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As the UK’s leading independent engine remanufacturer, Ivor Searle has long recognised the importance of providing customers with the highest standards of quality, reliability, and service.  Here, we examine how adherence to exacting industry standards is fundamental to meeting these important objectives.

Ivor Searle applies two specific industry standards to its operations: BS AU257:2002, the Code of Practice for engine remanufacturing and the ISO 9001:2008 certified quality management system.
 
Put simply, an engine can only be described as ‘Remanufactured’ if it complies with the British Standard Automobile Series Code of Practice BS AU257:2002.  This standard, in which Ivor Searle has been involved in developing from the outset, dictates the mandatory operations and procedures that need to take place in the remanufacturing process. It provides a clear distinction between engines that are professionally remanufactured and those that are inferior reconditioned products.  BS AU257:2002 fully details the procedures and operations for the remanufacturing of both spark (petrol) and compression ignition (diesel) engines:
 
Camshaft

• Camshafts are either replaced with a new unit or reprofiled to their original valve timing and lift specifications

Cylinder Head

• Every cylinder head is inspected for cracks
• Engines with OHC configurations have the camshaft bores measured for size, ovality, taper and alignment and are either restored to OEM specification or scrapped
• Valve guides are measured for wear and either resized or renewed to conform to original tolerances
• Valve seats are machined to retain the correct seat angles, widths, valve heights and valve seating concentric with the centre line of the valve guide bore
• Valves are examined for damage, head thickness and stem wear and replaced or machined as necessary
• All valve springs are tested for squareness, free height and compressed load length
• Cylinder heads are checked for distortion and thickness
• When machining the cylinder head face, attention is paid to maintaining the surface finish specified by the gasket manufacturer.

Crankshaft

• After grinding, all crankshafts are polished to produce the exact dimensions and surface finish required.
• Diesel crankshafts are electro-magnetically crack tested
• Seal diameters and nose ends are also measured and, if necessary, reclaimed.
• Blended radii, thrust wear and alignment are also checked
• Oil galleries are de-burred and thoroughly cleaned

 
Cylinder Block

• When refacing the cylinder block, attention is paid to the surface finish and deck height
• Each cylinder block is rebored or resleeved and honed to give the precise surface finish and cross-hatch required
• All main housings are measured for size, ovality, taper and alignment and machined as required

 
Con-Rods

• Big end housings are measured for size and ovality and are re-sized as necessary
• Small end bushes are measured and replaced if found to be outside OEM specification
• All con-rods are checked for alignment and are weight graded into engine sets

 
Oil Pump

• The clearance between the pump’s body and rotor are measured
• The oil pressure relief valve is dismantled and cleaned and all non-conforming parts are replaced

 
New Components

• All remanufactured engines are equipped with new pistons, piston pins, piston rings, mains and con-rod bearings, timing chain or belt gaskets, oil seals, core plugs and oil filter
• These new components are carefully selected for their durability and reliability and are sourced from the same producers that supply the vehicle manufacturers
• All diesel pumps and injectors are remanufactured to perform to OEM specifications by a diesel injection specialist

 
Testing

• Every engine is tested in a purpose-built test cell and subjected to a series of checks, the results of which are recorded against each engine’s specific serial number

 
Ivor Searle takes the high standard demanded by BSI AU 257:2002 detailed above a step further by combining it with a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2008 which is externally assessed on a continuing basis.  ISO 9001:2008 is based around eight principles of quality that provide a framework to ensure a philosophy of continuous improvement is maintained:
 

• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Involvement of people
• Process approach
• System approach to management
• Continual improvement
• Factual approach to decision making
• Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

 
David Eszenyi, Ivor Searle’s Commercial Director, comments: “We recognize the importance of providing our customers with the highest standards of quality, reliability and service and are focused on consistently exceeding their expectations.  By structuring our engine remanufacturing operations around the requirements set down by BS AU257:2002 alongside the ISO 9001:2008 quality management system, we are able to take a systematic approach to achieving these objectives which reflect our determination to lead our customer-focused business through quality and excellence.”
 

Filed under: BS AU257:2002, reman cylinder heads, reman engines, remanufactured engines, remanufactured turbos