Just because I can (K-series content)

[rj]

As some of you know you need to remove a bit of material from the K-series engine block for the starter to clear.

As the engine was in the milling machine I thought ... why not?

Irony is that it took as long to mill out for the starter as it did to drill for bigger liners.

[revilla]

Very fancy. I've become quite accomplished in carving them out with an angle grinder!

[rj]

That's way too simple Andrew.

[revilla]

Work of art! Yours is science. Mind you, I wouldn't fancy trying to fit bigger liners with an angle grinder. You win on that one.

 

[rj]

Nice work Sir. However I also think, if you look closely, you'll find that it's rather difficult to do what the milling machine is doing right now. It said 1.8 on the side of the block - which would be wrong, so it had to come off anyway.

[revilla]

Oh I did look closely ... and I did see. Very nice indeed. Must be nice to have access to that kind of kit!

[SLR No.77]

Regin that's impressive, a Brabham engine as well 

[rj]

Not quite, but the limiter will be set at something silly though.

[Wrightpayne]

And not an exposed oil return gallery in sight!

[philwaters]

Nice 

Always great to see how people personalize their 7's in so many unique ways.

[rj]

It looks like this right now.

The grey stuff is because I'm covering it as it goes into a drum polishing machine and I don't want the internals wrecked.

The engraving could have been slightly deeper, but I didn't dare and once it's been in the polisher you won't see the imperfections.

I also sand the internals of the block as the casting is a bit on the rough side.

To be honest, the logo was because I didn't want to have "1.8" in the casting.

[revilla]

That's insane!

Lovely work.

I see it's one of the later ribbed Chinese TCi-Tech / Kavachi blocks.

I'm sure you've measured and planned it fifteen times before doing anything but it doesn't look to me as though you have cut it as deep as I did around the starter motor spacer area, and mine isn't more than a mm deeper than I needed. Maybe it's just the differences in the block structure that make it look that way. What starter arrangement will you be running?

PS: I thought I was bad polishing my ECU casings!

[rj]

Hi Andrew,

It's a Wosp starter and I am fairly certain it'll fit. I've measured another block and compared - but I must admit that I've not tested it. The other block is a MG Motorsport block where the liners are glued in and not easily replacable, but this block has been prepared by someone in whom I have absolute faith. If you look closely I have removed the whole "island" where the Rover engine No would be stamped - milled down to the level of the surrounding material.

The  Wosp has a fairly small diameter compared to the old cars Magnetron.  I think I'll make my own "nose" to get rid of the adaptor. This will also enable me to mill off excess material to reduce weight.

If you look at this:

https://www.lotus7.club/forum/techtalk/k-series-starter-clearance

I hope I'll be OK; otherwise I'll just have to mill off some more.  Will check tomorrow and get back.

Edited to add: Yes it's a China-cast engine. I've chosen it as I've been told that it's stiffer (although I prefer items made in Europe) and I am going all in on this one.

[revilla]

I'm following with great interest!

 

What capacity are you going to and what liners will you be using?

 

What about head gasket? From what I hear, the stiffer Chinese Kavachi block and the gasket they used finally did resolve the head gasket curse.

[rj]

1.9, Westwood ductile and half an MLS not to reduce compression (I think - not made final decision) 

 

[rj]

I stand corected!

There is not enough clearance at the rearmost outer rib.

I will, however. address this by removing material from the starter motor rather than from the engine to maintain maximum strength of the block.

At the same time I'll re-engineer the complete front of the starter to get rid of the adaptor.

 

[revilla]

You clearly have access to better facilities (and more time) than I'd do! What are all the shallow drillings on the rear of the block? Location points for the milling machine?

[SLR No.77]

Those shallow drillings are to balance the engine 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll get my coat 

[revilla]

Or knowing Regin ... To save 1g weight!

[rj]

Or knowing Regin ... To save 1g weight!

I would never do anything to save one gram ... erhm. Maybe I would  The bolts for the cam cover will be titanium; that is probably one gram saved for each. 20 bolts x 1g still adds up to 20g. When you've saved 20g 50 times you've saved a kg.

I don't know what they are for but I suppose they are used for some sort of allignment during the machining in China.

Regarding the machining, then I am fortunate and to be honest I don't think it takes much longer that it would do to do a proper job manually. Like you said in your lower cam cover wanted ad: 

Just being a perfectionist I guess!

If I have done my best and it blows so be it. Then I can't blame myself for not have been putting enough effort into it. If, on the other hand, I know that I have been sloppy and it blows, then I would feel very frustrated and be very angry with myself.

[LesG]

RJ, that's a cracking job you're doing, and if I had access to similar equipment, I might be so inclined to 'have a play' too! When I converted my car from Xflow to K Series, I didn't know about having to clearance the block to fit the starter motor, and guess when I found that out? Correct! So I just got in there with a die grinder and whittled away until the starter fit! I do love that 'Caterham' branding though!

[rj]

Thanks Les.

I was thinking of making a new flange for the starter; something like this:

 

Not too much excess material :-p and would make the old spacer obsolete.

[mark_w]

Never seen a K series casting with those extra ribs before, do you know when they were in production and which cars were they used in? really enjoying this thread some great engineering going on, how did you find the casting from a machining point of view looks really good quality from the pics you've posted...all inspiring stuff  

[revilla]

Pretty sure it's the block from an SAIC TCi-Tech Kavachi engine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAIC_Kavachi_engine rather than a Rover K Series. Much strengthened with the extra ribs and a different casting process; but close enough that you can build a K Series engine with K Series parts on a Kavachi block. Basically a post-Rover Chinese MG production "ultimate" K Series.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2md55yg.jpg

[TomB]

From Wikipedia: 

UK engineering firm Ricardo plc were tasked with remedying the well known faults of the K series by SAIC Motor for its introduction into the Chinese marketplace. With a redesigned head and case, as well as changing the manufacturing process and quality of material, the Kavachi is seen as the pinnacle of K-series development. As of 2015, with more than half a decade in the market, there have been no reported issues of head gasket failure on cars using the Kavachi engine.