Working on the FV

I've spent a couple hours this weekend getting the FV engine back in the FV. It's been a while since I've wrenched on the car, so I've had to spend a few minutes sorting through bolts and parts, and reminding myself what went where.

The Vee back on its feet, engine and trans in:

I also had to rearrange a few bikes to get the Vee up front. That's 14 bikes and 1 FV:

I still have a long list of To-Do items on the Vee, including plumbing the oil filter and cooler with new oil hose that should be in at the race shop by Tuesday. So I expect a few more weekends of work before I have it running again.

C'

Random Saturday Morning Happenings

I was wide awake at 6am, but managed to relax until at least 7am. Then I sprung into action, to beat the heat. I ran over to Safeway to fill up the 5-gal gas can with petrol for the various bikes and lawnmower, and grabbed a fresh 5-gal refill of propane, for the bbq. Yes, we have bbq plans this 4th of July weekend.

Then I took most of my bikes out for short trips around the block, just to air them out, move some fuel through them, and clear out a space in the garage.

A few of my bikes enjoying some shade after a bit of running:

Then I finished honing the spare set of FV cylinders, in preparation of shipping them up to Mr. A to join all the new engine parts he should be receiving next week:

I also realized I had never snapped pics of the Trials bike, in its full glory. I also changed the oil and topped up the tank, in preparation for next weekend trials event at the PITS facility:

I also snapped a few pics of Salty, since I don't think I had since finishing up a few small detail graphics on him:

And now I'm polishing off an ice coffee, and getting ready for an afternoon of great nothingness.

C'

FV "Big" Engine Kablamo Teardown

Roughly a year ago, the "big" engine I had built for the FV went kablamo. I think I over-revved it on a downshift into Turn 14, as I heard a slightly off pitch sound. Then across the finish line it went kablamo in a big way. I found a hole in the block, a loose piece of piston ring, and some chunks of random aluminum.

In anticipation of taking my 1200 motor up to Oregon for Mr. A to rebuild (it isn't broken, just needs a freshening) I needed to grab the flywheel and clutch assembly off the kablamo engine. So I set about getting the car into position for working on:


After an hour or so of work, I had this:


Hello hole, how you doin?


Rockin' the headband and dirt knees:


Cylinder #3. That is what remains of a piston, piston ring, and connecting rod:


Buckets of bits, and a handful of rod, complete with piston pin still attached. I'm thinking the piston took a beating:


The other side of the engine, cylinders 1 and 2. Lots of debris in the cylinder/combustion chamber. Looks like some carnage from cylinder #3 got pulled through into the intake path:


I'll probably split the case apart tomorrow, to see how much carnage the crank and cam suffered.

C'