There is nothing as sweet in the world as a fine inline six at max revs...

I fell in love with this sound at the Speedway as the Repco Holdens went around, been tantalised by it ever since... I would imagine the 2600 would be among the great ones, though I don't think I'd mind listening to a K3 either.

Just what oil feed did that missing hole block off?

Ray, I sorta hoped nobody would notice my little admission there... Its the drilling straight up from the sump flange area into the #1 main bearing - The machine shop removed the plug so I was unaware of it untill I pressurised the oil system-which I should have done before I ever took the engine off the rebuild stand-hind sight is remarkably astute! I now have 75 psi oil pressure.


I never thought I would get more than 2 or 3 replies to this thread-obviously sex plus automobiles sells (Duh!)

[eldougo]

I used to LOVE the SOUND of any motor that fired into life after we had just installed it.that ment we would have an early night,get back to the hotel and out to eat and drink (Maybe not in that order) DFV.s--- BDA.s--=Cheve.s all sound GREAT espically in the evening at a Race Track.

Ill have to agree with RAY the --153624-- inline(6) did have an amazing sound when fully hoocked up going around a Speeday oval.The more the better.

[john medley]

Years ago I ran into John Dawson Damer, having heard that his Lotus 49 had just landed in Australia and that he had given the car an exploratory burst at , I think , Silverdale Hillclimb the day before.I still recall his reply to my question " How was it ? "

" Instant orgasm, old boy"

Eldougo, I'll third the motion : those cracking head sixes do make a magic noise, particularly on alcohol.

OT but needed urgently : on a traditional Cosworth 4 port oil pump for dry sump etc, what is the function of each port? ( IN from sump, OUT to tank...... )

[xkssFrankOpalka]

David: Glad to hear you DB2 is running well, I have a DB 2/4 with Bertone Roadster body, 19,000 miles, sounds sweet, and smooth, have raced it at Watkins Glen twice but it is really a GT car. If you get water in the oil some time in the future, the problem might be water pump seals, thats why they have drain hole in the front cover.

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by xkssFrankOpalka
David: Glad to hear you DB2 is running well, I have a DB 2/4 with Bertone Roadster body, 19,000 miles, sounds sweet, and smooth, have raced it at Watkins Glen twice but it is really a GT car. If you get water in the oil some time in the future, the problem might be water pump seals, thats why they have drain hole in the front cover.

Running well!!!
Overstatement of the bloody year!

I have had the engine out 2 more times to fix oil leaks from the rear main area.

Frank, is your car the Bertone bodied car that resembles a Arnolt Bristol? If so it may be the car that was restored in Vancouver by a friend of mine, Alan Murtagh.
David B

[RTH]

Originally posted by rdrcr
Some cool stories guys...

Here's one that makes my wood hard..... real hard

Turn up the volume!!

The sound of power
(for windows media player)



Can anyone recognize it?

A large capacity V8 ?

[rdrcr]

Originally posted by David Birchall
"...Running well!!!

Overstatement of the bloody year!

I have had the engine out 2 more times to fix oil leaks from the rear main area..."

David B

Sorry to read of this... what a pisser! Was this a DIY job or did you farm out the work?

Originally posted by RTH
A large capacity V8 ?

Yes...

[David Birchall]

RDRCR: Well, I incorporated two modifications in the crank; I instructed the machine shop (In writing) to cross-drill the rod journals and to install a sleeve over the rear main scroll and install a lip seal in the rear housing.
Problem 1. The front-counter guy didn't pass my written instructions on to the machinist-he just wrote "Cross-drill crank". With the result that the drill broke through into the pilot shaft hole at the back of the crank-a tiny hole that with 75psi oil pressure became larger quickly!

Problem 2. The sleeve they fitted over the rear scroll came loose, despite Loctite, and allowed the seal lip to drop off the edge.

Neither of these modifications was critical, just "Nice to have". It comes down to: If it ain't broke, don' f*** with it!
David B

[RTH]

Originally posted by rdrcr


Sorry to read of this... what a pisser! Was this a DIY job or did you farm out the work?

Yes...

7 litres from uncle Henry in Detroit ?

[rdrcr]

Originally posted by RTH


7 litres from uncle Henry in Detroit ?

Close but not quite -

But it is a large 7 from Walter's men - a renowned 'merican motor if there ever was one...


The Chrysler 426 HEMI - recorded under-hood of the '67 Charger.

Good deducing there RTH

[David Birchall]

Well, I was close!

[RTH]

Originally posted by rdrcr


Close but not quite -

But it is a large 7 from Walter's men - a renowned 'merican motor if there ever was one...


The Chrysler 426 HEMI - recorded under-hood of the '67 Charger.

Good deducing there RTH

Well with gasoline here in the UK at $6.50 a gallon - we are very much a 4 cylinder country. - then there is the $9 toll per day to enter London and the $310 per year license fee just to be allowed to own a car , and then the 17 1/2 % tax added to all motoring cost by the government, 7000 speed camers ensure every time you exceed 30 mph in an urban area , thats another $100 fine, by obsessive police who rake in the money for their own "essential equipment" - they have just put a Lotus Elise on the road as a Police car ! - but you can forget attendence to a robbery in progress !

......Oh , and by the way new cars in Europe are nearly twice the price of cars in the US to start with........and wages in the US are probably at least 20 % higher on average, our local, town & country roads have all the smooth surface quality of a war zone. ......... No wonder we need Nostalgia !

[Frank S]

Originally posted by Frank S
Hmmm.

Is it related to this one ? (403K MP3 file will work in Windows Media Player)

I know I tried to make this post last week: The "this one" is the BRM 16-cyl.

This is the really good one (516K), especially from about 25 seconds in

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by RTH
Well with gasoline here in the UK at $6.50 a gallon - we are very much a 4 cylinder country. - then there is the $9 toll per day to enter London and the $310 per year license fee just to be allowed to own a car , and then the 17 1/2 % tax added to all motoring cost by the government, 7000 speed camers ensure every time you exceed 30 mph in an urban area , thats another $100 fine, by obsessive police who rake in the money for their own "essential equipment" - they have just put a Lotus Elise on the road as a Police car ! - but you can forget attendence to a robbery in progress !

......Oh, and by the way new cars in Europe are nearly twice the price of cars in the US to start with........and wages in the US are probably at least 20 % higher on average, our local, town & country roads have all the smooth surface quality of a war zone. ......... No wonder we need Nostalgia!

You know, you're not painting a pretty picture...

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by Frank S


I know I tried to make this post last week: The "this one" is the BRM 16-cyl.

This is the really good one (516K), especially from about 25 seconds in

V-16 BRM; the best noise ever.

I would love to have other recordings; this one was Nick Mason's of course.

PdeRL

[Frank S]

Originally posted by VAR1016


V-16 BRM; the best noise ever.

I would love to have other recordings; this one was Nick Mason's of course.

PdeRL

Nick Mason's, eh? It came to me from "Web-based anonymous donor." Where do I pay admission? (smile)

[David Birchall]

Bloody "ell!!!

I think I've just gone all bubbly up the pipe

With a good glass of wine and the volume turned right up I'm back at the Goodwood Revival

Many thanks for that RTH
David B

[oldtimer]

Originally posted by VAR1016


V-16 BRM; the best noise ever.

I would love to have other recordings; this one was Nick Mason's of course.

PdeRL

Being a bit of a spoil-sport, but the recording is but a pale echo of Ken Wharton accelerating out of the Goodwood chicane. Downright painful to be there. Thankfully, those were the days of the BARC 5 lappers.

[RTH]

Ray : ....... Being a motorist in Britain in 2004 under the present regime , isn't pretty, the maximum average speed achievable across the 50 miles diameter of urban sprawl that is London is 9mph about what it was in the horse drawn days of the 19th century. I recently counted 46 sets of traffic lights to be passed in 24 miles on a main route of north London.

In the 1/2 mile from the bottom of my drive to the main A road there are more than 50 potholes - all routine road maintenance at least in my county appeared to end 5 or more years ago. I am 40 miles out of London - yet nearly all the time there is a half mile queue of traffic waiting at the first set of lights, in all directions.

Its not the least unusual to hear on the radio that "there is a 38 mile stretch of stationary traffic on the M25" - the orbital London Motorway . The trains are all equally over crowded. Driving used to be a great pleasure- not now. I could go on ............

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by oldtimer


Being a bit of a spoil-sport, but the recording is but a pale echo of Ken Wharton accelerating out of the Goodwood chicane. Downright painful to be there. Thankfully, those were the days of the BARC 5 lappers.

Yes I'll bet. I have the V16 Years video tape but there the sound is not good enough.

PdeRL

[rdrcr]

Originally posted by David Birchall
Well, I was close!

Yeah I suppose you were on the right track with the American V8 thing... but the other one skewed the answer sufficently - you're all over the map on those two!

Originally posted by David Birchall

Bloody "ell!!!

I think I've just gone all bubbly up the pipe

With a good glass of wine and the volume turned right up I'm back at the Goodwood Revival

Many thanks for that RTH
David B

That doesn't have anything to do with a bong does it?



Richard,

Thanks for the V16 music.... very cool

Truly scary stories about costs, taxes, tariffs and levies in jolly old England / UK (I Guess). What's with that deal??? I thought that the English were all for "motoring" twisty lanes, beautiful countryside in a Morgan, Lotus or an old Aston - top down, one of those tweed caps and all that.

Seems like times have seriously changed for the worse... Pretty sad, too many "tree-huggers" IMO.

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by rdrcr



Truly scary stories about costs, taxes, tariffs and levies in jolly old England / UK (I Guess). What's with that deal??? I thought that the English were all for "motoring" twisty lanes, beautiful countryside in a Morgan, Lotus or an old Aston - top down, one of those tweed caps and all that.

Seems like times have seriously changed for the worse... Pretty sad, too many "tree-huggers" IMO.

Yes I remember those days - these days whilst the tree-huggers have had an impact, the worst thing is unelected, unaccountable, car-hating lefty officials in all the town halls, who will do anything in their power to impede the free flow of traffic (in direct contravention of the Magna Carta) plus the brainwashed police who are apparently convinced that every motorist is an enemy of the the state and that "speed kills", this incorrect mantra that they never tire of chanting.

Driving along the embankment the other day, I saw three police vans, about six police motorcycles and a horde of coppers all standing there doing nothing; I presume that they were girding their loins to make some motorists' lives miserable. Checking tax discs is of course, work of National Importance.

PdeRL

[Garagiste]

Having recently moved back from the smoke to my native stomping ground of the E/W Sussex / Surrey / Kent borders, it came as a bit of a shock to discover that I do still love driving after all...
The main roads clog up certainly, but the lanes I used to abuse in my teens remain almost unchanged. There is still fun to be had, but if you live in a city you do have to go and look for it.

[green-blood]

I'm not quite in the same league but I got my 1966 Mk1 mini back from the paint/engine shop last weekend and immediately took her for a run with some mates. We started the engine for the first time in 2 months, new head gasket, new valves, head skim, new rad and water pump, rebuilt dynamo (much quieter) and a new exhaust means all the gases come out where they should,with the lovely 848cc A-series rasp..... maybe not orgasmic but certainly mildly arousing

the new paint and chrome look loverly too - so happy, roll on summer







I love that V16 engine note, I play that CD for mates at parties at about 3 am on full blast..... the house rocks.... ok they call me a nerd then but so what.

[Ray Bell]

850 grille and Cooper S overriders? What kind of nonsense is this?

Where is Buford when you need him?

[VAR1016]

I think that the Mini looks excellent - I hope Green-Blood has lots of fun with it

PdeRL

[green-blood]

tut tut sir

its a morris superdelux....the over riders are original, as is the 3 clock dash etc, the wheel are not though!!!!!

[Ray Bell]

Superdelux? You poms have simply not got any idea at all...

We had the Mini Deluxe here and it had wind up windows and hydrolastic suspention. And the Cooper grille... none of this perforated aluminium rubbish!

Yessir... we had real quality Minis in Australia!























.....What am I saying? Minis? Whoever thought they were real cars?.....

[green-blood]

cheeky convict

actually I am Irish so there...ha...ha, hmmm anyway its a superdelux, says so on the ORIGINAL handbook.... that is no alloy, that is freshly chromed steel, it took my father a week to polish the steel inorder to get such a great finish when the chrome got dipped.... and its hydrolastic so there, nah nah nah na nah

but it wasn't a cooper..... faker