Harv's FED thread

[Harv]

I'm imagining a bathplug-spitting contest on startup . . . or . . . maybe you could have more fun under the garage roof with a bag of Kipfler potatoes

I fitted that red “Remove before flight” tag to the stainless braid that keeps the plugs together. It should be in the drivers field of vision… as I reckon there is a fair chance I will forget the plugs, and fire off all six across the pits like a bolas….

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Cheers,
Harv

[Harv]

Spigot bush showed up, so got ready to put flexplate on. Bolts are ARP 200-2902,7/16 UNF with a fancy big head on them. Checked the instructions, and they get red loctite, a smear of lubricant under the head and leaned on to 85ftlb. The instructions also have a warning to make sure the flexplate holes are chamfered as the bolt head has a radius. Checked, and they are right. Time to bevel the holes, bevan.

Interesting that their torque converter bolts (shown in the wrong side of the flexplate below) are the same thread but smaller head and not chamfered.

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Checked the spigot bush on the flexplate, all good. Greased the spigot and went to fit into the crank, and no joy. Murphy struck again. Spigot is 1.093” according to my well-abused verniers. Crank bore is somewhere between 1.077” and 1.084”.

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I don’t trust my bore gauge, as it lost its little spring years ago. Will need to buy another one to measure the crank, then get the spigot machined to suit. Anyone interested in a small lathe job please?

The grand plan was flexplate then box back in using the lifting beam (can manhandle the box but the angle is awkward on your back). Needed to happen before the FED goes to Kennards Saturday, but don’t like my chances of getting the machining done that quick.

Cheers,
Harv

[Blacky]

bummer - is there no retired machinists with a small home setup in your neck of the woods Harv ???

[Harv]

I only know of one - ex speedway racer who live quite a bit south of Sydney. He did the last job for me as a favour for one of his mates, and I'm not quite game to keep asking him for more favours.

[Harv]

Wondered if I got a dodgy spigot bush, or if the crank is not right (hoping the bush is crook so I can get another off the shelf). Red motor crank bore is not an easy number to find, but Dellow reckon that their bushes are 27.8mm OD:

https://dellowconversions.com.au/produc ... ot-bush-2/

That converts to 1.094" in old money... my AussieSpeed spigot bush is 1.093". Looks like the crank is the issue. Not keen on removing the crank, so skimming down the bush is the way to go.

Cheers,
Harv

[BS]

Loving this build. Interesting with the crank vs spigot bush. Something I’ll note for future reference


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[Harv]

I am fortunate to have met some truly incredible people in this hobby. A phone call, a connection made. A top fuel team, madly prepping for the Winternationals in a fortnight’s time, stopped what they were doing and machines down the spigot bush. Truly grateful.

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Cheers,
Harv

[Blacky]

Great result

[Errol62]

I knew you’d make a connection


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Harv]

… and this boys and girls is why Bongo is not allowed to do rigging in public places

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Cheers,
Harv

[In the Shed]

Looks good to me Harv . If that is your shed it is looking rather empty, apart from the timber for “Harv’s Friday Fire Sale”

We might need a new thread on your shed build

[Blacky]

Dig the old louvre windows

[Harv]

With the shed stuff out, there is room to work on a car. The sides and inside of my house look like a hoarders though until the new shed is built. Timber is 30 year old lattice that was supporting a bougainvillea. It was nice and kept the carport feeling “green” but climbing on the carport roof to trim it once a fortnight is getting riskier the older I get.

Torque converter on, then spun and “clunked” back to engage the pump. Box on and wiggled onto the studs. No excess force, bellhousing bolts finger tight… but now converter does not want to spin. Hard to see what’s going on as the engine plate blocks almost all the view into the bellhousing. Mindful that flexplate, engine plate, converter and box are all bespoke. They were designed for each other (e.g Dominator milled the converter pads to allow for engine plate) but wary that it might not come together as planned.

Wiggle box back a bit on longer studs, and I can feel the gap between the converter pads and the flexplate with a feeler gauge. Confirm that gap with Number One son’s fancy bore scope. Had thought the converter had not clunked back far enough and was hitting the flexplate but not so given the pad gap.

The only thing touching can be the converter pilot inside the spigot bush. Had checked that on the floor, and the two parts mate OK. Get Number One Son to lift the back of the box, and the converter comes free. Methinks that with no rear mount the box droops until the bellhousing bolts are hard home. Drooping box puts the converter pilot on an angle, and it binds in the spigot.

Today, box back out, recheck pilot, look for signs of destruction and try again.

Cheers,
Harv

[FireKraka]

2 steps forward one back Harv you know the drill by now

[spanners]

G'day Harv. I'm curious about the 18 thou gap for the plugs. When Dave did my dissy, he suggested 45 - 50 thou gap for a fatter spark. I run them at 48 and haven't touched them for the last 6 race meetings.
It's starting to look fast standing still.