Torana SS

[vlad01]

It could be also a fuel incompatibility given only the intake ports have the migration of the gasket, but migration is almost always a material issue. There is always movement in mated surfaces however little it may be.

[VK_3800]

Layer on the head side stayed largely in place, but still didn't bond to the surface at all.

[vlad01]

Looks like it has a lot of rubber or resin content going by how it flowed out of the edges like liquid.

[Deuce]

immortality, the oil pickup gasket can just be cut off a roll of oil-proof gasket paper which is still easy to get (I think), I generally keep some around for most items. A set of punches makes a much easier job of the bolt holes etc.

Stock original and used gasket measures around 40thou compressed. I only have 0.8mm paper here.
If I find 1.2mm paper or similar I may consider making one.
Good idea re-hole punches.

[VK_3800]

Brake master cylinder was weeping out the rear seal again. Feels like I only just rebuilt it, but turns out that was 10 years and over 100,000kms ago.

I wanted to keep the master cylinder with stainless sleeve and custom stepped bore, although I'm starting to wonder if I should have just spent the time and money on updating to something more modern. Anyway getting seals was a bit of a pain last time, this time I couldn't find the right primary seal for the larger 1-1/8" piston. I did find a different seal with a slightly smaller internal diameter that would work with a different piston... here's one. 6061 main body with stainless sleeve pressed on the end where the retainer goes, copying the original because it seemed like a good idea.


Also made up some pieces to sandwich the shim material to machine a new one in the right diameter to a tidy finish (plus a spare just in case).



New seals, that was easy.


I'd already sleeved the old pushrod (at top of photo) to improve the seal where it was undersized and marked up by vice grips or some such. Decided I may as well make a nice new one. It's a bit shorter which allowed some margin for error with machining the new piston - would have been a throwaway if the threaded hole inside had broken through to the pushrod hole.


As soon as I got all that together and took it for a test drive, the starter motor solenoid decided to stick on. The Odyssey battery kept it cranking flat out while I ran around trying to disconnect it, letting ALL the smoke out - thought I was going to need the fire extinguisher! Confirmed that it was actually the starter at fault after second-guessing my wiring and the ECU, replaced with another one I had earmarked for a different project. 2.2kW and gear reduction

[vlad01]

Here you are making your own MC parts and pretty much everything else. I can't even find a single machine shop, engineer or transmission shop that can re-sleeve my T5 nose cone or supply a good used one where they haven't fucked it trying to make it look pretty.

[VK_3800]

Spend your money on a lathe instead of buying parts, I don't think I could do without one now. If you count your time its definitely not the cheapest option but no-one else will put the same care and attention into your parts and it certainly solves a lot of problems for me.

[Gareth]

I agree with that but it also takes some great talent on the lathe to do what you are doing!

I love watching this thread

[vlad01]

I had used a lathe before but like Gareth said, you need skills and years and years of experience. I and many unfortunately don't have that, also there is the issue of getting a good lathe these days and 3 phase availability, the latter which I can never have access to.

A small hobby single phase lathe is ok for some very small parts, but for stuff I need to make often or modify, repair etc... I need an actual machine shop small lathe as a minimum. Same with things like a milling machine etc... You can get a VFD blah blah, but I have only ever seen mixed results using them and there is still the issues of getting the Watts required from single phase, being farming zone, we have a single 11kv wire and private pole pig, less power is available that in town residential single phase.


None of this was an issue in the past, just businesses have become lazy pricks now and the ones that aren't lazy have unskilled and careless staff that ruin your stuff. I do nearly everything myself now, but some things I'll unlikely be able to do to the quality I require. Welding was one of those things I seriously pursued but after 10 years I just got worse at it and ended up giving up and sold all my TIG stuff. I can only do stick well but haven't welded in years now. I feel the lathe path would end the same.

If I had a CNC machine though, that'll be a different story as I have a background in the CNC support and service field and have decent operator skills and understanding of the machines.

[VK_3800]

A small hobby single phase lathe is ok for some very small parts, but for stuff I need to make often or modify, repair etc... I need an actual machine shop small lathe as a minimum.

I know what you mean as I started out thinking the same way, but I've found something is a lot better than nothing. I have a halfway decent lathe now (still single phase, it only has a 750W motor) but got by with a cheap 9x20 for years. My mini-mill is still not really even worthy of the name, it has some home-brewed improvements but very small with the accuracy and rigidity of a wet noodle. But better than nothing.

The 'improved' column is a tube cut off an old diff housing - waste not, want not! And it was machined on that old 9x20 lathe.

As far as skills go, I find once you're in the hole there's no choice but to dig your way out! Push the boundaries a bit more with each job. I believe the care and attention you put into your own projects goes a long way; the rest of it is just time, I'm very slow. Regular use is helpful, but it is one of those tools that you start looking for projects once you have one. Plus, it's a tool that can make tools.

In my uneducated opinion 80% of machining is figuring out the workholding, sometimes you have to get inventive. If it works, is it really a bad idea?



I imagine one basic outsourced machine job could cover 10-20% of the purchase price but if its not your cup of tea that's all good, just thought I'd share.