jiggawhat2k Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 Hi all, wonder if anyone can help. I've bought a running engine that was pulled out of a spitfire that was crashed (rear end crash). I'm struggling to identify what it came out of, the seller said it is a 1300 from a spitfire but it may not have been the original engine from that car. Mk3, mk4? Is there anymore information that can be gleaned from the pics?? Planning on cleaning it up and fit to my Herald 13 60 in a couple of weeks. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 The flat panel on the engine block to the left of the distributor in this cropped photo, (to the right when the engine is fitted) and above the red bit, is the engine number. I can see the first digit which is F. FC, FD, FE, FH,FK and FM are all Spitfire engines. A 1300 Mk3 engine will be FD, FE, whilst the later engines will be FH or FK. FM is 1500. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted February 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 Ah got you, was looking at the wrong numbers then! Thanks for the help, will check again. Cheers Colin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 yes you were looking at casting numbers and its a common mistake. They appear on the different large cast components of our cars but the hand stamped unique numbers found on engine, gearbox, differential etc are the ones needed to really identify exactly what youve got. However note that even then over 50+ years the internals of those components may have been fiddled with so not correspond with the original spec🤔 For example your engine should have been built orginally with a certain cylinder head which can be verified now by its casting number. However, even if the engine still has the original type head, it may have been modified by a previous owner so working out what youve got can be a bit of a minefield! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 and when you find the number here is a list of model prefix https://www.canleyclassics.com/technical-archive/engine-number-identification-chart Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 58 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: and when you find the number here is a list of model prefix https://www.canleyclassics.com/technical-archive/engine-number-identification-chart Pete Great thanks Pete, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 59 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: and when you find the number here is a list of model prefix https://www.canleyclassics.com/technical-archive/engine-number-identification-chart Pete 1 hour ago, johny said: yes you were looking at casting numbers and its a common mistake. They appear on the different large cast components of our cars but the hand stamped unique numbers found on engine, gearbox, differential etc are the ones needed to really identify exactly what youve got. However note that even then over 50+ years the internals of those components may have been fiddled with so not correspond with the original spec🤔 For example your engine should have been built orginally with a certain cylinder head which can be verified now by its casting number. However, even if the engine still has the original type head, it may have been modified by a previous owner so working out what youve got can be a bit of a minefield! Hmm good point. The gearbox and diff are original Herald ones, going to see how they hold up. Th seller did mention the head was different so I should check that. Is there a preferable head for the 1300 out O the various options? Thanks for the help Johny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 1 hour ago, jiggawhat2k said: Is there a preferable head for the 1300 out O the various options? Some good data on head comparison here: http://auskellian.com/paul/links_files/performance_enhancements.htm#Port_and_Polish_and_Flow_the_Head Cheers, Sam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 Dizzy implies Mk3 or Mk4 Spitfire. breather pipe on rockers says Mk4. So engine number should be FH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 10 hours ago, yorkshire_spam said: Some good data on head comparison here: http://auskellian.com/paul/links_files/performance_enhancements.htm#Port_and_Polish_and_Flow_the_Head Cheers, Sam Great thanks, useful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 8 hours ago, thescrapman said: Dizzy implies Mk3 or Mk4 Spitfire. breather pipe on rockers says Mk4. So engine number should be FH Cheers will confirm!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 On 01/03/2020 at 13:35, thescrapman said: Dizzy implies Mk3 or Mk4 Spitfire. breather pipe on rockers says Mk4. So engine number should be FH Cheers will confirm!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 For those interested (not particularly interesting I know...) Bottom end has an FH marking so a mk4, the head is 218142 so a big valve head with 9:1 compression. Not the small valve everyone talks about but good enough for me to throw into the Herald! Goes in tomorrow then I'll potentially have a driving car... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted March 21, 2020 Report Share Posted March 21, 2020 I ran an unknown FH 1300 engine in my Herald for 5 years,i had twin SU`s and an overdrive gearbox and 3:63 diff. Was a great combo,i even completed the CT Round Britain run in it. Now swapped for a 1500. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2020 9 hours ago, Steve P said: I ran an unknown FH 1300 engine in my Herald for 5 years,i had twin SU`s and an overdrive gearbox and 3:63 diff. Was a great combo,i even completed the CT Round Britain run in it. Now swapped for a 1500. Steve Ah nice to know if worked!! I've also added twin SUs. We got the old engine out and the new one in today, needs timing and exhaust sorting but apart from that it was a success! My ebay engine hoist turned out to be excellent (apart from the 2 hours to put it together...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted March 22, 2020 Report Share Posted March 22, 2020 The hoist makes things so much easier. Where did you get the alloy rad from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted March 22, 2020 Report Share Posted March 22, 2020 8 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: The hoist makes things so much easier. Where did you get the alloy rad from? That Rad is one of the Chinese E bay specials,i have one on my Herald as well,mine has the angled plate by the filler too. i paid about £100 i think but i have seen them cheaper. I still haven`t worked out why mine doesn`t ever let hot water to the expansion bottle. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted March 22, 2020 Report Share Posted March 22, 2020 Every time I tell myself that I don't need one, I see one and want one. Tell me I don't need one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggawhat2k Posted March 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2020 Steve is right, ebay. Not actually noticed the filler bottle thing, not done enough miles. Will keep and eye out. It seems to do the job fine, and looks shiny enough and the twin fans do excellent cooling, and look nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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