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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