Thanks for the offer As you say, postage would be uneconomic and there must be loads of these things lying around - it's just a case of finding one! I might hold off for the moment and try Mini Sport for a stage 1 needle as Tim suggests but if one does surface Ill' grab it anyway.

My engine started first time today - miracles will never cease It's running much, much cleaner than it did originally but the plugs are still oily. Tickover is a steady but roughish 1000 rpm but it is much happier at 1500 rpm and runs really well then. I suppose the oil's affecting the spark at lower revs. Compressions are all exactly the same at 210 lbs. The exhaust isn't smoking now and I wonder if it's just really needing bedding in on the road, which is something I can't do. Is it normal to get oily plugs before bedding in? Oh well, I'll carry on and connect up the gear linkage, drive shafts etc and see how the gearbox does - if it's faulty there will be a serious case for dumping the lot

If You think it is a running in problem, I would suggest not running it without load too much. Wait untill You can load it on the road. As I was told 1 hour reving without load is equal to 1 minute uphill sprinting.

But reving without load can take the the shapr edge of te honing, thus make beding in more difficult - at least I was told.

Raymond,
If you have a dyno not too far away and the ability to get the car there it may be worth taking it there to get some miles on it. Most of them can simulate road conditions rather than full load runs. £60-£80 an hr around here. Yes I know more £s

"Thanks for the offer As you say, postage would be uneconomic and there must be loads of these things lying around - it's just a case of finding one!"

Ok. But if You fail to find one, You have one reserved in my loft .

I have decided to take my sleeved engine bact to the reconditioners to press the linings out and put in new linings. this time with the factory requested gap&some better honing.
We will also recheck every tolerances in the bottom end, just for sure.

I know what you mean Tim. I'll have to see what I can do when I get the car back on its wheels - I don't have a trailer or anything to tow it with for a start (wonder if I could get away with scrounging some trade plates.... ) There is a 2 wheel dyno not too far away or, at least, there used to be so I'll have to check that out as well. All grist to the mill

Remember you can legally drive on the road with no TAX/MOT (You DO need insurance) to an MOT station for a booked test.
It doesn't have to be the closest to your home, but within a reasonable distance.

There is no need to pass the MOT when you get there

Cheers Ken! I think that 40 miles is reasonably close

I managed to get an air box on ebay for 99p so it's worth a go The seller also included the bolts and plate so all I need now is the elbow and have placed an ad in the Wanted forum.

After a 2 week break when I didn't get anything done on my car I managed to get some time at it this weekend. I replaced the clutch and brake pipes that had been removed when the engine was taken out and bled the systems (I [u]hate[/u] bleeding brakes) and connected up the gear linkage which I managed to turn through 180 degrees so it was upside down when I went to fit the gear lever A few other jobs around the engine were attended to and it was time to turn the key again. I got a real shock when the engine burst into life at the first touch It ran quite well with no visible smoke althought it still wasn't too happy at lower revs. I managed to get it running lumpily at 1000 rpm and loosened off the distributor bolt. Turning the dizzy from side to side to find the best running point got me almost another 500 revs and I can guarantee that the timing was spot on with the timing light - maybe I'll just ignore the timing marks meantime. Anyway, it was time to try the gearbox, which was something that has been worrying me more than a little. I was chuffed to bits to find that I had the requisite number of gears and that they engaged smoothly I left it running in gear for a bit to let the rebuilt diff settle in and clocked up 4 miles without leaving the garage Two of the plugs are still a little bit oily but I suppose it just needs proper running in now. I also noticed that the clutch slave cylinder mounting plate on the bell housing (Verto clutch) flexes like crazy when the pedal is pressed - this is presumably one of the earlier uses of this clutch and I wonder if anybody can say whether or not later plates are stronger? Also, I left off the anti-running on valve because it was neater without it and I can confirm that it very definitely needs it

Next step is to finish the engine bay and then try and sort something out for the handbrake which has to have a compensator built in. Then it will be back on its wheels to let the suspension settle while I do the dash and interior. There seems to be a little light at the end of the tunnel at last

Hi,

I have had the liners pressed out of my engine, resleeved i with tight (0.03mms) piston-bore gap. And, taram!!!!! It is now smoking differently )))!!!

Next step: new pistons (different brand).

Smoking differently?????

Cigars instead of cigarettes

Actualy cigarette instead of pipe-smoke.

Differences: from the very first startup, the plugs kept clean. The engine-smoke was about 1/2 at first, but it was still there, not only exhaust burning out.
After 500km, the end of the exhaust started to clear up, and the smoke is invisible on idle, no bad smell at all. But if You rev it, or accelerate harder, it still puffs out some.
But no measureable amount of oil lost at the dipstick.

Soo still not realy "normal", but at least I may hope that it will get perfect after another 500 or 1000kms.

It sounds a bit like mine, although mine hasn't ben on the road yet. My two centre plugs are the ones that are still a little oily but there's no visible smoke. Fingers crossed.......