History of a Lola T492 Sports 2000 chassis?

[911thillclimber]

Cases together and all P&B on the engine.

I decided to use the 'put the piston in the barrels, then that onto the rods' method, opposite to the way I have done these before.
The difference is amazing, just so much easier.
Even more amazing is not one pin C clip tried to escape the garage when being eased into the piston!
A first for me as I was using fingers and a very small screwdriver. No time at work to make a replica of the Haasad demon tool.

One pin just would not go into the piston but found the leading edge of the C clip groove was damaged oh so slightly and after trimming with a Stanley Knife(!) the pin slipped it nicely.

My head that went back for the seal/guide to be sorted has not returned so the build has stopped.
Hope it is not lost in the post....Be just my luck with this errant engine.

I bought a fancy ring compressor for this build, and it must be the best tool I've bought for ages.
Well worth £30.


Cases together and all P&B on the engine.

I decided to use the 'put the piston in the barrels, then that onto the rods' method, opposite to the way I have done these before.
The difference is amazing, just so much easier.
Even more amazing is not one pin C clip tried to escape the garage when being eased into the piston!
A first for me as I was using fingers and a very small screwdriver. No time at work to make a replica of the Haasad demon tool.

One pin just would not go into the piston but found the leading edge of the C clip groove was damaged oh so slightly and after trimming with a Stanley Knife(!) the pin slipped it nicely.

My head that went back for the seal/guide to be sorted has not returned so the build has stopped.
Hope it is not lost in the post....Be just my luck with this errant engine.

I bought a fancy ring compressor for this build, and it must be the best tool I've bought for ages.
Well worth £30.

[911thillclimber]

The saga and specialists rumbles on!

Guide was incorrect, it was 'belled' at the seal end and need machining to size for the seal.
I sent it overnight so it would be there asap and be returned asap.

The deal was that I would be given a spare seal as I'd damaged 3 trying to fit one to the 'bell-ended' guide...
Machining done on the tuesday, sent by post the slowest way, 3 day service + bank hols = arrived today...

There was no spare seal in the pack. So I don't have one for the other head now!

Thus, a faulty reamed guide and a 4 hour trip + £35 petrol to fix my problem.
Thus a guide damaged by inserting it into the head £16 post and sent back the slowest way, my problem again, and no seal.

I'm obviously a worthless customer.
If anyone thinks I'm being fussy I have paid £2067 for the machining stripping/cleaning/crank bearings/993 studs/ line hone and other parts and £1500 for the gaskets etc.

Really should have bought a duratec!!

Bit of luck now and I won't have to deal with another specialist for months.

Bliss.

Pistons and barrels all on and 4 heads too!
By some miracle not one single piston pin C clip tried to escape the garage whilst prising them in either, a first for me. Getting the new ramps into the crank case however was a very different story....

[911thillclimber]

Engine progressing well now, and with a nice relaxed 'time table' ie get it done by March 2013 I am taking my time.( a first for me...)

Heads all on and time for the cam timing, a notorious stage in the process of a 911 engine rebuild.

I think I've done it right!
This stage I usually chicken-out and have it done by a specialist, but having had enough of them, this is a DIY. (and I feel better for it)

As to the specialists, one has said I've had a bad time with this episode and has offered a freebee as some good will jesture (ie Cam Timing!) and the other who did the job on the heads some $$$ and a free guide seal.....

Will not be going back there again.

Just had a meaningful chat with Mrs Hillclimber about

Sell the car when running again.
Sell engine and box and fit Duratec and Audi A4 engine, or 1.8 Audi turbo engine/box (attractive idea)

Did not come to a conclusion except not to get ahead of myself!

[911thillclimber]

Starting to look familiar again....

Ready to go back in and be started.
Really need to change the CW&P before I actually start it so it will be ready for next year though the Triumph injection project becons..

[911thillclimber]

Bloody hell...

Of course it will not run correctly!
Something is very wrong and after a heap of trial and errors the engine is back out and will be given to Bob to time the cams as i must have done it wrong.

To irritating to describe in all the detail of an 8 hour session on it last sunday...



Off to SPA this weekend for some real car racing, so should feel better after that slice of heaven.


This car just can never give up fighting me.
Must be 'operator error'

[Clive Brown]

I do hope you haven't timed it wrong enough to bend valves.... if so, it can't possibly run right.

[911thillclimber]

No, all the compression tests are right on all cylinders. Never felt a thing when turning it endlessly by hand.

I took one lead off at a time and every run the engine was the same, a one-cylinder miss beat.

[brakedisc]

Stick a Pinto in it and go do some S2000 racing. You would like that.

[911thillclimber]

You are right of course, the S2000 series looks very very good, went to 2 of the meetings this year.
However the tub I have is rather modified so far from right without a lot of mods.

I nearly bought the car with a nice Pinto and a rebuilt Mk8, that was my first mistake of many with this car.

I am very old now, far too old to consider actually racing on a circuit with a lot of young hot-shots!
I could well be the widest back-marker ever.....

Off to SPA now, petrol head heaven.

[911thillclimber]

Just back from an outstanding 3 days of SPA.
What a weekend.

Saw ANOTHER sports racer with a fab 2 litre twin plug 911 engine and 915 gearbox.
Practiced it once, came back, polished it and put it on the trailer!

Run by BBP in Germany.

Some google needed...

[oneofapair]

Have just found a picture on Lee Costello's special saloon forum that might be of interest



t.

[911thillclimber]

That's MY car!
Every chassis detail I can see there I've kept on my 'version'.
It has been ages since looking at Lee's thread.
Thank you very much.
Wonder where/when the pic was taken?

I'm bias obviously, but it looks fab!
Graham.

[andy97]

And I really think that you should re-create the car to look like that. Its a very unique car with history in that form, far better than "just" being one of many Sports 2000s (which I adore as well, but unique is even better!)

[911thillclimber]

The engine rebuild is costing the same as the body would.
Having narrowed the side pods there would be a 2" overhang along the sides, not insurmountable mind.
Does look good though.

Maybe this time next year!

As a comparison:

[big andy]

would be a lot better back as a special saloon and probably more valuable to

[Si Frowen]

Do it!

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Having narrowed the side pods there would be a 2" overhang along the sides

Not so! The KG moulds are full depth, which is to say that the body sides overlap the side pods of the original monocoque and extend down to level with the bottom of the monocoque. Effectively messrs. Harman and Schneider had to extend the monocque by adding extra sidepods, I guess only because the Humberstones wanted half doors and half depth bodywork.

[911thillclimber]

And you should know Clive!
Interesting as I removed the 'new' side pods and narrowed them to Lola T 492 spec to match the body.

Oh dear, makes a re-body even more tempting....

Getting the errant bloody engine checked out tomorrow morning. Once sorted back into the car, get it running well and sit back.

Serious decisions as ever:

Sell it as a runner for the Super Saloon series.
Sell as a hillclimber
Split and sell tub to S2000 enthusiast
Sell engine and fit Pinto/Hewland MK8 and go circuit back marker supremo till I retire
Convert running engine to fuel injection, change CW&P to taller ratio

Get an Elise for the fun of it alongside the 911.

Persevere....

[brookesy]

Stick with it Graham.

Develop power with the throttle bodies and management, and up the gearing.

No brainer to me all the other options mean you go slower.

[911thillclimber]

I'm not so sure...
My 370 bhp Impreza driven there and back on the road was much faster on slicks than this Lola.

Went to Loton Park for the final hillclimb this year in my trusty ex hillclimb/road 911.
Small toolbox, simple jack, 4 gallons of fuel and turn the ignition.

no faffing about 2 days before, no trailers, no getting the entire garage of tools in the tow car...

That 911 was a great way to enjoy the sport.

Plenty of time to decide yet unless the engine is spooked by me putting it back together...then making the decision is quick and easy!

[911thillclimber]

I think the last straw has been delivered.

The cylinder that was replaced after the big bang has a leak-down rate of 66%

I think the replacement part came from the same specialist who showed such competence when doing the valve guide.....

Started to see what I can sell the parts for of the drive train and move on.

Pinto/Duratec and a Mk8?

What a waste this has all been.

Save me from specialists.

I was told once the definition of a specialist is "someone who has done the job once more often that you".

[Clive Brown]

I don't understand. You said earlier that the compressions were OK on all cylinders, and that removing plug leads one-by-one produced the same results across all cylinders, yet now you appear to have an excessive leak-down rate on one cylinder. This doesn't make sense to me.

Please don't put a Pinto in it! The Pinto is a horribly heavy old cast iron lump, which can't produce sufficient horsepower to match the Porsche times.

I don't know anything about the weight/performance of the Duratec, so I will refrain from comment, just like it sounds as if your Porsche 'expert' should refrain from working on Porsche engines.

Definition of 'exspurt' (sic):

'ex'- former

'spurt'- a drip under pressure

[911thillclimber]

At least you made me smile!
First smile of the day due to the misery of modern management at work...

The first simple compression measurments were by me using my trusty Guyson compressiontester. All measured the same.

The engine is down at the Porsche specialist.

Just to clarify these Specialists.
First is one i've known for 20 years, and he only does Porsche. He subcontrated to another Porsche/engine specialist for services, and he is the 'Valve guide king'.

Back to the plot;

First specialist has checked the cam timing. Left bank was 1.3mm lift @ TDC and the right bank was 1.4mm
They should both be 1.32mm, so although out it was not by so much to cause the missing beat of the engine.

They have done a leak-down test and have found a VERY wide range of leak from 60%!! in #4 cylinder to 6% in #1.

3 cylinders has hissing in the exhaust side thus valve leaks.
None in the crankcase (rings) and one in the carb (inlet valve)

They are going to did a bit deeper (foc) tomorrow.
The #4 cylinder was measured and was to porsche specs so deemed ok to use. I hope the cylinders are all ok for rings etc and maybe it is a tear down and re-lap of all the valves yet again, esp the exhausts which were all replaced with new.

Any other engine in this car is going to feel a trade-down to me, and the Pinto is old hat.

Duratec needs a lot to get to 225bhp.

Audi A4 Turbo/box has a chance. Easy to get, injected etc and strong.Not dry sumped though.

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Audi A4 Turbo/box has a chance. Easy to get, injected etc and strong.Not dry sumped though.

And major works to install; requires either twin side water radiators or single rad. at front, with pipes running through car, plus intercooler for turbo installation....

I find it hard to believe that it can be so difficult to get a motor with such a long motorsports history as the air-cooled flat 6 Porsche to run both well and reliably....

[911thillclimber]

3 re-builds on I have started to loose confidence!

The Specialist is looking into it deeper this week.

I've learnt that there was hissing in the exhaust manifolds when leak testing so the ex valves not seated/lapped in properly (by me)?

If that is actually the case then all the heads off again, clean lap rebuild seals etc etc. If so this will be the 4th time in 12 months!

Admittedly, the air cooled engine is very simple to install compared to the waters and coolers, but I'm getting bored and tired of the thing all over again.

There has barely been a benefit to the work and the cost.
Perhaps it just is not meant to be in my hands.

I may feel better with more news later this week.

With #4 showing a 60% leak rate there must be a serious leak somewhere in that cylinder, and I doubt a poorly lapped-in exhaust valve would cause that rate of decay.

# 4 cylinder and piston were to factory spec before going in with fresh rings, new inlet and ex valves and two new seats/guides and a re-face also!

All head studs are tight.