Pulled the DB4 Motor Today

[LakeCleElum]

Very, Very Cool.....I've had many English cars, including an XKE roadster....One question.Did they get the electrics sorted on this thing?

[Hugh R]

Little or no problems with the electrics in the 26 years I've lived in SoCal, plenty of electrical problems when I lived in the rainy north east (Boston) before that.

[Seahawk]

Brings back a lot of memories...we never owned a DB4, but I learned to work on cars with my Dad on old Series II, XKE's and Lotus, which is probably why I prefer German cars!

I wish you all the best...I especially like the fact that you know the history of your car. That is priceless.

[Hugh R]

I took the crankshaft to be hard chromed a month ago. It now turns out his grinder guy has gone to Mexico for the holidays. I planned on putting it together next week when I'm off the entire week. Now, I may not get it before I travel the second and third week of January for business. I may not even be able to start assemblying until late January. I'm bummed.

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by Hugh R
I took the crankshaft to be hard chromed a month ago. It now turns out his grinder guy has gone to Mexico for the holidays. I planned on putting it together next week when I'm off the entire week. Now, I may not get it before I travel the second and third week of January for business. I may not even be able to start assemblying until late January. I'm bummed.

Take it somewhere else. There's more than one way to grind a chromed crankshaft journal

[Hugh R]

The guys got the crank so I'm going to let him have it until the end. Besides, its 50 miles each way to his place in LA traffic. I want one point of contact on any issues. Anyway since I'm off all of next week, I decided to tackle the trannie cause its been giving me problems shifting into first. I think the synchro is bad. I was going to wait until I was done with the engine (one project at a time) but with the week off, I've delved into it. A David Brown straight cut gear trans. Took it this far apart in about an hour. Gear teeth seem OK and no real signs of gross wear. I have a few "used" synchros lying around, new ones are NLA. Not a pcar topic, but no one on the AMOC website seems to care.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally posted by Hugh R
Not a pcar topic, but no one on the AMOC website seems to care.

We care.....we're listening......

[bell]

hugh i'm always watching for updates on this thread

and thanks for the test pipe (there's some 911 content )

[efhughes3]

Me too on the caring list.....keep the updates coming.

[daepp]

What do you do to re-gasket that tranny? Surely the seals are NLA. Do you make them?

[scottmandue]

Hugh, were in s. Cal are you?

Darn the English make some beautiful cars.

Would you be interested in some Cali pelicanheads dropping by to commiserate and view the carnage?

[Hugh R]

Daepp, no gaskets, only Permatex No. 2, kind of tricky but if done right, it doesn't leak. Thankfully the front and rear seals are a standard size. Also, the big caged front and rear bearings are a standard industrial size, new ones cost me $12 each!

Scott, I'm in Santa Clarita. it might be more interesting when I get the block and crankshaft back in a couple of weeks. The trouble is I'm going to New Zealand for work the 2nd and 3rd week of January, so I realistically won't be putting the engine together for another month. That's what frosts me, I planned on putting it together next week when I'm off, but the rechromer is taking 5 weeks, not the 2 or 3 he originally stated.

If you off next week and having nothing better to do, drop me a PM, I'm here all week. I'll buy the beer and put some dogs and burgers on the grill.

[fastpat]

I see only one straight cut gear on that cluster, is that how it got it's name?

In fact, that gear doesn't look like anything other than a reverse drive gear.

[Hugh R]

That one straight across cut gear you see is the sliding clutch for 1st and 2nd. I'm not sure but I think they're called straight cut because the teeth go straight across without a curve in the cut, not sure actually. Anyway, I put it back together today, installed used, (but servicable) synchros, new are NLA. I decided to make some paper gaskets, even though it doesn't call for them for the front and rear ends of the case. Put in new seals and caged front and rear bearings as well. With a tube of Permatex No. 2 and two quarts of 20W/40 (that's all it holds). I'm in, and out of it, for $44.67, not too bad. It shifts better on the bench, we'll see how it does when I get it attached to the motor in a month or so. 488 on the top of the case is the serial no. of the trannie. My body serial number is 438, but its the "matching number " factory trannie to the car. They made spare trannies, obviously.

[Hugh R]

I finally got the crankshaft back from the hard chromer and had some great news. I'd been advised to have it chromed 0.001" LARGER than standard to get the right bearing clearances. My concern was two different shops, two sets of hands and two sets of measuring devices. I put the crank in with the main bearings and torqued the caps down and according to the Plastigauge, I have 0.00125 to 0.00150" clearance which is exactly where I want to be. I figured it was better to over chrome than under chrome the crank because if it was too fat, I could have had it super polished 1/2 thou. if needed, versus hard chroming an additional 1/2 thou. which you can't do. I'll post pics over the next few days of the assembly.

[efhughes3]

Great news, good luck on the assembly!

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by Hugh R
Daepp, no gaskets, only Permatex No. 2, kind of tricky but if done right, it doesn't leak. Thankfully the front and rear seals are a standard size. Also, the big caged front and rear bearings are a standard industrial size, new ones cost me $12 each!

Scott, I'm in Santa Clarita. it might be more interesting when I get the block and crankshaft back in a couple of weeks. The trouble is I'm going to New Zealand for work the 2nd and 3rd week of January, so I realistically won't be putting the engine together for another month. That's what frosts me, I planned on putting it together next week when I'm off, but the rechromer is taking 5 weeks, not the 2 or 3 he originally stated.

If you off next week and having nothing better to do, drop me a PM, I'm here all week. I'll buy the beer and put some dogs and burgers on the grill.

Hugh,

You can easily make gaskets. If you do not know how, pls email or PM me and can outline how the old timers did it. I would not use only permatex on the gearbox but thats me.

Regarding the electrics. I swapped out the Lucas alternator in my Jag years ago with a Chrysler unit and 90% of the electrical issues went away. After that putting brand new fuses (not just cleaning the old ones) fixed most of the rest of the issues.

Joe A

[Hugh R]

Hey Joe:

I ended up making gaskets for the front and rear and adjusted the end play shims accordingly to account for the thickness of the gasket material. Filled it with oil and let it sit on newspaper for two weeks and not a single drip. Shifts well to boot.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Thanks for keeping the updates coming, Hugh. Tearing into a tranny because you're waiting on motor parts...I salute you, sir!

[stevepaa]

nicely done. do those whine like my mga tranny did. loved that sound