Project Dark Knight Rising

[Tapps33]

Ok, today's progress...or rather for the last 2 days....sorry, yesterday was a LONG day and I didn't have it in me to post last night.

Last night I set the main studs with Loctite thread locker red on the in block portion of the stud, then used ARP ultra lube on the washers/nuts to torque them to 60lb-ft. (in 3 increments...30lb-ft, then 45lb-ft, then finally 60 lb-ft). As for the main studs, the part numbers I used are: ARP M10 AM4.000-1LB. (these are ARP 2000 spec material). Jury is still out as to whether I'll have to grind the block girdle a little. Others who have made the swap to main studs have had to grind the girdle a little to ensure the main studs don't interfere with the girdle.

After the main studs, I torqued the shoulder and then external side main bolts . The "shoulder" bolts are ARP kit 661-1014 (24 lb-ft torque spec) and the external side main cap bolts were ARP kit 661-1007 (24 lb-ft torque spec). A piece of advice, DON'T LOSE THE EXTERNAL WASHERS! They are rubber embedded steel washers to ensure no oil leaking out of the block. I haven't been able to source new ones, so I had to re-use the old ones.

Today I torqued my rod bolts to 60 lb-ft in the same 3 step increment. The road bolt kit is: 201-6001. It's actually for a BMW 4.0L S65 engine...but they are a perfect match for the stock bolts and they're ARP CA 625+ material....so significantly stronger than stock.

Shifting gears, I went back to my transmission because the new output shaft bushing I ordered came in! I was able to get it into the output shaft nicely, and then began the re-assembly of the C and E clutch hub assemblies. Everything seems to be to spec thus far, but all I can do is take it one step at a time.

I'll do better and get some more pics tomorrow...but in truth, without the videos from @curmudgeontransmission and Gary Ferraro...and the ZF manual for additional pictures, instructions and tolerance specs, I'd be up a creek with this one! I haven't taken many pics because I've been too busy watching and rewatching their videos, then reading the manual, then looking at the refresh kit, then the videos, then the manual....and well, you get the idea.

Thankfully, I already did the Sonnax Zip kit to the mechatronic for this LR4, and since I'll have to swap them for everything to work nicely, I don't have to mess with the mechatronic at all. Hopefully, the LR4 mechatronic will work properly in the RRS SC transmission. (In theory the transmissions are identical except for one extra spray in the SC version...supposedly....time will tell)

Tomorrow's goals are to get the rest of the transmission back together, and then get the girdle on and the head studs set....possibly bolt the heads down. We'll just have to see how much time I actually have tomorrow.

 

[Tapps33]

Ok, so today wasn't 100% as productive as I'd hoped, but it was pretty decent none the less.

First I messed with the transmission. Long story short, I think I damaged the B Clutch piston assemble when I took it apart. I tried too get it back together and messed it up even more. So, eBay to the rescue! And I have an authentic ZF 6HP28 B clutch drum loaded and ready to go! This time I won't take it apart, cause in reality, there's only 3 o-ring's that need to be replaced. Unfortunately when I consult the manual, it looks like the press tool I have isn't quite large enough to seat and press down on the bellvelle plate appropriately to compress the piston enough to reveal the snap ring recesses. To add insult to injury, the cheap-o-matic press I ordered from Amazon doesn't have a large enough opening to slide the drum shaft inbetween is the "adjustable" press wouldn't work either. (SMH).

Luckily though, the rest seemed to go back together nicely. Although there was a lot of back and forth between videos and manuals and diagrams to ensure I didn't miss anything.

On a slightly side topic, I figured out the difference between the NA and SC transmissions....or at least this is according to a friend who took them both apart side by side:

the 4 sprag vs the 3 sprag planet:

4 sprag planet:

the 3 sprag planet:

The piece of this puzzle I don't know about is whether the NA mechatronic in the SC transmission is going to have any line pressure issues due to the difference. Hopefully the adaptive values will be able to compensate for any differences.

 

[Tapps33]

Sorry, it only lets me post 5 pics at a time, so I have to break my posts up a little bit.

After I hit the stopping point with the transmission....cause the B clutch goes into the case next...and well...I don't exactly have one yet...I shifted back to the engine.

The engine tried my patience and forced me into an existential crisis. Thankfully I overcame the issue and have moved on...mainly because I don't want to buy a 3rd of every part I've already bought....twice!!

What am I talking about? Simple, the windage tray as the LR manual refers to it.

This is where I stopped last night. Everything was good, torqued to spec...yay! If you look at where the main stud are on both the front and rear main cap, it was close enough I decided to do a little grinding to ensure clearance.

And just like that, PRESTO!! everything fits!

Now, for those of you who are eagle eyed AJ133 builders, you may have noticed the HP fuel pump cam sprocket looks a little funny....and that's because it does! This engine was one of the original 6.35mm timing gear engines. While I actually prefer the 6.35mm chains to the update 8mm style, it's virtually impossible to get any 6.35mm parts, so, 8mm swap here we come! Luckily, the oil pump sprocket was cheap, and you can buy that as a lone part in some timing chain kits. The Fuel pump cam sprocket is a whole different story. I looked everywhere and couldn't find it...I even called an LR dealership and they said it wasn't sold by itself. So, yet again I went back to eBay for support and bought a used windage tray that have the fuel pump cam still attached.

Here's where the existential crisis occurred. When I removed the fuel cam from the existing windage tray, I discovered the center "bushing" space for the fuel cam was boogered up...much like the spun bearing. Obviously, I didn't want to re-use the windage tray as I'm worried about follow on deterioration of the cam journal and potential fuel cam failure. NO WORRIES, I have another tray! BUUUUUUUUUUUT......it's a newer style and isn't as long as the old style. The newer style doesn't bolt to the rear main cap.

The question I struggled with is whether this tray was ever installed in an SC engine, or if it was strictly a NA V8 thing? Long story short, I think the answer is LR went to this windage tray when they started producing the SCV6. Thankfully though, it's the same tray for the SCV6 and SCV8. So, after wrestling with the, "will it be strong enough....will the rear main cap flex....is the galling really that bad? I decided it'll work just fine and I've known a couple of guys running Jag's that have used this tray and their cars are still doing great!

For those of you wondering, here's a side by side of the different sprockets:

Oh, and this is the "messed up" journal:

Oh yeah, and before I forget, here's the disclaimer: I am not the definitive source for any of this information. Check your manuals and all the appropriate documentation for all specific values, to include torque specs, transmission specs etc... And feel free to call me out if you see me make a glaring mistake! I'd rather have someone catch it and let me know than miss it and blow up the engine!

One final disclaimer; Please excuse the messy garage. I'm prepping for a move and have pulled all the spare junk I normally pack and take with me and am getting ready to donate it. Unfortunately because I move every couple of years, it's not all in one place...now it's in a few piles on the ground. Sometime soon it's all going to get donated or chucked. I can't keep bringing it with me, especially since I'm not sure if I'll even have a garage or shop for the next 2-3 years.....gulp....I may die.