My Essex V6 Transplant

[bobdragon12]

Glad it all worked out ok , good fab work

[Leeday]

Today carried on with the prop centre mount bracket.
Cut 2 lengths of 1" x 1" box section:



In one end of each I welded an M10 nut:











Then welded the box section to my plate (on the upper side which won`t be seen, The end with the nuts go towards the far end away from the mount and will fit into the L shaped cross-member on the van, 2 holes will be drilled into the cross-member and 2 bolts through the cross-member and into the box section, this will stop the plate from trying to twist.











Then welded two M8 nuts to two M16 repair washers, these will be welded into the front cross-member box section (with the nuts then being inside the box section) after I have drilled some holes in the cross-member:








I now have 4 bolt fixings to hold the plate in place, the holes the bolts go through are over-sized so I have the ability to adjust the plate left to right before I finally weld it:





Then bolted my modified bracket to prop bearing and put it into the place I want it, centralised it using my original prop centre bearing holder, and tack welded the modified bracket to the plate, now with the bracket having forward and rearwards adjustment and my plate having left and right adjustment, I can fully weld it once I have fitted the Essex in and obviously when its bolted to the gearbox, I will be able to get the prop fully centralised and weld it all up:









Also bolts I have been waiting for turned up today (M10 x 70 high tensile 10.9) so I could get the drivers side lower ball joint fitted and all the new suspension installed:









Finally got front wheels back on ....... still sat on axle stands as I need to adjust the tracking as it is abit out
As it has now started raining and getting dark I will do this tomorrow and lower the van onto its wheels and then hopefully ........ wait for it ....... fit the Essex V6 in

[robbie.cee]

This is wicked. Top build man.
Bit like the A-team, but Without the guns chicks n funk guitar !

Lovein that bracket n plate!

[Leeday]

Cheers Robbie

Decided before fitting engine I need to sort out the throttle linkage as easier access with engine out, all I have on the engine is the nipple and a bracket with 2 holes:





So as I have a spare Pinto bracket, decided to cut it up and make it fit:























So that works a treat and I can now use the Mk5 2.5 Diesel throttle cable
Sat van back onto its wheels and off the axle stands ready to plonk the Essex V6 in:

[Leeday]

So lifted Essex on the crane and started lowering it in:











Keeping an eye on everything ..... but hello, what this my engine has a full square sump on it and this means if I lower it fully into place it will sit on the steering rack and be about 1" to high for the engine mounts to fit .... after walking around the van 3 times cursing decided to sit engine in engine bay on axle stands and have to change the sump





Not a lot of sumps available, especially on the Isle of Wight, so removed sump to see where oil pick up pipe is, and its in the middle



so am going to cut the offending metal from the sump and re-weld it:











Will cut and weld this tomorrow now, as need beer hoping that the bit I cut out can be turned inside out and welded back in, if not then bit more fabricating required, can`t fit this till next week now as need a sump gasket and no-one on the Isle of Wight has one

[bobdragon12]

Didn't realise you were on the isle wight , look forward to seeing it run round the island

[hornhead]

Great build and pics...enjoy well deserved beer

[Leeday]

Didn't realise you were on the isle wight , look forward to seeing it run round the island

Hi Bobdragon12,

Yes, live in Cowes,

Work all over the Island so the van is always about

Hopefully when the Essex V6 is in you will have to look quicker....... don`t blink or you will miss it

[robbie.cee]

Am Sure we hit the sump to make it clear the pas rack, could be worth a try if its fouling ?

[robbie.cee]

Ah you got a rear sumper need front sumper. Sute i got 3 essex oil pumps somewhere and at least one has an oil pickup pipe too... will try to get in shed!

[Leeday]

Ah you got a rear sumper need front sumper. Sute i got 3 essex oil pumps somewhere and at least one has an oil pickup pipe too... will try to get in shed!

Cheers Robbie

[dieselhead123]

Hi Lee. looks like the quickest option available to you is to modify your existing sump.

Like Robbie says, the sump he had on his Essex was the 'front bowl' type, to use one of these you would also have to change the oil pick-up pipe and the timing cover! The dip stick tube and dip stick for the 'front bowl' engines is located in the timing cover. You would also need to blank off the dip stick opening in the side of your engine. It might not end there though, some of the oil pumps, the oil pick up pipe fixes directly to the oil pump, will not accept oil pick up pipe changes, the flange fittings could be different!
So much for Ford part interchangeability

The 'rear bowl' car sump, Capri/Granada, does fit with the IFS and PAS, it is cut away slightly at the rear as you have intended to modify yours.

It would seam that your sump is a genuine SVO, it is deeper than the car types, but was intended for use with the 'beam' type front axle used on the LWB Mk3's, no steering rack or crossmember to get in the way!

TIM

[Leeday]

Hi Lee. looks like the quickest option available to you is to modify your existing sump.

Like Robbie says, the sump he had on his Essex was the 'front bowl' type, to use one of these you would also have to change the oil pick-up pipe and the timing cover! The dip stick tube and dip stick for the 'front bowl' engines is located in the timing cover. You would also need to blank off the dip stick opening in the side of your engine. It might not end there though, some of the oil pumps, the oil pick up pipe fixes directly to the oil pump, will not accept oil pick up pipe changes, the flange fittings could be different!
So much for Ford part interchangeability

The 'rear bowl' car sump, Capri/Granada, does fit with the IFS and PAS, it is cut away slightly at the rear as you have intended to modify yours.

It would seam that your sump is a genuine SVO, it is deeper than the car types, but was intended for use with the 'beam' type front axle used on the LWB Mk3's, no steering rack or crossmember to get in the way!

TIM

Hi Tim.

I thought myself the mk3 ambulance must have had the beam axle as that's what this engine come from, as we speak I have already cut out the offending area of sump and welding in new metal to fill the big hole
Pictures later on today

[Leeday]

Ok then, time to modify the sump, grinder in hand and off we go







Due to the fact the sump had curved corners, turning the bit I cut out over and welding it in is not an option:



So cut some plates out of my 2mm steel sheet and tack them on to the sump:







Happy with that so time to fully weld all joints:







And this shows what I have cut off to allow for steering Rack clearance and how it looks now:









Time now to clean up all welds and sump:







Under all the paint and gunge, the original Ford Stamp and Part Number:





Filled the sump with water (as water is thinner than oil) to check for any leaks in my welding, left for 30 minutes, no change in water level ..... no leaks
Now time to give the sump a coat of Black Hammerite

[bobdragon12]

Nice work