Mk2 Cortina 1600E Crossflow Engine Reconditioning

[blacksofstichill]

I have to say a big thanks to my good friend Parky for getting me this job as it's for his Father-in-law's mint Cortina 1600E, it was removed to tidy up the engine bay and it's being given a full reconditioning including conversion to hardened valve seats suitable for unleaded.

 

Here it is as delivered by Steve and Len -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0001.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0002.jpg

 

Here's my little lad getting ready to help me strip the engine down, boilersuit on, cup of tea in hand and he's ready for work! -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0003.jpg

 

The Flywheel was already off so it's ready to bolt the engine stand bracket on straight away -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0004.jpg

 

Bolted onto the engine stand -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0005.jpg

 

You can just see Alex working away at the other end of the engine with my Dad supervising in the background.....not too sure what Alex is actually doing though! -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0006.jpg

 

Rocker Cover off -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0007.jpg

 

Rocker Shaft and Pushrods removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0008.jpg

 

Cylinder Head removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0009.jpg

 

The Waterways in the head and block are quite badly blocked up -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0010.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0011.jpg

 

This waterway hole was actually completely blocked until I picked a hole in it -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0012.jpg

 

Crank Pulley and Timing Cover removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0013.jpg

 

Distributor, Oil Pump, Fuel Pump and Engine Mount removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0014.jpg

 

Other Side Engine Mount removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0015.jpg

 

Engine Flipped over -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0016.jpg

 

Sump removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0017.jpg

 

Big End Caps removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0018.jpg

 

Pistons removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0019.jpg

 

Big End Shells are in good order which is always promising, they'll be replaced anyway but it means that the crankshaft stands a good chance of still being in good order too -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0020.jpg

 

Big End Journals on the crankshaft are mint which is good as it means there's no need to regrind the crankshaft -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0021.jpg

 

Timing Chain and Cam Sprocket removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0022.jpg

 

Camshaft removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0023.jpg

 

Crankshaft removed, the main journals on the crankshaft were also good, I'll add photos of those later -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0024.jpg

 

Unfortunately, the bores had a bit of wear and some scoring, some of the scores are deep and not something you could hone out so even without measuring the amount of bore wear I could see it needed a rebore -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0025.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0026.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0027.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0028.jpg

[ganges]

here we go again, another great start to another great thread, this is bordering on wanting to go into the "HOW TO" section surley

[blacksofstichill]

Cheers, hope this one keeps you entertained like the last one!

 

If any of the admin want to move the thread for any reason I'm happy with that, since I'm quite new to the forum I'm not sure of where I should be posting this kind of thing.

[blacksofstichill]

So with the bores being scored, out came the Boring Bar! This is a Van Norman 944 Boring Bar which is old but still accurate and reliable to this day, my Uncle used this all the time but this was the first time it had been used since he died so I'm sure he'd be happy to know it's still working.

 

The Boring Bar clamps to the top of the engine block and clamps down with a bracket which locates on the underside of a bore, normally one which is 2 cylinders away from the one you want to rebore -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0029.jpg

 

With the clamps still slack, you then lower the boring head into the bore and screw out 3 "cats paws" which centralise the boring head in the bore, at that point you can clamp the boring bar down tightly to the block -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0030.jpg

 

After checking the availability of oversize pistons I decided to go for a 20 thou (0.020"/0.508mm) overbore. I do this in 2 cuts, one 15 thou roughing cut and then a 5 thou finishing cut. The boring size is set using a special micrometer unique to a boring bar which reads in the size it will bore at rather than just measuring the length of the cutting tool. The tool length and therefore cutting size is set by screwing the backstop screw in or out and locking it at the correct length -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0031.jpg

 

With the tool set to the correct size, the "cats paws" are retracted back in the boring head, one of these "cats paws" is visible in this photo, about 1/3 of the way in at the top with a slotted screw in it. The cutting tool is then located and clamped into the boring head and it's ready to go -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0032.jpg

 

Fired up, set to auto feed and it's starting to bore it out -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0033.jpg

 

After the Roughing and finishing cut, the bore size is checked with the internal micrometer -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0034.jpg

 

This boring bar cuts very well and gives a good cutting finish, although you can see the machining marks these will clean up with minimal honing and as such I only allow half a thou of extra material for honing, any more than that and you're giving yourself a lot of work for no gain in finish, honing is only intended to improve the bore finish and remove the high spots, not to remove large amounts of material. Here is the bore as it is straight after boring -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0035.jpg

 

With all of the bores rebored it's the honing bar's turn and all of the bores are honed to finish them off -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0036.jpg

 

The finished bores after honing -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0037.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0038.jpg

 

All of the bores bored and honed and now the block is ready to be cleaned up in the waterways, cleaned up on the outside and painted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0039.jpg

[bronze4door]

has that been rebuilt before or had the head changed because the earlier crossflow engines with the combustion chamber in head should have had flat top pistons and yours looke like they have a bowl in them as well as in the head

 

the pistons with bowls in them are from the later crossflow engine

 

is it a 681f or a 711m block, the cortina should be a 681f

[blacksofstichill]

Cheers for your interest, it's the original engine for the car and from what I saw when I stripped it ive no reason to think it has been rebuilt before, I'm confident it hasn't been in bits until I came along.

It's a 681f block and has the bowls in the pistons as you've noticed, it does have very shallow chambers in the head too rather than being flat, as far as I can make out that's what a 1600e should be like but I know there are a lot of variations of crossflows over the years as you say.

[hicksy]

Another cracking thread here!

 

I shall be watching this one like the last one

 

Keep up the good work

[blacksofstichill]

Cheers!

Glad you enjoy reading these.

[blacksofstichill]

Another update, this one is just to show the condition of some of the existing engine components and why they're being changed.

 

Starting with the Cam and Followers -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0040.jpg

 

Some of the followers are badly pitted like these ones -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0041.jpg

 

The cam itself also has the same issue with pitting in some places, almost as if the surface was breaking up slightly in places, particularly near the edges -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0042.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0043.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0044.jpg

 

Although the pistons have to be changed anyway because of the rebore, you can see they have some scoring marks above the top ring in some places -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0045.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0046.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0047.jpg

 

So, here we have a box of new goodies to replace that lot -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0048.jpg

 

Bottom End Gasket Set -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0049.jpg

 

Top End Gasket Set -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0050.jpg

 

Cam Followers -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0051.jpg

 

Crank Bearing Shells -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0052.jpg

 

Thrust Washers -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0053.jpg

 

Timing Chain -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0054.jpg

 

+ 0.020" Oversize Pistons with rings -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0055.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0056.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0057.jpg

 

New Old Stock Genuine Ford Chain Tensioner from our own Stock -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0058.jpg

 

New Old Stock Genuine Ford Cam Bearings, again these are from our own stock and although they are dusty since they've been in stock for about 40 years they are brand new and unused -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0059.jpg

 

And last but not least we needed a new Camshaft. None of my regular suppliers could offer a new one made from a blank, only regrinds. So after some discussion with Piper Cams I got them to make us up a Standard GT Spec Profile Cam made from a Blank -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0060.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0061.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0062.jpg

[Ahmotorsport]

Is cam bearing line boring something you can do? If so i envy you!

[blacksofstichill]

Is cam bearing line boring something you can do? If so i envy you!

 

It's not something I can do unfortunately, not just now anyway but it's something I'd like to be able to do in the future for sure!

[blacksofstichill]

Another update on this, I degreased the engine block inside and out, flushed it all out, etc and mounted the engine block on the stand and cleaned it all back to bare metal. To be fair, Len had already cleaned it up very well so it wasn't as big a Job as it would normally be. I also sanded the casting slightly to try and smooth off the high spots -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0063.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0064.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0065.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0066.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0067.jpg

 

We wanted to use the best paint possible for the engine block so after some research we came up with this -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0068.jpg

 

It's supposed to be excellent stuff according to the reviews I'd read, doesn't sound like the healthiest of stuff according to the label though! -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0069.jpg

 

1st side of the block given a light 1st coat -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0070.jpg

 

Second side ready to coat -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0071.jpg

 

And again, given a light 1st coat -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0072.jpg

 

This is how it looked after 1 coat, it was left to dry for 24 hours like that -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0073.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0074.jpg

 

Then it was given a 2nd coat which makes all the difference -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0075.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0076.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0077.jpg

 

With the paint left to dry for another 24 hours it was time to change the cam bearings, to remove the old bearings and refit the new ones I'm using this tool which was made back in the 70s when my Dad and Uncle first started to rebuild these engines -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0078.jpg

 

It's an easy slip-in fit into the bearing and the shoulder catches the edge of the bearing -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0079.jpg

 

You can then just tap the tool on the outisde of the block and it will push the bearing out -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0080.jpg

 

Old Bearings Out -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0081.jpg

 

New Bearings ready to go in -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0082.jpg

 

Onto the fitting tool -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0083.jpg

 

Front end bearing redy to fit, note the pencil mark on the top, this is a mark I've put on as a guide so that I can line the bearing up correctly with the oil holes in the block when I fit it -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0084.jpg

 

Front End Bearing fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0085.jpg

 

Middle Bearing Fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0086.jpg

 

 

Back End Bearing fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0087.jpg

[Naylor2006]

Loving the work again, I like the element heater I can see, obviously dedicated to working all year round, unless its fked and is just there for storage.

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0063.jpg

 

Kinda wish I hadnt just bought a new car and house, would love to have seen my 2.0 go for a rebuild, still undecided as to what to do with it.

[blacksofstichill]

Cheers, glad you're finding it interesting! Yeah, the heater there does work but I don't often use it to be honest, I've got a radiator in the corner where I mostly work and a kerosene space heater if it gets really cold! I work in this workshop full time all year round, no rest for the wicked!

 

What engine is your 2.0 and what's up with it? A Zetec or an RS I4?

 

Another update, Main Bearing Shells ready to fit -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0088.jpg

 

Fitted to the block -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0089.jpg

 

New Thrust washers/bearings ready to fit -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0090.jpg

 

Fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0091.jpg

 

Crankshaft Cleaned up and fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0092.jpg

 

Main Bearing Caps fitted with new Bearing Shells and ready to fit -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0093.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0094.jpg

 

Main Bearing Caps fitted and Torqued Down -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0095.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0096.jpg

 

old Pistons and Rods ready for the Old Pistons to be removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0097.jpg

 

Circlips removed which retain the Goodgeon Pin in the piston -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0098.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0099.jpg

 

Using a piece of Alloy Bar as a Punch I knock the Goodgeon Pins out of the Pistons and Rods -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0100.jpg

 

This allows the Rods to be removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0101.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0102.jpg

 

New + 0.020" Oversize Pistons ready to fit -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0103.jpg

 

Circlips fitted to one side of each piston -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0104.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0105.jpg

 

Now this next bit is going to look a bit strange! I filled a small basin with Boiling Hot water and put the new pistons into it, when you do that the Piston expands with the heat and allows the Goodgeon pin to be slid in or out by hand -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0106.jpg

 

I couldn't take photos of the pistons being fitted as there weren't enough free hands going around and you have to fit them quickly while the piston is still hot. Basically you remove the hot piston from the basin of water, slide the Goodgeon pin back, enter the conrod into the piston and slide the Goodgeon pin back through it and into the other side of the piston against the circlip I put in earlier -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0107.jpg

 

All new Pistons fitted to the conrods -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Mk2-Cortina-1600E-Crossflow-Engine-Reconditioning/0108.jpg

[ganges]

the old tricks are the best, love the hot water trick , simple but effective, another cracking update