Xu Block Internal Casting Differences

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I'm on the final stage of building up the bottom end for my refreshed engine & came to a halt yesterday when I was ready to fit the 22t XU10 crank pinion for the oil pump, it simply won't fit with the chain on atm.

 

As seen in the picture below my block has a web in the casting for the head return that prevents it from fitting.

 

 

Annoying to notice that on the scrap block I've swapped the internals from its not there;

 

 

But as you can see in the first picture, getting access to "remove" that web with the crank etc in will be a pita & I don't really want to take it all apart again when I've got this close.

 

I'm thinking about 15 minutes with a Dremel will see it sorted.

 

Graham.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Just thought of one extra thing I'll have to modify, the oil pump sprocket guard will need a couple of holes drilling through the bottom so it doesn't just fill with oil.

 

Graham.

[welshpug 1,661]

that casting appears on the XU7 block as well, but seems to wrap around the sprocket even more, though I haven't a pic of the block with the plate off the end.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I checked another (dead) block I have as well, that has the same part on the casting which makes 1 x XU5 + 1 x XU9 with & 1 x XU9 without.

 

Looks like it could be pure luck but tbh I can see the reason for it after I realised without it the chain guard would possibly just fill with oil because the return is directly above the crank pinion.

 

Graham.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Finally borrowed a Dremel to have a crack at this & after looking closely at it earlier tonight seeing exactly how much I'd need to remove rather than cutting the whole web off I'm toying with the idea of thining the web down instead.

 

Only other thing to decide now though take the crank out again to do it or try with it in situ.

 

Or just stick with the 18t pinion like my current engine has.

 

Other idea I've just had is to take it to my mates machine shop & see how easy it is for him to machine it down.

 

Graham.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Been thinking about this (while watching Eric bana's the Beast) & have decided to take a trip to my mates machine shop tomorrow to have it machined thinner rather than resort to the Dremel method.

 

Hopefully all sorted by tomorrow evening.

 

Graham.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I took the bottom end down to my mates firm earlier this afternoon & have left it with them but unfortunately they haven't any machines the block will fit into stood on end so he'll be using a professional die grinder much like a Dremel to do this.

 

Hopefully picking it up finished tomorrow & then the build will be completed by the start of next week around work etc.

 

Graham.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Collected it all done yesterday afternoon but didn't have chance to post until now.

 

Ended up just getting the web thinned down to clear but also got the crank pinion & spacer tacked together so its now driven by a woodruff key rather than relying on the pulley bolt tightness, not that I intend running with it loose.

 

 

 

 

Graham.