Disaster

[jeffw]

Not a happy bunny. My friend Jeff (Westfield Megabusa) and myself where on our way to a trackday at Woodbridge this morning (early doors) when my engine seized coming out of the Dartford Tunnel, I ended up parked on the Thurrock service slip off the motorway. Hopped out of the car to realise the reason I couldn't stop and the engine wouldn't run was pretty apparent.....oil every where. Lifting the bonnet to reveal the whole engine bay thick with oil. It looks like the Oil Filter has failed in some way allowing all the engine oil out very quickly.

While I was waiting for the AA to turn up I got a phone call from the other Jeff to tell me he had broken down (about 1/3 mile further on). His dry sump system hoses had failed near the engine with the result that his oil supply had dripped out causing his engine to punch two large holes through the crank case with its rods.

The most bizarre coincident.

Anyway, |'m assume my Piper 282 cams are screwed...so

Blacktop
Another Silvertop
Or the ST170 Zetec with the VVT ????

I've found a low mileage blacktop for £150.

I'm afraid the other Jeffs engine will cost a lot more. All this with being stuck in Cyprus till Thursday as well

[Ben_Copeland]

Oh bugger. That's going to be expensive. Have you checked out the damage?? Might be able to salvage something.

[Fury1630]

That's the 2nd & 3rd!

Someone who's just joined said he got home to find a pool of oil under his car - filter punctured by road debris aparently. Seems very strange. Maybe those "filtercoolers" from CBS are a good thing - if only as armour plating!

Anyway, hope you can salvage something & good luck with the rebuild.

T

[jeffw]

The car doesn't turn over on the starter motor so the bottom end is seized which means the cams will be scored at the least (no lub at the top end).

So far a replacement Blacktop on the Bay of E is around £250-300 for a 65K engine or £1K for a new one. A set of Piper or Kent cams to suit are around £250. So without fitting it is going to cost £500-£1000. Most of the expensive parts will move across (raceline sump, alternator kit, vernier pullies etc). This will give me around 200BHP compared with the 180-185 the silvertop made so not all bad.

The car has just come back from getting the gearbox rebuilt which involved engine/gearbox out and then back in again. The car had done 30 miles before the failure since it was returned. This may also be a bizarre coincident or the Oil Filter may have been damaged in the removal/insertion. The company concerned are looking at the car on Monday so we will see how this pans out.

[Nash]

Jeff,
gutted for you. I believe pa zxr400 may have an engine for sale as he is putting an ST in his westie this weekend.
can't recall if it's a 2.0 or a 1.8?

.......... Neil

[greenwoo]

know how you will vbe feeling Jeff, got the T-Shirt on that one myself......however, its a Steve Austin moment ' we will rebuild it, faster, quicker, better....'
good luck with that.
Nash - Pauls engine is a 1.8

[jeffw]

Already muttering to myself about 220-230 BHP...which would be 400BHP per ton !!!!!!!

[zxr400]

hi jeff , you must be gutted , if any use , i will have a 1800 zetec 35000 mils engine good order £100 can deliver , im going for sti 170 race cams cheers paul

[jeffw]

Thanks for the offer but I'll try and get a decent 2lt.

[jeffw]

Right ...

After Saturdays events I have decided to go all out on the new engine in my normal scrapyard special way. It is going to be

2.0L Blacktop Zetec (2nd hand 65K miles £150)
BTCC touring car ported and polished head (Unused, old stock £350)
Piper 285 cams (£200 2nd hand )
ARP bottom bolts, head bolts & flywheel bolts (£150 off Ebay)
+ bits and pieces (£150)

£1000 + Fitting. Then a RR session and we should have 220 BHP or thereabouts.