Flaps, chapter two

The left side tin was removed today prior to the engine being picked up.  Now, perhaps I'm expecting too much, but this isn't the way the foam is supposed to be installed on a Type 3 engine.

Lightweight flywheel (probably Chinese) that will be replaced with a stock flywheel.  I'm not going to drag race so the faster drop in RPMs serves no purpose - other than to make the car slightly harder to drive on the street.

Before the engine went on its way - We pulled on the flywheel and pushed it back to see if there was any 'audible' end play - and sure enough, there's an audible clunk that shouldn't be present.  The end play was later checked and it's out of spec.  I'm sure this won't be the first thing that's incorrect that will be found.  The accumulation of issues will determine how far I can get with what's planned.

I pulled the flaps apart and replaced the rubber grommet in the center mount and replaced all of the hardware (and oriented it properly upon installation).

As shown in this picture - the flaps now open fully (and properly contact the rubber grommet in the flap with the fan shroud).

Additionally, I replaced the factory 'dent' in the right side flap to allow it to open properly.

Flaps are installed, work properly and this thing is ready to go back on the engine.

I was initially going to eliminate the flaps and thermostat system but, listening to that little voice, I'm going to use them.  If they're a problem, I'll remove the flaps and leave the rod.

In addition to the backward flaps, lack of thermostat spring (which led to the flap rod falling off), and the mutilated crank bolt, the engine tins are booger welded and powder coated with wrinkle finish.  I'm guessing that the wrinkle finish is chosen to hide flaws in the tins and disguise the booger welds.

The quality of this weld speaks for itself.  I've dug out some better condition used tin that will be powder coated in black - not wrinkle black.

The pulley shroud top has been a real hassle to get clipped on to the shroud because it's so deformed.  I dug through my tin stash and found another one that I'm going to send out for powder coating and sell (or attempt to) this one.

The next few days will be interesting as the engine is torn down and I'm provided with the results of what was used inside.

Just the flaps, man...

Today's short work was focused on the flaps in the fan shroud.

First thing that caught my eye was that the flap on the left side was not installed properly - it's backward.  The clue was that the end of the tiny bolts was making contact with the top of the inside of the fan shroud - preventing the flaps from opening all the way.  The flaps, oddly enough, were designed with this in mind - they're made to be flat on the back side and have an inset area for the screw head so that they do not foul the fan shroud.  It's a fairly small detail but anyone building engines for more than a few years should know this detail because it affects the proper operation of the flaps.

This is the right side flap - it was installed correctly but likely only because of the necessity due to the flap rod being attached to this side, even if they did forget the spring and the rod fell off.

The other thing I noticed about the flap that was installed backward is that the engine builder hammered the intentional 'dent' in the side of the flap.  They clearly don't know why it's there because it was put on both backward and altered.

When installed properly - the 'dent' allows the flap to clear the fan shroud as shown in the red area and open slightly more.

Again, anyone who has built more than a handful of Type 3 engines should know this.

This image shows the difference in opening between the way the flap is designed to be installed (top) and the way the engine builder installed it (bottom).

Yet another reason that outsourcing Type 3 projects and work to others can be a frustrating experience, to say the least.

I've also come across the 'eyeglass tin' from the engine and have noticed that it's not dual carb tin, rather it's for a fuel injected system.  The top of the tin is flat for carbureted engines and has a raised section at the top for fuel injected engines.  It does not fit quite right over carburetor manifolds.

For what I paid for this engine - there's a lot that's not right, places where shortcuts were taken and attention to detail was seriously lacking.  It's disappointing, to say the least.