Gareth's Robinhood 2B Site

Shorten the Sump

To shorten the sump looks to be a difficult process that requires loads of skill! In fact there are two stages to the process:

1. Cut and fabricate the parts you need to produce the new shape sump (easy with time)

2. Weld/braise the parts together afterwards (need equipment and a level of skill)

The description of how this is done is well described on the Rhocar website

I decided to almost follow the instructions from this link and change them slightly. I decided not to have the additional box on the side of the sump and decided that I would weld then braise my sump.

The cutting and preparing is very easy if you follow the instructions on the website.

When it came to the welding I decided, since I had bought a new sump from the guy who runs the Capri Owners Club, it would be worth me giving the welding a go. B&Q are doing a mini gas welding kit for £50 that has everything you need to gas weld/braise.

The first thing I did was use my MIG welder to weld the nut onto the new hole in for the sump plug, then I fitted the new bottom plate and tacked it in place with the MIG.

Once I was happy all was in the right place, I went round the inside with the gas torch and a braising rod. I then let it cool, rested it on a load of newspapers and filled it with water. To my surprise there was only one small leak at a corner - so I dried it and braised this hole shut.

The whole process was worth doing and the having a second sump made me a little braver. I would say - get a spare sump and have a go.

Word to the wise

Don't be a fool like me and not do the sump mod during the build. It's not that hard and the pain of removing and fitting the sump with the engine in place is huge. In my case  here are the steps I needed to follow to remove the sump.

1. Undo all the bolts on the sump - even the ones you can't reach even with your longest extender bar without taking three layers of skin off your knuckles (and then realise that if you took the starter motor off it's easier <sigh>).

2. Realise that the sump now sits on the the bar under the car that seems, ironically, to be called the sump guard, and you will need to lift the engine.

3. Undo the engine mounts and start to lift the engine with a jack - realise that with the sports exhaust fitted you can't get the engine high enough (exhaust fouls on brake master cylinder).

4. Drop engine and remove exhaust.

5. Raise engine (again), wiggle the sump off, then break your fingers trying to get the bolts off for the pick-up pipe.

Fitting is the reverse of removal (with slightly less swearing - well until you get to the bolting-up bit and find that this is even harder upside down trying to hold the gasket/sump/bolt and ratchet in place.