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Re: Rebuilt to dead in 1200 miles--update

To: "Scott Gardner" <gardner@lwcomm.com>,
Subject: Re: Rebuilt to dead in 1200 miles--update
From: Larry Macy <macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu>
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 97 14:45:34 -0400
On 10/18/97 11:29 PM so and so  Scott Gardner said. (And I quote)

Was the block hot tanked? that -usually will clear most blocked oil 
passages.

Larry Macy 
78 Midget
>Thanks for all the kind words-- We just got back in town today after 
>our house-hunting trip in Norfolk.  There's something to be said for 
>having alternative non-British transportation.  Riqui's 1986 Honda 
>CRX has 166,000 miles on it, the engine has never been touched except 
>to replace timing belts, and it got 35mpg average over the whole 
>trip!  Going 80 mph with the engine turning 3200 rpm was pretty nice, 
>too.
>       As far as the MGB goes, I'll have to wait until Monday to call him, 
>but when we left last Monday, he had it up on the lift, looking at 
>the bottom end before pulling the engine.  Hopefully he's found out 
>something by now.
>       So far, we've determined that there is a problem in the oiling 
>system that existed before and after the rebuild.  It's not the 
>relief valve spring, since that was replaced, but it could be the 
>valve itself or the valve seat in the block.  I'll have him replace 
>the valve and lap it into the seat with some grinding compound.  The 
>opinions have been unanimous that the oil pressure relief valve 
>should not have been opening at 55 psi, and that a newly-rebuilt 
>engine should be putting out 70-80 psi.
>       He is honoring the warranty fully, parts and labor.  He seemed 
>personally and professionally offended that one of 'his' rebuilds 
>failed, and said he'd give me a different block if we can't find 
>anything wrong with this one.  He suspects that whatever caused the 
>first failure caused this one, too, and is very motivated to find the 
>problem, because he doesn't want to see the car back a third time!
>       The only out-of pocket costs I'm looking at this time are for parts 
>I didn't have him replace last time, such as the relief valve itself 
>and new oil cooler lines.  The oil cooler lines flushed out fine last 
>time, but he just ran solvent through them using gravity, not 
>pressure.  It's possible that they may be failing under pressure, 
>kind of like old brake lines.
>       While he's at it, I told him about a few tiny oil leaks that sprung 
>up since the rebuild, and he'll fix those.  They weren't enough to 
>cause a problem, the total seepage was probably a few ounces over 
>1200 miles, but while he's at it, I'll have him check it out.
>       To answer the most frequent question other listers have asked--yes, 
>the crank was turned and the block was line bored.  The crank went 
>from .010 under to .020 under.  I just hope we can go to .030 under 
>if need be, so as not to have to buy a new crank.
>       I'll post more Monday after I've talked to John.
>Scott

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