Things have got to change at Barum Engines, it’s getting CRAZY

[@GARDENER42]

Don't forget to inform your insurance of any "signwriting" as they consider it a "notifiable alteration to the vehicle"...

[@bob1947essex]

I'm one of the old school who did an engineering apprenticeship. It was mandatory for all of us to spend 9 months in the Training Centre, where we were taught to use almost every machine tool that exists. I can still do it, to a pretty high standard actually.

[@baggy326]

Couldn’t agree more about the K series! Let’s be honest they are still just as reliable as modern day engines but when they do go wrong they can be easily fixed. Unlike the throw away engines of today

[@22pcirish]

Had an MGF that blew its head gasket. Once rebuilt it was a different animal, one of the best engines I’ve had in a car.

[@gregmorley1997]

Great to hear and see the business booming, maybe what you need in the office is an old mechanic who can talk to phone customers, explain the quoting ECT ,sort accounts and leave you to enjoy what you are good at.

[@schrodingerscat1863]

Great to see the business doing well, quality work always speaks for itself and I can understand why your getting all the work with the channel getting your names out there.

[@martin1125]

Great to see a small business doing well, just like you I've had to make changes at our small family garage too, it was getting to much so had to cut loads of work out we don't want. life is too short to be stressed and tired all the time!!

[@DennisWalker-bn6su]

Hi Lee, not long been watching your clips, enjoying the stuff you do, just see this one with the K16. Originally the engine was designed to be a throw away unit by Rover. I worked for an independant test house in conjunction with Rover amongst other manufacturers, we were the first to test the engine, they were put together with triangular bolts witch cut there own thread on insertion. We managed to get Rover to revert to normal bolts, but could not get them to make stronger ladder plates, as we found that on durability testing (250 hour cyclic runs and performance runs0 they had the problem of the weak head gasket retension in the one corner. Great little engines otherwise.

[@craig162]

Good video. Better to be too busy than be too slow. Time to get some young help and train him the way you want him to do things and let him work his way up.

[@stephensaines7100]

I thought same, until giving it a second think. To 'train' someone can be a lot more work than help, only for them to move on when you need them the most. I think Lee going out on the floor full-time is an excellent move. It's Barum's reputation on the line, it's Lee's (and the other two's) experience and nuance the builds that reputation. Much easier to get someone in to do the books and clerical work. And *that* is what will keep Lee looking fresh and younger. Some people excel and love doing front office work, and those folks are a heck of a lot easier to find than performance engine rebuilders.

[@SteBification]

I worked with Paul for a while at Andy’s. Top bloke, think he’d do great working with you guys, when he’s not busy tinkering with his fiesta of course 🤣

[@fredjones7307]

So nice to hear you say the K series engine is a good engine. I'm sick and tired of people going on about head gaskets and they are rubbish and talking out of their bloody exhaust pipes..

[@mrbigvanlife7130]

Agree - shame about the head gaskets though 😂

[@vinceevans3219]

I have had alot to do with the k series engine and the biggest problem was the liners dropped We used to skim the block and surface grind the liners 4 thou proud of the block With this done no more issues At Janspeed we built literally hundreds in of these for ptp and xpower and developed an improved cylinder head with a casting number ms2

[@fredjones7307]

@@vinceevans3219 I have a lotus k series to rebuild for my mk2 and are looking for as much information I can. What is cylinder head with a casting number ms2..I certainly are not replacing the K series for anything else..I was caught out by a water leak on the inlet manifold, misstook it for a hgf didn't have time to deal with it and now probably faced with a rebuild or scrap engine.

[@barrybritcher]

if you look at the market, all the 1.8 have blown up. Only 1.4 for sale these days. I would love to own a 218iS again for a laugh or even a VVC coupe (had both)

[@vinceevans3219]

Ms2 was the 2nd generation head Ms stood for Motorsport In the early days it was a joint venture between Vulcan and Janspeed for ptp which I think the creators of the k series engine Power train products The ms 2 was based on the vvc head but with better ports with vvc sized valves and standard k series cam journals not the large ones of the vvc head and no need for a vvc blanking kit Ms2 probably as rare as hen's teeth now

[@davefroman4700]

Totally understand where you are at. KZbin can really force you to change your business. The Car Wizard did a whole episode of how it changed his shop in the US. Like yourself he has people booking their cars in from all over the US to be worked on. Maybe you can find someone who can not only handle the books but who can hold a camera and edit some too?

[@waynep343]

Need to get a fab shop to create Mobile parts shelving cabinets with a few shelves that have drawer slides for rotating assembly shelves, cylinder head component shelve and the bottom shelf for block or almost completed engines. So the work benches are free. The bottom shelf would need 5th and sixth wheel to support the weight when pulled out. Perhaps the bottom shelf has a shelf that when the bottom shelf is pulled out the next shelf becomes a work bench supported by the lowest shelf. Hint. I use rolls of carpet protection film to cover machined surfaces with openings. To keep all dust and fod out. Deck , pan and front block openings. Smaller strips go over intake and exhaust ports.

[@AndrewDrapper]

I work on lawnmowers and we often get big snails on our engines, but I think you where talking about a different snail.

[@GARDENER42]

You must be one of the younger guys in the trade. I was down to see my motor machinist yesterday. He's in his 70s & has been doing rebores, crank grinds, head & block skims for 53 years...

[@Simon-ui6db]

The moonstone looks mint!! (not mint as in colour LOL) cracking job on that one.

[@MikeMcGrath]

Check the Triton V10 spark plug holes. Only thing that goes wrong with them is they blow the plugs out threads and all

[@ernieleithes6545]

Its hard to find a engine shop where i live their used to be about 10 of them i recently drove to one and its closed i think only restores and race people have engines overhauled these days glad your busy but dont forget to find quality time with familly before you know it they are all grown up.

[@bondisteve3617]

Love it! Thanks.

[@deanpenegar7453]

Yeah get a bit of Totty in the office, I think we ‘the subscribers’ should help with the interview process 😬. Great vlog, keep up the good work 👍🏼

[@eliotmansfield]

our local shop is run by old boys and they have been snowed under with work since covid started

[@1brokenspoke189]

I have worked on many k series cylinder heads and once the head gasket was replaced they are bomb proof .Also there was a modification where you had steel rings pressed into the head face . Rover also built a VVT version that many of my customers would take to bits and then bring me all the bits in a box with the excuse that they did not have time to build it .

[@fredjones7307]

I have considered replacing the original engine in my lotus with the VVC but there seems to be a lot of confusing views about the subject.

[@joshausterlitz3798]

Wow, a Triton V10 in the UK, surprising. At least its a 2V and not a 3V. Wouldn't hurt to recommend the CalVan 38900 Inserts for all plugs as that will be a issue for them at some point.

[@benjaminbenson8714]

On the K series a reliable source told me that originally it had metal dowls but on the production line the factory kept damaging gaskets and head faces putting them together. So instead of tightening procedure, extra training and tolerances in assembly they went for plastic dowls with the extra give and soft face. Wonder why Rover folded?

[@towoombaresident8491]

Good to see a small business not only surviving Covid but actually thriving. Keep up the good work and vlogs.

[@simonnlaroche5438]

Never get tired of watching your great talents and engineering knowledge. Total wow!

[@amandagardner565]

25 years ago i was hired as a part time storeman for an Australian company that sold and serviced German laser cutting machines, punch machines and press brakes. within a month i was full time and on wages, i honestly don't know how they had managed having retired people or students doing the stores work, i also streamlined the parts handling, adjusting stock as the service guys removed parts before heading off to service machines. the sole spare parts saleman had to physically check stock before he could raise an invoice, for a business of it's size it was a disgrace. find yourself a jack of all trades storeman/office person/parts manager and get them trained up, you will be amazed at how much it will streamline the daily operations.

[@markdavies9765]

loved the rover k16. Had a vvc one in an elise. Cams, headwork and throttle bodies and it made 205bhp!! Revved to 8200rpm and sounded amazing too!

[@jameshazell1036]

I had so many problems with the Kseries engines, one theory was the coolant wasn’t suitable.

[@colinedward3147]

Looking forward to seeing that Alfa engine, great shop chaps 👍.

[@eddsummat2191]

The k series problems were long bolts and like u said bad dowels, also the cradle theat head bolts screwed into was bad and got modified/improved by rover, the big one was the inlet manifold bad a steam/air bleed for the colling system with a primative check valve, that rusted closed and caused the colling system to air lock the head that then warped it

[@chrischallis4240]

Getting someone reliable into look after the office stuff, seems like a great plan. Your skills will still be there for (office work) consultation. Your skills are far more effectively used on the shop floor.

[@mattsmith4053]

We've been mental busy ever since the first lockdown. Parts supply is the biggest issue, I regularly clear our 3 main suppliers out of parts for our common engines and there's only 2.5 of us doing the engine work. The back order delivery dates are a joke too.

[@johnwaby4321]

All.looking very good 👍👍👍👍

[@FolkinghamRob]

Look at their web site - cannot believe how reasonable they are, no wonder he’s busy!

[@darylcusack575]

Yeh you need a office Admin come dispatch/ delivery person to handle comm,s with the clients

[@corythomas4427]

On those triton heads, may as well time-sert all of the spark plug holes now, so it won't have to be done in the vehicle when one blows out. The kit and inserts aren't cheap, but it's a lot more economical than replacing the head.

[@g0fvt]

good advice, a friend’s one has blown out 3 plugs so far.

[@corythomas4427]

@@g0fvt That's one of those jobs that I say "I hate when I'm right" The "big-sert" kit I use is actually meant to repair a failed repair. Had that situation a few months ago. Repaired one that had blown out while the customer was driving, fixed it and verified vehicle ran well before replacing the rest of the spark plugs. Had a low quality repair insert come out with a spark plug on the opposite bank.

[@g0fvt]

@@corythomas4427 I think my mate's one was done with the heads on in each case.

[@corythomas4427]

@@g0fvt Usually they can be, the rear ones on trucks are kind of difficult, especially the V-10'S or front ones on E series vans. Just have to make sure the intake and exhaust valves are closed, don't want the reamer or tap taking out the corner of a valve. I pack the flutes of the tools with bearing grease, then before the insert gets installed long air nozzle with thin vacuum line down in the cylinder and a vacuum on top to get any swarf out of the cylinder. Clean the grease out of the threads, loctite the insert and install, expand the insert, and then I wait a minimum of an hour to allow the loctite to cure before putting the spark plug in.

[@aerotube7291]

That moisturiser is keeping age at bay! You look good! Put cover plugs on those cosworth turbos tho

[@brianholcomb6499]

I’m glad your doing so good 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻! I am familiar with those V10s! If it’s high mileage, over 120000 they really should consider a new set of rods! They are known to break 🙄🙄🙄🙄! My good friend has been a Ford A technician for almost 25 years! Also if it’s going to be performance, or raced, you really don’t want to use those elcheapo engine rebuild kits 🙄🙄🙄🙄! If it’s stock type rebuild, & it’s not going to be towing heavy,(over 10000lbs) & depending on where it’s coming from, they should be ok! As long as it’s not the cheapest eBay garbage 🗑! Again glad everything is going well, maybe 🤔 it will be time to get a good head & block machine(CNC)? It’s amazing that we can bore a V8 block these days in under 1/2 hour 😂😂😂😂👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻! I remember the old boring bar would take that long to do 1 cylinder in the same type block if you were sleeving it 😂😂😂😂! Have a great weekend!

[@madbbtk3682]

Your smash it you put the work in you deserve it pal

[@SuperStevegrant]

You have 20K subscribers on utube at the moment. In a year, you will probably have 100k. There will be a lot of work coming your way. Get more staff and get on the tools. I know where I will send my Cologne when it needs it. 👍

[@richrdlewis6278]

Rover K series bolts can be used 5 times before you just need to check length as per the factory manual.

[@michaelclarke3684]

Future looking good Lee, I know now why I a saw your Lambo on sticklepath hill this morning in the wet weather

[@DanSuneKronvold]

I am pleased to learn your business is doing well and thrives. And I think it is very, very clever of you to realise you need some additional help. Most importantly for your own peace of mind to keep your business alive as stress can destroy many aspects of life. I hope your investment pays off well on every level. Please forgive me my inadequate English but I do hope I make any sense. With kind regards

[@BerntDanielsson4535]

Any 205 blocks running an ohc head. 1.6 or 2.0is. Very popular in Scandinavia. Have been, quite a while. Boosted and naturally aspirated. The budget sceene?

[@bigbird2100]

Great video 👍I think you need a shop boy or old bloke sweep up and make the tea and learn the job and load up the engine stands etc.

[@nickproudlock1751]

Didn't mention my Landrover blocks :D Odds on the YB is the one from the mk1 Escort as it has World cup crossmember mounts bolted to it.

[@danielcgomez]

ah, looks like you got the rods for the American Cossie engine? Nice!

[@jamesnickless4909]

Well done mate. Keep it up 👍

[@peterhall6656]

The office management issue is important but you need to get the processes set up properly right from the beginning. You need to think about a time management system that captures the work on each engine and can produce the invoice so all the office person has to is email it to the customer etc, I'm not in your industry but I know of examples in other industries. I have a friend who has run a professional financial services business off a phone for 15 years. It is now incredibly efficient because the voice recognition has got so much better etc.

[@Jim_M_75]

Nice to see a small business prospering in the current climate, I know of a couple of more niche places related to tuning / performance who have gone under since the start of covid. Give yourself a pat on the back Lee.

[@philipcullen4300]

Good to see engineering work, glad you enjoy hands on. Can i ask why you don't have any type of engine testing stands?

[@kinze2010]

The biggest problem is no body is wanting to come in to doing engineering careers nowadays. maybe a apprenticeship scheme if there a local college that does engineering courses near you to help train someone plus they can start with the basic duty's like i did 20 years ago when i did mine making the teas and coffees in the local agricultural workshop.

[@thomasfrancis5747]

IIRC the plastic dowels were a factory cost saving. Could you get someone experienced/retired in on a part time basis - possibly ex military? They need technical knowledge to be able to talk to customers without going back and forth.

[@vinceevans3219]

It's a special casting developed by Vulcan and Janspeed for ptp I doubt you will find one now They are as rare as hens teeth now probably

[@johnrussell5245]

The best small workshop businesses I've come across are where an intelligent wife runs the office.

[@mk1cortinatony395]

Yep agree Rob walker (retired) springs to mind

[@thewholls7176]

Good job mate that bloody Cosworth Turbo looks nice makes me wonder what would happen if you shoved one in the back of a Fiat X1/9…….. which is a car that I used to drive myself but I don’t have the car any longer anyway all the best from Melbourne Australia

[@stephenhunter70]

Question, Do you have an Engine dyno? I'm thinking it'll help no end with testing completed engines before sending them out!

[@johnseeley6576]

Have just watched a video in your work shop…….. agggh useing a chain for engine lifting……… from bitter experience in what was my company,it can be a very expensive mistake, pupose made nylon straps or strop with correct design,and weight limits can save a lot of heartache,,,I bought mine from a company in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands,,,,,Foulks Road Industrial Estate…….. Good luck John Seeley

[@SkylarkCamperAdventures]

You need an office manager to manage leaving you to do the technical side. Don’t just have someone in the office to answer the phone otherwise you will still end up managing the work flow.

[@peterstokes8631]

Hi Lee I just want to echo others on here and say it is great to see you doing so well, looks to be well deserved, but do not let the quality slip with the extra work…. My own take on running/working in a small business is as follows. First you need to set out what your aim is, ie earn good money and enjoy what you do with the least hassle or build the company so it is of value to sell eventually. I had experience of both and keeping it small and enjoy it option was my most enjoyable and longer lived experience. My interest (as with you) was the technical side and as such my partner was much better suited to and enjoyed the admin and sales side. Even when he retired I passed the admin over to someone I trusted to do the job. So as per other comments, good idea to get someone to sort the admin, if you pick wisely they will likely do a much better job than you (which was so in my case!).

[@strangelove9608]

Excellent advice Peter, same thing here, grow the company or keep it small and enjoy what your doing whilst keeping standards above the rest, I decided less money but better quality of life and most importantly solid staff that stayed with me for over twenty years on a good wage.Still in touch with all my ex employees and we meet up regularly even though i'm retired .

[@shoominati23]

Those Ford V10s are a good alternative to a diesel actually. They have great torque, and don't cost 10 million to fix when they blow like diesels do

[@JDMCARSCIVIC]

Is that a milling machine or a specific machine for decking heads an blocks?

[@itsverygreen532]

Get someone in the office and get improve the jobcard system. It should always be possible in a good system for anyone to see what anthing is on the shelf, know whose it is and what has been done, what's happening next. When they book the stuff in, give them a job number to stick on the pallet.

[@rudey24-74]

I know were my engines going 😎👌

[@mikehudick7074]

Attended a seminar years ago about what it takes to run a successful business. The very first thing the lecturer said was, "You can't run a successful shop with a wrench in one hand and the phone in the other!!"

[@illreportbackinabit.8514]

He was wrong. It works perfect for me and my one man shop. The only boss I have is the customer and I can fire them if I want too.

[@drswaqqinscheckingin7210]

Well that lecturer was and is wrong, works perfectly fine for me and the folks I work with. Googling specs and tolerances in one hand while setting torque with the other, usually got the phone on speaker taking orders too. If you don't know it, google it.

[@anthonyrosa5006]

You need to be tied to partner installation garages and your warranties are tied to their installation. Its impossible to guarantee anything when you dont know what the owners do upon installation.

[@johnegan4056]

I've been a viewer for a few months now and was wondering if you did Rover K series Heads How would i go about getting a price for some work on it? (basically a test, skim and service) Thanks

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

How do steel liners work in alloy blocks with heat expansion differences, to keep sealed to the cylinder block? Just a good head gasket?

[@ToreDL87]

I could be way off but my theory is some alloys of different metals have similar enough heat expansion properties at a given shape and dimension that even if the interference fit is off by a thou at max extreme deviation between the two, it's still got another thou of interference to go on so it wont budge. Likewise for the reason why they don't crack if interference is too much, they're just that throughout, and/or scienced the molecular construction/metallurgic properties of the alloy to where it actually works.

[@seagullsbtn]

No half rebuilds. Only trust your work product. Trust nobody else’s ability.

[@chillierdavro]

Nice kitcar :) Do you work on hayabusa engines ?

[@williamholmes9129]

You got the H rods for the USA engine OK then?? 👍

[@stephenpage-murray7226]

You seem to spend a lot of time on buzz box engines. Do you occasionally get to work on anything decent?

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Bluddy k series. Yes, steel dowels

[@malcolmadams1051]

Larger premises?

[@cudwieser3952]

Ford tritons are bus engines iirc. Wonder does your fella have a nice motorhome/ car hauler

[@strangelove9608]

Go to the local school and ask for candidates who are in their last year of school, you will have to train them because they will be clueless beyond belief, but that is what I did in the past , trust me they will even need training to answer the phone, BUT, a kid with passion gets a job, you get to train them your way and ideals which will help them in the future. But trust me young kids now are so dumb when it comes to business it will be like raising your own baby, I did it and it was painfull but in the end quite satisfying. PS one kid took four months to answer the phone and six months to make a decent tea! He's now on fire and well worth the trouble, but only if you can afford the time?

[@bobawatsit]

the workshop actually looks tidier and cleaner ?? your business partner John, what does he do ? I have a feeling he was a $ lender and just takes a cut of the profits ??

[@kianward5999]

sounds a great idea get a bit of help in ye cant do everthing pal great content pal and great channel

[@andyhunt457]

Penny pinching I think gave the K series it's needless issues.

[@andyhunt457]

I think you should take on an apprentice.These skills you 3 have need passing on soonest....👍

[@markhardie7088]

Run away from the V-10!

[@tractorhead971]

My own experience with engine recon has been depressing, a head destroyed by their amateurish incompetence, various friends brutally ripped off (e.g. engine had been jetwashed and sprayed black, zero internal work done). You are busy because you aren’t a crook, at least I hope not as I might even bring you an engine one day, make you even busier 😄

[@aga5897]

It's all down to what makes you Happy really. Chasing money to the max or Quality of Life ? If you prefer/are better at Engines, pay someone else to do the accounts, even to Run your business. When us blokes push our testicular Pride out of the way, many Options become available. Good money, enjoy work, enjoy life, help others to be happy = Success. Miserable selfish zillionaire = sad failure.

[@jamsstar2010]

I'm really flat with customers just feed me biscuits and throw roll ups at me .......

[@richardhartley7094]

👍👍

[@elliemarshall183]

Keeee Surry hehe

[@stuwillis7710]

You can’t say get a girl in. It’s get somebody in or get a person in Come on Lee welcome to the 21st century………..I know does my head in too I completely agree with you pal and now I disgusted with myself for bringing it up What a world we live in So much easier in the 70’s and 80’s

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Bob Dove? Minis?

[@ChrisHolmes1953]

Alfas

[@EppingForest304]

Fewer engine workshops nowadays, engine building is slowly becoming a dying craft 😔

[@jizwinkle9822]

Hire a accounts person. They will do a better job and answer the phone.

[@kevinhoffman8214]

those v 10's are not popular in the usa or anywhere =6 mpg average !

[@jamestree9469]

business booming

[@jamesophel6343]

The reality of running a small business is biting at you. Sorry old boy but that's what happens. Get a part time paper pusher to do the worst of it and just designate a day fof that, quotes etc. Then spend the ret of the time doing the interesting bits. Hardest part will be finding the right paper shuffler who can be trusted and also knows just enough to pick mistakes on job slips before the bills get sent. The competition will have al the good ones tied up.

[@keanMechanic]

Lamborghini ?

[@neilsessions9744]

things have got to change ,its getting far too click baity

[@joeedwards9721]

I run a workshop and do the phone etc also, let's be brutally honest, who rings a workshop and wants to speak to a woman?

[@ColinWatters]

If you have too much work hire someone.

[@stephenwilliams6103]

Lee, don't get a pretty girl in the office🤔, cos you'll get nothing done in the workshop😎😍, & the wife will get jealous 😏😎😎🇬🇧

[@chrisbarrett5132]

Oh no! people will jump on you for "get a girl in here". Just a slip of the tongue on a live recording.