cliff.b

I can agree with that lol

Hmm, maybe, although I would have thought a film of oil would remain on the bearing surfaces to stop that being an issue. Or am I deluding myself? I suppose someone who has dismantled a bottom end would know, if they noticed.

Doesn't turning over for 10 seconds without choke before starting achieve the same thing 🤔

I only fitted it to the "wrong" side at the hinge end which gave a bit more clearance but still had to move the air intake pipes a bit. Apart from that they work well.

I have got waxstat jets, but, without any wax in them. Replaced with pennies lol

Indeed. I set mine last summer when temp was about 30C and later in the Autumn when it was about 10C I checked again and it was running very weak.

Adjusting the cones did the trick on my Spitfire.

Might be interesting to see if it has had any effect on your mixture. In theory it could make it run weaker if the air is denser. If so, and you richened it again then maybe that could have a noticeable effect🤔 Or maybe not lol

I recently fitted the ones that are fitted by the hinge box. They work well, are simple to fit and I found just one strut will hold the bonnet open. I did find though that the drivers side strut fouled the air inlet pipes which I got over by attaching that strut on the opposite side of the bracket and re-routing the pipes behind the radiator stay. I also found out my bonnet hinge on the passenger side wasn't bolted down as tight as it should have been. When the bonnet is closed the strut is under constant tension and in my case, moved the bonnet rearwards on that side, fouling the door.

That was my assumption when looking at mine.

My engine starts DM and ends ESS which I believe was a factory supplied 1500 replacement engine at some point.

My 1500 has the water pump with the smaller pulley and when I bought it, also had an older, heavier, 4 blade metal fan. I had the same problem with belt squealing when revving engine but got around it by fitting a lighter 7 blade plastic one. Less inertia, I presume.

I suspect you are right about that lol Hopefully the suspension and brakes may have been tweaked a little as well.

What size fan belt is fitted?

Yes, likewise. And also, for the benefit of anyone else fitting them, the heads are 14mm AF, not 9/16". Don't ask me how I found that out lol.

Thanks Pete. I was wondering if that was the case but no experience to fall back on. Hopefully the new flanged nuts will stop it happening again 🤞

About 40 mike's now & all seems well. Here is a pic of the old gasket. One water gallery hole is misshapen towards the fire ring on the affected cylinder so presume that's where it failed. Is the blackening around the fire rings usual or does that indicate some leakage?

A slightly modified Commer pick up

VID_20230528_113209.mp4 As my head gasket seems to be ok I decided to attend the regular monthly classic car meet this morning. A lot of cars there with a great variety of types and ages.

Exhaust re-connected and run up to temperature ok. Then out for a gentle test drive. About 5 miles and no problems so far 🤞

It is only a cheap one. Will have a look at it some time and see if anything can be done. But need to get my exhaust fitted first and then might be able to make a car meet on Sunday morning 👍

Thinking I probably wiped any oil that was on the bores off when I was cleaning stuff. Squirted little through each plughole and now getting in the region of 175psi. Decided to try starting it although exhaust not connected yet. VID_20230526_171827.mp4

Yes, I have sat down and had a think and realise the gauge should hold whatever pressure is achieved, so my fears of compression leakage are probably a fault with the gauge. Regarding the lower reading, I first thought that if the gauge has developed a fault then that might explain the lower reading. Last time I did a test it was done warm and all 4 cylinders gave a reading of almost exactly 150. Now, after fitting the new gasket and tested cold they gave readings between about 135 and 145. My main concern though was the pressure falling away which I now presume I can ignore?

Hmm, I have a nasty feeling I must have screwed things up in some way. Everything back together but decided to do a compression test before trying to start up and not only are the figures low, the pressure fades away slowly after I stop cranking. Just wondering if there is any possibility that this is because I am doing it when cold, but suspect I am grasping at straws 😒 Every cylinder is about the same.

Thanks for that. Sounds sensible.