Can I swear please ?

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
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Well I’m going to anyway… Fk Fk Fk Fk Fk !Crankshaft pulley came off (samething happened to Steve Butts) then the fking cam belt came off, engine went thud, clouds of steam exit the exhaust.

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Sorry to hear that Phil [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]I hope the parts that came together at the top didnt do too much damage at the bottom …Best wishes Andrew

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oh no…bag of shiet…let us know about the outcome…how did you manage do get home? Bruno

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@$%*! Sorry to hear that, m8 [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]

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Going to strip it on Sunday to look at the damaged and will let you know, damn thing was only 60 meters away from my house, almost made it home!!Still gutted, my mate Jack D didn’t help much last night !!

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Oh bugger [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]

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[image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] Nightmare.Hope it gets sorted soon

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Unlucky Phil, sh@t happens. Was it the standard pulley, or one of these lightened jobbies?

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Russ - it was a standard pulley and torqued to the correct setting, next time I’m going to super glue the bloody threads !!!

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I know how you felt at the time…my cam belt stripped its teeth…but I was much luckier than you when I pulled the engine to bits.When my pulley came loose I stopped immediately. I think that’s why I got away with that too.As soon as it came loose the engine went out of balance very quickly, and the alternator light came on…all on the Cadwell start finish straight!I’d tightened my pulley bolt using a 5ft long steel tube slid over the end of a spanner, and did it up with more force than I remembered it taking to remove it.The next time I went to a local garage to have it tightened.How did you torque your’s Phil? same as my first technique?Ideal tool would be to get a socket welded to your crank spanner so that a torque wrench can be used. It will be over torquing due to the extra length of the spanner, but I don’t think these can be done too tight given our experiences!I’ve resisted using thread lock - there is no evidence that Rover use it when assembling the engines, but I have heard of several Elises/Exiges having the crank pulleys come loose, so maybe its better to.SteveB

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Steve/PhilFrom what I’ve read on this BBS I understand that both your engines are well tweaked - do you reckon that this is a problem that may afflict all Exiges or may be confined to v v high performance/modified spec engines? - am v v concerned that it does not appear to be a one off.

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Simon,I think its a case that we may not have done the crank bolts up tight enough.I’m also inclined to think that the high rpm that we run may have more to do with it. Although I think Phil has an 8000 rev limit - the same as any Exige - whereas I run to 8500. If it is the revving, most Exiges will be well thrashed. But the majority of them are low use and probably haven’t needed a belt change yet, so the bolt hasn’t been undone since the engine was first assembled.The next time I remove my pulley I think I’ll use thread lock when refitting it.I’ve head of serveral Elises suffering from this problem and none of these were tuned, well not highly, if at all.SteveB

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I’ve seen this before on a few VHPD engines, but only after the pulley has been disturbed. The bolt can only be used a certain number of times depending on how much it has stretched. Some are ok after 5-6 times others are only fit to be used once. The best way of avoiding the bolt coming loose is to use the original bolt to torque the pulley down to the correct figure and then loosen it again. You should then replace the bolt with a new Rover one tightened to the correct figure. You should also check it periodically as I have seen some cases of the washer under the bolt cracking and then allowing the bolt to loosen.You should never over tighten this bolt as it can snap the end off the crankshaft and will not make any difference as to whether the bolt stays in place!

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Phil,What’s the latest news on your engine?Just curious.Kev.

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Kev,I have had the head checked and it�s repairable [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image], 2 new valve inserts are needed along with some valves and a weld to seal a small crack.Unfortunately the quality of the head work done by CTM Performance (Burton Power) was pretty poor, the porting was nothing more than a general clean up of the surfaces, flow was improved but still down by 10 CFM on what it should have been.The valve ports were between 5&7 thou out of round, the valve seats had not been cut properly nor had the valves been lapped correctly and they were far too loose in the guides which were not all fitted at the correct height they varied between 5.5 and 6.5 mm.Hopefully these guys who have it now will be able to correct it.The bottom end has not been checked yet, I�m still waiting on delivery of the engine crane to remove the block and gearbox, gut feeling is there is nothing wrong with it but for my own piece of mind it will be checked over and the crank balanced.

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Thanks for the info, Phil.It’s a bit worrying that the crankshaft pully should suddenly come off [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] Pablo seems to have some wise words to say on the subject, tho.Let’s hope you can get the motor back on the road soon.Kev.[This message has been edited by Kp (edited 09 November 2002).]