I'm fitting an aftermarket injection system to the old Rover which uses a
lambda sensor. The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision for this (for
US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and tapped on UK ones. I
don't have the required tap, and maybe not the tapping size drill either.
Is it easy enough to do - I do have a pillar drill - or is it best left to
a workshop?

--
*Succeed, in spite of management *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
I'm fitting an aftermarket injection system to the old Rover which uses a
lambda sensor. The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision for this (for
US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and tapped on UK ones. I
don't have the required tap, and maybe not the tapping size drill either.
Is it easy enough to do - I do have a pillar drill - or is it best left to
a workshop?

--
*Succeed, in spite of management *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Shouldn't be a problem with the correct tapping drill size - pilot drill
first - lowish speed.

(ex-toolmaker)

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
I'm fitting an aftermarket injection system to the old Rover which uses a
lambda sensor. The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision for this (for
US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and tapped on UK ones. I
don't have the required tap, and maybe not the tapping size drill either.
Is it easy enough to do - I do have a pillar drill - or is it best left to
a workshop?

Drill with a sharp HSS bit. Tap carefully; back off and cut again if there
is any sign of binding. Cast iron does not need lubrication, but, if you
have coolant on your machine, flood cooling does help.

Colin Bignell

On 21 July, 08:20, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision for this (for
US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and tapped on UK ones.

So buy the necessary drill and tap. You might only need a taper tap,
as you can stick the whole length of the tap through into the
manifold. Buy the drill, as drills are cheap and exact tapping drill
sizes are a good aid to getting a good thread. If it's some archaic
Rover thread, try a model engineering supplier like Chronos. Ideally a
thread in CI will be something coarse pitch like Whitworth, UNC or the
rare metric coarse series, but I guess you're stuck with whatever the
sensor uses.

It's usual to tap in a back-and-forth motion, but this is just to
break the swarf up and if the CI is doing that anyway, you might not
need to.

Use some cutting fluid too. It's not essential on cast iron (the free
graphite lubricates), but it doesn't hurt when doing awkward bits by
hand. A drop of engine oil will do (and you have some confidence
there's no lambda-unfriendly additives in there).

On 21 July, 08:20, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

don't have the required tap, and maybe not the tapping size drill either.

PS - If you don't know the tapping drill size, say what thread it is
and I'll look it up in Machinery's Doorstop

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm fitting an aftermarket injection system to the old Rover which
uses a lambda sensor. The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision
for this (for US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and
tapped on UK ones. I don't have the required tap, and maybe not the
tapping size drill either. Is it easy enough to do - I do have a
pillar drill - or is it best left to a workshop?

I have all the taps and drills if you get stuck. Whip it round and we'll can
do it on the milling machine.
--
Dave Baker

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm fitting an aftermarket injection system to the old Rover which uses a
lambda sensor. The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision for this (for
US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and tapped on UK ones. I
don't have the required tap, and maybe not the tapping size drill either.
Is it easy enough to do - I do have a pillar drill - or is it best left to
a workshop?

Cast iron is relatively easily drillable and tappable, but IIRC you need
a very hard steel bit, done slow with a lot of lubrication as cast iron
will shatter, not flow, if peak stresses are exceeded.

In other words, do it in very easy stages..

In article
,
Andy Dingley wrote:
If it's some archaic Rover thread, try a model engineering supplier like
Chronos. Ideally a thread in CI will be something coarse pitch like
Whitworth, UNC or the rare metric coarse series, but I guess you're
stuck with whatever the sensor uses.

It's a brand new wideband Bosch sensor and I'm pretty certain it's an M18
thread. Not sure my pillar drill will take a drill that size - unless one
of those reduced shank types.

--
*How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Dave Baker wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm fitting an aftermarket injection system to the old Rover which
uses a lambda sensor. The cast iron exhaust manifold has provision
for this (for US versions fitted with a cat.) but isn't drilled and
tapped on UK ones. I don't have the required tap, and maybe not the
tapping size drill either. Is it easy enough to do - I do have a
pillar drill - or is it best left to a workshop?

I have all the taps and drills if you get stuck. Whip it round and we'll
can do it on the milling machine.

Thanks very much for the offer, Dave. Remind me of where you are?

--
*I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.