Tape in a Splasher Pan

glynes
glynes Member
in Parts & Pieces
I'm reassembling a basket case 33 Terraplane 8. The lower end of the engine was rebuilt circa 1980 but never fully reassembled. Before I cleaned the splasher pan, there was tape over the small holes in center of the pan? is this some kind of trick to improve oil flow? has anyone ever run these engines with tape over these holes. Thank you for your input. 

Comments

  • tigermoth
    tigermoth Expert Adviser
    I am guessing the engineers at the factory had a better idea of how these engines should be set up better than “tape boy”. 

    Regards, Tom
  • barrysweet52
    barrysweet52 Expert Adviser
    How long would the tape stay there when running? Perhaps tape was to keep the dirt out


  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    A recipe for disaster!   Imagine the taped becoming dislodged and flung up into the main bearing feed gutters and blocking off the holes.  
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    Those holes are nothing to do with oil flow, the holes lead nowhere.
    I can see the holes acting as vents for the void beneath, if the void was airtight it would pressurise when the engine got up to running temps maybe causing the solder joints to crack. 
    And/or the holes could have been used to position the parts on a jig.
  • glynes
    glynes Member
    thanks for your thoughts. The tape is a mystery. The engine was taken apart 79/80 and rebuilt through Egge Machine so I'm told. It hasn't been running since. So why it is there, I've no idea. My take away is to leave it off. 
  • Old Fogey UK
    Old Fogey UK Expert Adviser
    Was it someone's bright idea (not!) to tape over the holes to stop oil running out of the top tray when reinstalling the oil pan ?
  • Toddh
    Toddh Member
    Old Fogey UK said:
    Was it someone's bright idea (not!) to tape over the holes to stop oil running out of the top tray when reinstalling the oil pan ?
    There’s no holes between the upper and lower pan underneath the spot welded division/support plates. My thought it was a half-baked attempt to keep oil out of those cavities.  
  • glynes
    glynes Member
    Anybody's guess as to the purpose but seems like it should not be there.

  • Toddh
    Toddh Member
    Correct
  • 35 Terraplane
    35 Terraplane Senior Contributor
    The ones with the holes appear to be leaded / brazed in place. Could have been vent holes for this operation. Just guessing 
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    In some parts of the world the tape would, before the engine was assembled, stop mud wasps from building their nests inside the voids.
  • glynes
    glynes Member
    Must be for mud wasp protection then. Thank you. :)

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