Winter Project: Dry Sumping a WS 308

About 10lbs.

On your broader point, Chris: I was (too) intimidated to touch the car and spent many thousands at the dealer and other service locations. I'll still use them and have a lot of help, but as you do more you realise you can do more. I have found this site a valuable info source to learn. Hopefully my exploits help others too.

Tank pics to come.
P

 

I'll be interested to see how 'streetable' the flywheel is - it sure is a thing of beauty. I may try one of those as I hear response is really improved.

Brilliant work

 

Bellhousing on. Clutch alignment was effected through a couple of sockets one into end of crank, second to center the splines of the driven plate. Build out diameters with tape on the sockets as needed. All meshed together fine. New O rings, throw out bearing, clutch. Could eat off the inside of the bellhousing it is so clean. Won't stay that way!.

Only real challenge was starting the starter bolts in their threads given I had tightened the 17 (or is it 19)mm bolt into the block securely.

Also figured out (I think) that we can mount the tank behind the driver's seat with an appropriate air gap between the tank and the firewall. Now we have that understood and the rough angle of the hose bosses, we can mark up the tank accessories (heater, temp sensor) and cut and weld.
Philip

 

See pic. Brackets are attached to firewall. Used a hole saw through the aluminum "skin" and then spacers from the sheet metal underneath to avoid crushing/creasing the skin. (There is quite a gap between the skin and the sheet metal which forms the bulkhead underneath).

Tank base and top are yet to be mounted and lines cut to be connected up. Before tank can be installed, I want to add a sight line for level, heater and temp sensor. More bits from James at Norwoods.
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DS tank lines done.
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DS tank fittings from Norwood have been welded in (thanks James) and heater element boss was also welded-in. Temp sensor is stock and the stock wiring harness was adapted to fit.

We drilled and tapped the bottom (drain) hole and put in a ball valve and sight line which runs up to the top of the tank. While we will run with the valve closed, a quick flick of the wrist will show level of oil in the tank. Once threads had been sealed, tank was assembled and pressurized to test for leaks from the welding and fitting. So far so good.

Tank is now attached to car albeit the 90 elbow I had put on the return line will be replaced with a 120. Buy stock in Earl's when you do one of these projects.

Water pipe was cut, welded and re-fitted this week too.

I also pulled bell housing and resealed the fittings and O rings that connect with the trans. I had realized it needed silicon after assembly. Also re-adjusted clutch (thanks Phil, Verell, Steve) per the other thread.

Next step is to put the transfer gears back together and fill everything with fluids (distilled water, water wetter/ trans oil/ engine oil) and then focus on the electrical hook up.

I am also hoping to get some spacers and centering rings made up for a set of wheels so we can pull the BBS wheels down, re-seal them and mount slicks. Before this I have to assemble the rear axles...then of course, comes the corner weighting and the new ARBs and... Clock is ticking and track season is here.

Pics to come.
Philip

 

Progress: Interrupted today by by pal bringing round his Dino w/new Tubi and freshly tuned carbs, insisting I drive it. Sweet. Oh man, does it sound good too. My first Ferrari driving in 6 months. He then reappeared 30 minutes later with a concours quality 60s 'vette, also insisting that I drive. Tough day!

Back to the install. The pics In no particular order:
the almost completed install showing the dry sump oil tank near driver's side petrol tank. Later picture shows the heater element (niftily capped off with a the cap from a solvent can which fits well!). Not shown is the OEM temp sensor relocated to the bottom of the tank. Note breather hoses to catch tank (in trunk).

Alternator hanging from air pump. Wiring (4 gauge) sheathed in heat resistant layer.

Pre-luber in electric drill.

Coolant pipe (not a thing of beauty with the number of welds), filled with distilled water and water wetter. Also shown is the pump adjuster.

After filling the cooling system with water and watet wetter today (and bleeding the system) we checked for leaks (none of us ever leaves hose clamps slack and gets water [or better yet, coolant] everywhere, do we?) removed DS pump belt, spun the pre-luber up on the electric drill. 2 qts in he sump, a gallon in the tank to start.

Pulled plugs, tipped a teaspoon of 5/50 down the plug holes. Left it for a while after turning the motor over 180 degrees using a wrench and blowing the oil into the engine (as best we could) with compressed air. The idea is to lube the bores before starting. After fitting battery, turned the motor over without fuel or plugs. Initial pressure shown on the Veglia gauge. Check for leaks. None. Breath sigh of relief (comes before a fall?) and

Checked and the plugs gapped plugs, add plug wires. Replace fuel pump fuse, turn on ignition. Nothing. No familiar (Corona?) whine. Pull fuse, test. Continuity OK. Replace and squeeze fuse holders together (love the electrics on these cars). Try again. Nice steady whine and sounds of fuel sloshing in the bowls. Check for fuel leaks and dripping accel jets. All's well.

So, we have trans oil, engine oil, coolant and fuel. Pressure on #2, #4 (and I assume #3). Tubi is on. Will start (hopefully) tomorrow.

Axle assembly, 355 rear brake upgrade and brake system flush and fill to do. Oh yes, along with some machining of some wheels for the slicks.

It never ends. Enjoy.
Philip
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Phillip,

This is a work of art, not to mention serious mechanical engineering I,ve been away a bit overhauling my work truck engine.

When the dust settles a bit perhaps you can tell us a bit more about the 355 rear upgrade. I was just checking the porsche 914 site and confirmed that the 308 caliper is identical to the bigger 914-6 rear caliper (38 mm piston), so no joy there. Was hoping to find a bigger ATE parking brake rear caliper to upgrade the 308.

Looking foreward to hearing about the first run.

chris

 

110 psi at idle!
Time to find the PRV on the pump (I have it all the way in). Clearly they'll be no trouble in making too little pressure.
Philip

P.S., Chris will post sep thread on the 355 brake stuff. Rears look easier than front. Here's twin MC w/balance bar done last time.
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Well after wrestling to sort out 6 inch flames from the throttles (root cause loose wire on the MAP sensor, separate thread), and then sync'ing the carbs, we ran the car for about 25 minutes today. Idle was tuned to a solid 14.5:1 and then the airbox re-fitted. All guages came up to spec. Oil temp, now in DS tank was reading appropriately, oil pressure (from the DS pump) once the oil had thinned out a bit as it warmed was a little higher than stock at idle (more like 45 or 50 rather than 35). Will test it on the street before using on the track in anger. Couple of minor tightenings (is that a word?) required for the hose barbs. Will drain oil and fit a new filter now -- while the oil has only 30 minutes on it, any swarf, fluff from rags etc need to be removed now.

Next is to assemble the axles, fill the CV joints with grease and fit the assembled axles (we had them magnafluxed and bright nickel plated) on to the car. They look great.

Only remaining issue is the starter reconditioning (it has started to fail). Of course, this only happens once you have the motor in the car and all the lines assembled. Front of the motor looks like spaghetti junction with oil lines and insulated wiring et al so it'll be a job to change.
Philip

 

I pulled the starter last week and had it rebuilt. Given the "rats nest" of hoses and wiring and the DS pump placement, pulling the starter and replacing it is not something you'd want to do everyday.

Gave me the chance to complete the assembly of the (magnafluxed and bright nickel plated & polished) axles. New CV grease ("red") and boots and straps. New nuts (24) and allen bolts (ditto). Look beautiful. Shame they aren't really seen, like the flywheel.

After fitting the new filter (UFI is now issuing "-02" filters) and the new oil cooler, 9 quarts of 5w-50 were added (8 to tank, 1 to sump) and the motor cranked without ignition to build some pressure. Then ignition on, it fired up easily and proceeded to warm up normally.

The R&R'd starter is working fine. Oil pressure (cold) down to 85 - 95 (hard to tell on the Veglia gauge). Falls to 35 - 50 when warmed (temp of 145 or so).

Somewhat tentatively (why?) I ran the car around the block last week. No issues. Coughs and splutters a bit when cold and with the 52 idles it is not very happy until it builds to 2500 or so. I like it to run a bit lean on the idle jet (AF shows 14.5 or leaner at idle) as the throttle response is very snappy.

Once warmed you can tell the motor spins up more freely with the lightened flywheel.

The oil pressure warning light is wired in but at some point I will have to go to a lower "trigger" value sender (current is 30 psi). Either that or the sender is bad. Needless to say it is not easy to replace, given its placement but all things considered, it is possible (if not easy) to access everything needed to remove the assembly (or parts of it) from the car with the motor in situ were it necessary.

Sound is great. Combination of well set up carburettors, modified air box (thanks Russ) and Jet Hot coated headers and the Tubi produces a rumbling idle.

The remaining items including new ARBs, corner weighting and putting slicks on the second set of rims are in progress. There is light around the corner.

Decklid on. Washed and waxed. Looks and sounds as good as ever. Will post a pic and a road test report when used "in anger" but it feels like the winter project is, finally, close to an end.

To all those troubled by, or concerned with, the oil starvation issues prompting the project, I hope this is (one) demonstration that a "weekend" mechanic with some help from friends and the occasional professional can complete these jobs.

In retrospect the most challenging parts were in the alignment of the oil pump and the installation of the new oil pick up tube. Hats of to James P who tells me he's done these with the engine in the car. I couldn't. Worst job was probably the lower oil cooler hose (I won't tell you how many I made). Most satisfying was probably finding I could locate the oil tank behind the driver's seat on the firewall.

Finally, thanks to the "team" behind the scenes providing help and assistance when needed.
Philip

 

nice to see tall buildings leaped with a single bound.

WOW,
chris

 

Legendary stuff - well done!!!!
John

 

Had the chance to run the car at IRP (FCA National) last week. 85 psi hot. At all times once the oil is warm. Gauge doesn't waiver, at all. 35 psi, hot idle.

Max oil temp about 220. Max coolant temp 195 in 90 degree ambient temps.
Philip