For the love of a tractor engine: The life and times of the 18R-G

[bholmberg]

This is just for the top chain, so the bottom cog is the aux. Shaft.
Yes something similar has been done for the 2tg, but it's expensive, and doesn't fit. I doubt there would be a whirring noise, surely a nice bearing would create less friction than that giant slipper.
I might have a look at the M series option, however making one thats just perfect shouldn't be too difficult...

[S. Lowlux]

[QUOTE=bholmberg;
, however making one thats just perfect shouldn't be too difficult...[/QUOTE]

This is true. My initial thoughts on this are, bearing type and suitability. Back idler is a tough job & wherever I see them they are copping a flogging due to the speed they run at.
Keeping the size of the idler sprocket up will reduce the speed & also the return curve of the chain.
There should be plenty of oil flying about in there to lube an open bearing.

Would this be an adjust slack from chain & tighten in position deal, rather than tensioner,
tensioning will be left up to the hydraulic unit & slipper ?
You see it is on the wrong side off the chain for tensioning.

Owen.

[bholmberg]

A fixed design was my original thought. Adjustable might be added in a later design which could provide small timing adjustments. I'm going to make one eventually - wish I had a spare rg laying around this would be much easier.
Every time I drive I'm worried that huge slipper is going to strip while it slowly disintegrates. Anyone else get that feeling? Or is it just me?
Good advise Owen: big sprocket, and make sure I choose the right bearing.

[river]

Hi,

It's just you.

The 18R-G is a tough engine and built like a tank. As long as you got good oil pressure you should be fine. The engine in The 88 is one of the very first 18R-G builds (circa mid 1973) 210-head, and it's been running flawlessly for 37 years and has never been removed for service. It runs quietly, perfoms just like when new and starts each time, no matter whether its a freezing cold day or a stinking hot scorcher. It runs at the same temp (82deg Cels) now, as it did back in 73.

Age shall not weary them.

Of course, I do not give my engine a gruelling and it is driven with respect to its age, as well as the rarity of the vehicle it powers.

seeyuzz
river

[S. Lowlux]

Just a quick couple of questions river.
Do you play lawn bowls ? & if so
Is your white hat on the rear parcel shelf ?
Owen.

[damian]

hey don't knock the hat on the rear parcel shelf - saved my arse from the boys in blue many a time

[S. Lowlux]

So, the ole lead cap boot & hat on pacel shelf combo comes up a winner.
(note to self) Gotta geta hat.
Owen.

[river]

Hi,

Just a quick couple of questions river.
Do you play lawn bowls ? & if so
Is your white hat on the rear parcel shelf ?

Funny you should mention lawn bowls... I have a "I love lawn bowls" sticker on my car. I'm sure I've seen a pic of it in these forums, but dunno where.

No white hat though.. I'm a bandana-wearing sort of old hippy type of guy.

seeyuzz
river

[MnToyGuy]

So far this is what we have.
Complete pump.


Exploded view showing standard shaft & rotors at top.
Standard shaft
Lengthened shaft
Two drive rotors on shaft + two driven rotors. Assembly is in the order shown so that joints between all rotors & housings overlap, to help with alignment.


Oil pump body spacer that I cobbled + 30mm bolts.


Standard rotors on shaft & mods.


Enjoy

Owen.

Brilliant work Owen! How did you line up and join the 2 inner rotors. Is the alignment irrelevant since the 2 outers float independently?

[S. Lowlux]

How did I line up the two inner rotors ?
Now that would be giving away all my secrets.
But for you & you only, like don't tell the whole world


The pin is taper, just ever so slightly so will only drift out in one direction. When drifted one way it goes tight, OK, turn it around & drift from other end, it starts to come out.
Now, MARK the components for reassembly in same orientation, both pins to their rotors & the top rotor to the shaft. This is important.
Lengthen shaft. Easy bit.
Replace top rotor & realign hole & re pin. DO NOT try to let the pin do the realigning for you. don't ask.
Turn down rotor on shaft. This process leaves a very slight burr on bottom edges of rotor.
Put turned down rotor & shaft into freezer, just next to the frozen peas.
Put the other rotor out in the sun, or if not sunny a VERY low oven.
When the contraction of the cold shaft & the expansion of the warm rotor is enough to just slide the rotor onto the shaft & turn it, do so.

This is the stage of alignment, slide up your rotor & align by feeling the afore mentioned burr on top rotor is an equal feel on all mating edges to your bottom rotor. Now allow the temperatures between the two parts to normalise. These rotors are an interferance fit to the shaft & upon temp normalisation the rotor will grab the shaft. Now drill the shaft through the rotor from the direction the pin goes in with a 4.7mm bit, drift pin in, turn the rotors & shaft together to correct length, polish off burrs. Viola!.
I hope this was not so testical that anyone gets ballsed up.
Owen. (the different one) I like that, so true, it's almost as if you allready know me .

[S. Lowlux]

Sorry, to answer the other part of your ? ToyGuy.
I consider this alignment to be crucial to the sucsess of the pump seeing as how the joins in the inner to outer rotors overlap. We don't want to create a bind because allthough it will wear in it would also accelerate wearing out & making little silver shiny things in our oil & we all hate those.
The outer rotor to body clearance is only 0.10mm - 0.16mm & the rotor inner tip clearance is the same, thats not too much room for float. So don't go using it up willy nilly with mis alignment .
Owen.

[Panda]

hay guys and gals,

just wana double check what i need to fit EFI. Currently it has blown solexs, and the cams are a bit heavy so i want some more low down range for daily driving. is EFI the way to go or can i do it easier with webers?

What i've seen so far is i need to track down a whole heap of 18R-GEU hardware and then all i need is an ECU. the just connect it all up.... is it really this simple? seems easier than screwing round with carbies in the first place.

Though, how hard is it gonna be to find all the 18R-GEU gear? am i gonna have to buy the motor or is there some floating round after other peoples conversions?

any help would be appreciated,

cheers!

[river]

Hi,

For EFI on your carby-equipped 18R-G, you will need the following:-

- EFI maniold
- ECU
- Injectors
- Primary fuel pump
- Secondary fuel pump with surge tank
- Sensors
- Loom

Put it altogether, along with modifed throttle linkages, and get it tuned up.

Cheaper and less hassle to stay with the carbs and they'll make as much power as an EFI set-up.

Carbies, by their very nature, require a bit of attention to keep them tuned. Old carbies with cracked/hard seals, loose/worn jets, out of tune, broken floats etc will make any engine run like a pig and drink more fuel. A rebuilt, well maintained set will make your engine purr and feel like a new motor. A rebuild and tune on carbies for an 18R-G will cost around $700-$800, which will be less hassle and cost than converting to EFI.

Solex or Webbers makes no difference. If they are in need of service and a re-tune they won't be pleasant to drive. For better low down performance your best investment is to get a set of stock cams for your engine (assuming you have higher performance cams) as these were designed to make the engine street friendly for any person to drive.

seeyuzz
river

[Panda]

ahh, cheers river, damn champ!
Probably getting a head of myself. Maybe should just go for rebuild then, wasn't sure.

well on that note. no one knows a decent mechanic in Geelong? had to leave my mechanic when i moved down

[Rodger]

Being a Solex man I agree with river.

But you do not need to find an EFI manifold. Use the sidedraught manifold and buy a pair of EFI throttle bodies that fit in place of the Solexes. Ie check this site www.efihardware.com and browse to the DCOE type of throttle body.

You would need to get a computer thingy to run them as you would for Toyota EFI stuff.

Regards

Rodger