Large amount of crap from where the Oil level sensor had been leaking, l need to get Kev on the case!! :)


Oil pick up pipe and it appears that this particular X20XEV has twin balancer shafts

Main casting removed allowing a better view of the balancer shafts.


As I'm not all that bothered about vibration, the balancer shafts and associated items will be removed and replaced with a baffle plate from an earlier XEV engine that didn't have them. I will need to drill and tap the oil feeds and then plug them with grub screws and locktite.

With a bit of luck the engine should rev a bit more freely without them, especially with the lightened flywheel I have. May see a bit of a power gain too as frictional losses will be reduced.

Thats it for now!

Loving the pics mate, hope you keep this up through the rest of the build ;)

Will do mate, it's the only way I'll be able to work out how to get it back together!! :)

Besides, everyone loves piccys.

Wife was out last night so I managed to blag a couple of hours in the mancave.

Started to remove the balancer shafts..


All bolts were loose yet I couldn't shift it. So I removed the baffle plates in case there was a couple of hidden bolts underneath.

There wasn't!


Decided to use bit of brute force and ignorance, something I have a bucket load of (ignorance, not brute force!), and out they came..

There is some weight in those balancer shafts, I estimate about 5 or 6kg. Be a nice saving by not putting them back in.
Either side of the bolt hole in the middle are 2 of the four oil feeds I will need to drill, tap, and seal with grub screws..


Main bearing 3 compared with main bearing 4. No. 3 has the oil feeds, 4 doesn't.


Piston No 1 removed..


You can see the extra ring gear in this one that runs the balancer shafts. Won't know if this can be removed until I get the crank out.

All four pistons removed..

Helpfully, identification marks are only present on the main bearings for cylinders 1 and 4..

Main bearing 1..


Main bearing 2..


Main bearing 3..


Main bearing 4..


Was just about to remove them and get the crank out when the wife came home. Will now have to wait until tomorrow.

Managed to get a bit more done on friday night as everyone go kicked ut of work early because of the snow!

Oil pump removed


Here is the Oil pump. I'm fairly certain I'm going to replace this rather than re-use it. Seems to make sense as they aren't silly money and I'd rather do it now than later.


All main bearing caps removed..


Crankshaft out..

Lower main bearings still in situe..


Block now completely stripped..


..and now right way up to allow remaining oil to drain


Ok, I now have a question!
What is the best thing to use to get all the crap and crud from the last 12 years off the block?
I have used Gunk in the past but it doesn't seem to shift it all that well. I'd also like to avoid getting it all over the man cave. :rolleyes: