[Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
Bob Spidell
bspidell at comcast.net
Sat Feb 10 09:26:43 MST 2024
The most rational, pragmatic swap at this point would be to an electric
motor and batteries; done right, it would blow the doors off an LS or
Coyote swap (up to a 100MPH or so, I wouldn't push a Healey chassis much
past that, for long anyway-BTDT). How many owners do more than day trips
anyway (my days of 5K mile trips are, unfortunately, in the past).
I wanted a big V8-powered car with all the modern improvements, so I
bought a Mustang GT and left my Healeys as Austins (Jensens) un-mutated,
and without the 20-50% drop in market value* (my survivors will have to
sell my Healeys someday). 475HP--480 if I could get 93-octane--disks all
around (Brembos in front), electric throttle and steering (several
modes), 19x9/10 wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4ses, IRS, MagneRide
and Steeda suspension upgrades (the IRS is a bit shaky); 0-60 under 5s
(supposedly; I'm not good enough and the A10s are quicker). Bigger and
heavier; I reckon a Nasty Boy would take me on a narrow twisty, but on
the sweepers and straights it's sayonara. The Mustang hauls ass, and
it's fun, but the Austin-Healeys are simply more satisfying to drive--by
far--warts and all.
Disclaimer: I am very much an "It's your car, do what you want with it"
person. I've made small mods to my cars: Pertonix Ignitors in both;
taller rear-end for highway driveability, Texas Cooler with shroud in
the BJ8 but I never have, and never will, understand why people buy a
car they don't actually want just to change it (owners with
broken/missing engines who think 'Why not?' I can see). Why not buy a
Saxon and build it up the way you want it from scratch? Oh, and for the
record, I don't much care for breast implants either; just not the same.
* Just my observations from BaT, FB, mailing lists, etc.; I've yet to
see a Nasty Boy cross the block at B-J or Mecums--doen't mean it hasn't
happened--but the muscle car 'restomods' with SBCs, LSes, etc. are a
dime-a-dozen and, IMO, not particularly unique or imaginative (they do
have garish paint jobs though).
On 2/9/2024 10:25 PM, Chris Scholz via Healeys wrote:
> I love my LS1 swap. It was a lot of work. Aluminum dual passage
> Wizard radiator with 15” spal fan-I can drive in a parade at 110 heat
> index and car stays right at 195 degrees. Lots of work to get the
> alternator to fit-I modified a bracket from a Jeep wrangler LS swap
> kit. Everything barely fit longitudinally-there is one inch between
> the electric radiator fan and my water pump. Had to cut the steering
> shaft and u joint. Works great.
> Like Rick, I have the stock 3.55 Healey rear with a quaife limited
> slip diff and it works perfectly. 72” Daytona wire wheels with 205
> wide tires. Lowered the front spring perches -my front was so much
> lighter it was up in the air by 2-3”. It rides and handles so well.
> My car was a 1959 100-6 so it wasn’t worth as much stock as a BJ8. I
> feel my value went up.
> I love my reliability and the torque is amazing. Car is so much fun
> to slowly cruise and then hit the gas and go. I would never go back
> to the heavy iron block. I feel this an aluminum V8 would have been
> Healey’s first choice if GM would have worked with him.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> Chris Scholz OD
>
>> On Feb 9, 2024, at 7:58 PM, HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> A V8 swap is nothing to be undertaken lightly. It's not as simple as
>> "dropping in a V8". That's the easy part, mostly focusing on making
>> engine and transmission mounts and cutting away pieces of the
>> footwells so the motor will fit with the exhaust headers in place.
>> It's all the other stuff you need to do that will really add the
>> work. New electrical system, radiator, upgraded brakes, fuel system,
>> transmission shifter, etc, etc. It's worth it in the end if you want
>> a Healey/Cobra, but you'll also knock off about 30 percent of your
>> car's value or more. You can see the work I had to do to put a Ford
>> 5.0L and 5 speed transmission into my BJ7 here:
>> http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,8264 The Ford 5.0 is narrower
>> than the Chevy LS so less body cutting to do, but not a huge
>> difference. LS motors are more likely to be found in a junkyard with
>> low mileage now and with your brother a GM mechanic, would be very
>> helpful. I did about 50-75% of the swap myself, except for the
>> engine rebuild and body fabrication. My car has 350 hp and I run the
>> stock rear end with 3.55 gears and Dayton 72 spoke wires. Much more
>> power than that and those parts will start braking. A good engine
>> swap is really a joy, but if you do a bad one it will be a nightmare
>> forever. Chris did a really nice swap with his LS but he can speak to
>> how much work it was.
>>
>> My first choice if you don't have that "Need for Speed" would be to
>> try a replacement Healey 6.
>>
>> Best of Luck,
>> Rick
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 2:11 PM <rfbegani at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Funny you should suggest a v8 replacement. Chris just made that
>> suggestion to install an LS1 with GM Trans. My Bother is a
>> retired GM mechanic, and he agrees. Did you do the exchange?
>> What engine trans etc. did you use? All options are on the table.
>>
>> Bob
>>
>> *From:* HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com>
>> *Sent:* Friday, February 9, 2024 1:32 PM
>> *To:* rfbegani at gmail.com
>> *Cc:* healeys at autox.team.net
>> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
>>
>> Sorry to hear this Bob. What you've been told so far seems
>> correct. Without the main bearing caps you're in a tough spot.
>> Maybe trying to find a BJ8 block or a rebuildable BJ8 motor is
>> the best of a bad group of choices. Too bad, I gave away a bare
>> block with caps from a BJ7 a few years ago for a donation to our
>> club charity. I'd put a wanted ad in the club magazines and
>> Healey forums, Facebook pages and hope someone out there might
>> have one. Try Hemphills, Healey Surgeons, David Nock, maybe they
>> have one that needs rebuilding somewhere. Or do what I did and
>> put a V8 in there!
>>
>> Best of luck,
>>
>> Rick Neville aka "HealeyRick"
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 11:12 AM <rfbegani at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Gentlemen:
>>
>> I arrived back to Florida in May and decide to drive my 67
>> Austin-Healey. Drove it a mile and heard clanking engine,
>> looked at the oil pressure, It was O! Instead of stooping to
>> have towed home, I drove it back slowly. Last month, I
>> dropped the pan and started to remove the rod and crank caps
>> and bearings. My mechanic friend said you got lucky the
>> crank may only need polishing and new bearings. So, I packed
>> and marked each of the main bearing caps, bolts, and bearings
>> along with piston rods and caps in individual plastic bags.
>> Then packed them into a larger plastic bag which was put
>> under the workbench near the garbage. We towed the car to
>> Mikes garage so he could pull and disassemble the engine.
>> Tuesday, he asked me to bring the parts I had removed from
>> the engine so he would have everything in one place. I
>> looked around but could not find this black plastic bag and
>> then remembered it got pitched in the garbage. So, I am now
>> up the famous creek and am asking this group what I can do?
>>
>> 1. I am told the engine is finished because the Main Bearing
>> caps are not available and even if you could find them,
>> they would need to be line bored on the engine.
>> 2. I am told that finding an engine block for a 3000 with
>> original main bearing caps is almost impossible.
>> 3. Finding an engine to be rebuild might be possible.
>>
>> My engine was rebuilt 6000 miles with years ago everything
>> new, so I would like to find a way of fixing the existing
>> engine, if possible.
>>
>> Please give me your advice.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Bob Begani
>>
>> 67 Austin-Healey BJ8
>>
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