Sump Plate

[Howard]

I want to fit a new sump plate to my `51 A7 the type with a drain plug. My current plate has a raised mesh strainer although the items on EBAY don`t have a mesh strainer with them, if I search for a strainer they are all flat...any ideas ??

[beezermacc]

If you take your existing sump plate and strainer off you should see that the suction pipe hangs slightly below the the crankcase opening. You can check how far it hangs down by putting a straight edge across the opening. The part of the suction pipe which protrudes through the strainer is slightly enlarged to accommodate the anti-drain ball valve; this should be a good fit in the strainer. Before fitting your new parts do a simple dry-run with a gasket and your new strainer to make sure the pipe protrudes through the strainer. In my experience there isn't much pipe sticking through, maybe 3 or 4 mm. (OOps, sorry, less than 1/4 inch). The old raised strainers were not as good a fit around the suction pipe as the new flat ones. One thing to beware of is that old crankcases tended to get chucked about the garage and sometimes rested on the suction pipe causing it to bend upwards. When building a new engine its always worth making sure the suction pipe hasn't been bent so much that the strainer doesn't fit properly. Whilst doing the job make sure the 1/4 whitworth studs threaded into the crankcase are screwed fully home; If not they'll strip out when you fit the BSCY retaining nuts. Don't use nylok nuts or you'll always be pulling the studs out of the crankcases and wearing the threads out.

[Howard]

Thanks Beezermacc