Not holding out a massive amount of hope, but could anybody chop and reweld my XE sump? I found out on the weekend that I'd been given some
misinformation about ride heights and engine heights from Dax
Is it a Steel or Aluminium sump on the XE? (excuse my ignorance!)
Steve
if its got enough clearance to get over a speed bump then I'd just bolt a 5mm steel skid plate to the bottom of the chassis to protect the sump,
even if not then just make the plate tapered and you can just slide over the really high bumps being rwd
[Edited on 21/4/09 by Mr Whippy]
I dont think it has unfortunately. I thought it was steel but turns out its alloy so thats out. I'd have to buy an 8v steel sump and get that
sorted.
Looks like I'll have to go with the £200 aftermarket sump/pickup pipe option.
Why can nothing be easy 
I've wanted to fit the engine for weeks but keep having to buy something extra, or read another bulk of information
or wait for something to arrive . The car is doing my head in.
The most frustrating thing is I know once I get the engine over the car, the oil filter is going to foul requiring more work I bet and then I have to
fabricate engine mounts - something I have no way of doing myself. Before anyone tells me off for whinging, yes if I had the money I know I should
have bought a caterham.
[Edited on 21/4/09 by cd.thomson]
you can't stick some of the engine out the bonnet and cover that with a grp bulge? What’s not fitting, is it the airbox? you should post some
pics. Replace the oil filter with a oil cooler sandwich pipe take off, then you have proper cooling too. I think I have an unused one with new hoses
hanging up in the other garage 
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
I dont think it has unfortunately. I thought it was steel but turns out its alloy so thats out.
I was under the impression that your average welder wouldnt touch alloy, it made the job very tricky? Thats why if you want to chop the XE sump you
need to start by swopping it entirely for a steel version (found on carlton 8vs I think).
The engine is tall Mr Whippy and wouldnt raising it give me issues with my gearbox mounting? The engine does already have an oil cooler take off as
standard, could I just stick a bolt in the oil filter thread in the sandwich plate and then fit some kind of remote filtering apparatus?
There's a place in Burton I buy my ally sheets from who always have someone in one of the bays welding something, and they only deal in ally.
Might be worth giving them a bell and seeing if they can help you out. Give Darren at JSK Aluminium a call on 01283 517417
Well, you're under the wrong impression then!
A lot of people on here have MIG's and may of offered help if steel, but plenty on here have TIG's to weld ali!
What you really ought to do is the cut the sump yourself to the correct Dims and then just get it TIG welded.
You have U2U...
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
I was under the impression that your average welder wouldnt touch alloy, it made the job very tricky? Thats why if you want to chop the XE sump you need to start by swopping it entirely for a steel version (found on carlton 8vs I think).
quote:
Originally posted by thefreak
There's a place in Burton I buy my ally sheets from who always have someone in one of the bays welding something, and they only deal in ally.
Might be worth giving them a bell and seeing if they can help you out. Give Darren at JSK Aluminium a call on 01283 517417
I think you'll find that most fab shops are quite capable of aluminum welding. Sumps are very easy due to the thickness of the metal. To reduce
costs you could do all the prep work like cutting out the pieces so they literally only need to weld it together.
To raise the engine a couple of inches you should only need to raise the engine mounts and leave the gearbox ones alone since your really only taking
about a few degrees additional tilt, certainly when I was moving my Falcons engine up and down I did nothing with the rear mount.
Remote oil filters use the same mounting as the cooler so yes you could blank it of so long as you check you still are getting full flow. There's
blanking plates available that clamp against the o-ring face where the filter usually goes to seal it off and force the oil through the take off
pipes.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
Well, you're under the wrong impression then!
A lot of people on here have MIG's and may of offered help if steel, but plenty on here have TIG's to weld ali!
What you really ought to do is the cut the sump yourself to the correct Dims and then just get it TIG welded.
You have U2U...
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
I was under the impression that your average welder wouldnt touch alloy, it made the job very tricky? Thats why if you want to chop the XE sump you need to start by swopping it entirely for a steel version (found on carlton 8vs I think).
I have a cast alloy sump on my MX5 engine and I had no trouble finding a TIG welder who was prepared to weld it up.
I made the new bits in 3mm Alu' plate and chopped the sump down and then he welded the new bits to the old bits and I gave him a tenner for his
trouble (it was about 5 years ago 
)
as long as its a good ally then it can be welded, i did a sump chop mod for a sabb powered westie.
after.jpg)
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I think you'll find that most fab shops are quite capable of aluminum welding. Sumps are very easy due to the thickness of the metal.
thank you very much everybody , Welderman you have U2U, and I've given that burton company a call too.
Still very apprehensive about the coming weeks for any problems that may arise, but at least this hurdle looks more managable
Don't Give up on the dax, i regret the day i got rid of mine
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