Beta Spider 2000 engine rebuild/refurb

[mangocrazy]

As well as confusing myself further with crank pulley marks, I was also able to trial fit various modifications I've made to the alternator mountings. I'm happy to say it all seemed to work out well. Starting from the top, the fitting that attaches to the stamped metal top mount that in turn mounts to the cambox has always been a bit iffy and so I resolved to get a solid and reliable fitting made up. Rubber mounts age, crack and eventually fall apart, so for the material I chose Acetal, an engineering plastic. I've had bits made from it for other (motorbike-related) applications, and I've seen how well it puts up with general abuse.

So I got my tame engineering firm in Sheffield to turn me up a pair of inserts from a piece of Acetal rod I have. The inserts are stepped with the smaller diameter being a snug push fit into the mounting bar. What you can't see is the piece of 10mm o.d./8mm i.d. stainless tube that sits inside the inserts and the washer next to the nut. The piece of rod is sized to be fractionally shorter than the overall width of inserts, adjusting/mounting bar and washer, so that the whole assembly can be nipped up tight without applying too much force to te inserts.

Next down is the top mount on the alternator, which bolts up to the bottom of the mounting bar and provides belt adjustment. All I really needed to do here was to find an M10 bolt of te correct length and with the correct head size to locate in the alternator housing. And a nyloc nut and washer to suit of course.

The bottom mount had me scratching my head initially. The threaded insert/distance piece that screws into the oil filter block had an 8mm hole running through its length whereas the alternator casting was sized for a 12mm bolt. Rather than faffing about with inserts I decided to get the part that screws into the oil filter bock opened out to 12mm so I could use an M12 x 120mm bolt to secure the bottom mounting. This bolt has to do the heavy lifting, as it will bear most of the  weight of the alternator. I'm not sure an M8 bolt is really up to the job. So hopefully I now have a solid and reliable method of fixing the alternator in place. I've not bolted everything up finally as I will be messing about with the distributor setting the timing and it's easier to get at it without the alternator in the way.

But at least it's another little job ticked off the list.

[peteracs]

Hi

You really really will not want to use this. I suggest a plinth and buy a n other for the car….!!!

Very nice, mine will not be anywhere as pretty as this.

Peter

[mangocrazy]

Thanks for the nice words, Peter. I'm putting a lot of time and effort to get things right (and pretty!) on this engine as once it's installed in the car, I never want it to come out again - not in my lifetime, anyway. And plating all the manky old bits should (hopefully) keep them looking decent for longer. The other thing with taking my time is that I know every single part of this engine in detail, and if (when?) things do go wrong in the future I'll know how they're fitted and how to fix the problem. Not rushing to get it fitted into the car also gives me time to fix mistakes made earlier (and there have been a few)...

[mangocrazy]

It's been over 6 months since I last updated this thread, mainly because there has been nothing to report. The refurbished engine and gearbox are still sat on the dolly, waiting patiently to be put into service.

And that event now seems marginally more possible than previously...

I'm currently in France, and will be for a few days yet. As detailed in another thread I've been trying to get the car running again, and concentrating on the carburettor as the main culprit. Well, the car now runs, but it's as rough as a badger's backside. I initially thought that I'd failed to tighten all the exhaust manifold nuts/bolts up properly, as it sounded like there was a bad exhaust blow.

After getting under the car and checking everything and tightening up any slightly loose fasteners, there was no perceptible improvement. I drove the car a short distance round the village and when I got back to my house I noticed a trail of coolant on the ground. When checking closer, it appeared to be coolant mixed with oil...

So it appears that my donor engine of unknown provenance is a duffer, and probably has a blown head gasket. This possibility did not fill me with deep joy, it has to be said. But it has concentrated the mind on the best course of action. Rather than chasing my tail trying to fix the myriad faults on the donor engine, I need to get the car back to the UK where I can really get to work on it. I retired in July 2020, so it's not like I have work commitments to take up my time.

While I was considering how to deal with the latest curve ball, I rang up a friend in the next village and told him the story. He promptly informed me that he has a towing dolly that has already been used to tow a car back to the UK, and offered me the use of it. My ex-AA VW Transporter should make light work of that job - before I acquired it, it would have towed countless broken-down vehicles.

So that is the New Plan. The only slight flaw in my cunning plan is that I do not have a garage in the UK in which to do all the necessary work. So as soon as I get back to the UK I will be trying to track down a garage for rent in the vicinity of Sheffield.

Wish me luck.

[WestonE]

Good Luck Graham

I worked under a Rock Awnings Gazebo on the drive for 2 years in case that helps. A de-humidifier is a must if you are mad enough to do this!

Thankfully I now have a decently sized double garage.

Enjoy

Eric

[Neil-yaj396]

How had the oil/water mix got out? Take it you have checked that the oil in the engine is similarly contaminated?

Good luck with the trip.

[mangocrazy]

How had the oil/water mix got out? Take it you have checked that the oil in the engine is similarly contaminated?

Good luck with the trip.

Hi Neil,

I'm afraid I haven't even had the heart to find out. It's quite possibly a coolant hose that wasn't fully tightened up when the engine was installed, but I'm now of the view that it gets taken back to the UK, the 'problem' engine removed and then we start afresh with the refurbished engine I have waiting. I'm not prepared to spend any more time than I absolutely have to on the current engine.

Hi Eric,

Yes, desperate times and all that... I don't even have the luxury of off-street parking in the UK, but am hopeful that I can track down a garage to work in somewhere reasonably close to home. I'm meeting my friend with the towing kit tonight, so hopefully can start making plans soon-ish.

Graham

[mangocrazy]

It's been more than six months since I updated this thread, and unfortunately no real progress has been made in that intervening period. I've been trying (sporadically) to find a garage for rent in my vicinity and drawn a blank, and have been sounding out prices for low-loader hire - expensive! I've been quoted £220 per day for hire alone, and that doesn't factor in ferry/chunnel crossings and fuel.

So I've been thinking of an option that I'd previously dismissed out of hand - fixing the blown head gasket on the car in France. How difficult is it to replace a cylinder head gasket with the engine 'in situ'? My current plan is to bring down a spare, refurbished, complete, fully populated cylinder head and just swap them over. I'd also be bringing a spare new water pump, head gasket, head bolts and cam belt. If it's possible (and I don't see why not) I will also be removing the auxiliary pulley and cutting off the fuel pump lobe and plugging the hole, just to make sure I can't mis-align it.

I've never replaced a Beta cylinder head gasket 'in situ' so would appreciate any pointers or gotchas I might encounter. And hello again, after a period of absence... !

One last thing - I'm presuming that I won't need to drain the oil prior to swapping cyl heads or removing the aux shaft? I will obviously drain the coolant before starting...

[peteracs]

Hi Graham

I have not changed a head yet, just stripped a few engines down, and you know how to put them together….., so suggest changing head should be a walk in the park, and in situ. As to the idler shaft, just leave it, no point making work and easy enough to check and test the setting.

Time to get it done as this has been going on forever and you must be sick of it!

Peter

[Nigel]

Hi Graham,
Yes, as Peter says, head change is straight forward, and I agree, leave the idler shaft
untouched.
Depending on timing and logistics, I'm available as a 2nd pair of hands.

Nigel

[mangocrazy]

Hi Graham,
Yes, as Peter says, head change is straight forward, and I agree, leave the idler shaft
untouched.
Depending on timing and logistics, I'm available as a 2nd pair of hands.

Nigel

Nigel, You fancy a trip to the South of France to swap a cylinder head?

[peteracs]

I am sure he could be tempted, free wine, food etc…..

Peter

[mangocrazy]

Hi Graham

I have not changed a head yet, just stripped a few engines down, and you know how to put them together….., so suggest changing head should be a walk in the park, and in situ. As to the idler shaft, just leave it, no point making work and easy enough to check and test the setting.

Time to get it done as this has been going on forever and you must be sick of it!

Peter

Yes, it's really wearisome and I am getting sick of it all. I think I will probably do the strip down while I'm here this time so I'm aware of any gotchas, then bring the head and valve train back in the van with me. That way I can pick the best out of what I have and get it ready to take back down later in the year. This is in between going in for another hernia op, by the way. I had one last year but it appears they missed the others...

[peteracs]

Sorry to hear about the repeat op, not the best time to be needing it.

Peter

[mangocrazy]

Yes, it's the period when I'm out of action that frustrates me the most. But it is what it is and I have to deal with it. As regards to the car, when I discovered the head gasket failure on the donor engine, for some reason I complately dismissed the idea of fixing the engine in situ; I don't know why. With the benefit of a bit of detachment from the problem it now seems the obvious way forward. Strange how the brain (well, my brain anyway) reacts to problems.

[Nigel]

Hi Graham,
Yes, as Peter says, head change is straight forward, and I agree, leave the idler shaft
untouched.
Depending on timing and logistics, I'm available as a 2nd pair of hands.

Nigel

Nigel, You fancy a trip to the South of France to swap a cylinder head?

Yup, that's my perfect holiday Graham!

[Neil-yaj396]

Even I have changed a Beta head gasket in situ, though many years ago. Worst bit back then was undoing the exhaust down pipe with very corroded nuts, then the schoolboy error on re-assembly of getting the cambelt 1 tooth out which I got away with......

[mangocrazy]

The one aspect of swapping the cyl head over that I'm not looking forward to is the inevitable fight with the exhaust manifold. I replaced the OE cast manifold with a CSC part back in the late 80s and after discovering just how impossible it was to refit the CSC without a pit or 2/4 post lift I had it converted into a 2-piece item and then ceramic coated. This is what it looked like before fitting for the first time:

http://www.betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3207.msg22373#msg22373

I think I'll need to get under the car when the time comes and undo the bolts holding the two halves of the flange together and lift the head off with the top part of the manifold attached. Whichever way I do it I know it will be messy and much bad language will be involved. I don't have a pit or a post lift (if only) in France so it's going to be car crawler and a face full of dirt and muck. What joy.

Nigel: If you're serious I will be in touch a bit nearer the time...

Graham

[SanRemo78]

Don't forget to take a bucketload of tappet shims and the tool with you.... It's a job I've done a couple of times in the past and will have to do again soon. Unfortunately I donated/gave away all my spare shims and the bucket tool when I sold my Fiat 124 Spider many years ago. Something else to start an eBay search for now....

Guy

[WestonE]

Have a pair of old head bolts with the tops cut off and screw driver slots cut to use as guides for lowering the head into place. You use the screw driver slots to undo them once the head is down. Also take a Tap to clean out the block threads or your torque figures will be a disaster. Have a torque wrench and the setting sequence. GCs books tell you how to lube bolts and washer for fitting.   
Have new bolts, new belt & tensioner and a new head gasket with the correct dowels for the gasket. You can re-use the washers. Just be sure to fit them the right way up! Keep scrapped head gasket out of the oil feed and return drillings to avoid a blow up on the journey (take a collection of bungs you have tested on an old block). 

Take you time and you will do this fine.

Eric
PS mark the AUX DS position at TDC carefully to a fixed reference point.