Finally more progress has been made. I've been rather busy doing other things lately and the engine block has been sitting rather forlornly in the corner of the garage, waiting for me to pay it some attention!
The slight pause in proceedings did allow me to purchase a few outstanding parts, namely a complete set of duplex timing gear parts which are probably the only non-replaced parts on the engine by now (!). Oh, and a clutch pivot bolt and bush.
Anyway, today Steve came round and we set about re-assembling the engine. First off we cleaned the crank shaft: smoothed out the surfaces that sit in the bearingshells and blew air through all the oilways. This was fitted to the block with new shells and plenty of oil.
Next up were the new pistons with new rings - Steve showed me how to inspect the pistons for burrs and imperfections and also how to fit the rings: 5 per piston. Once the new shell was fitted into the end of the con-rod, with use of my new ring compressor, one by one the pistons were slid home into the cylinder block.
After a brief head-scratching session where we couldn't work out why the new timing gear wouldn't fit, we took it all back off again and fitted the front engine plate (ahem!) before lining the spots back up in the timing wheels and fitting them in place.
Finally, Cat and I re-fitted the oil pump and and sump so that the very bottom of the engine is now sealed and attention can be turned to the top. Hopefully we can spend the next few evenings refitting the studs, head, rocker assembly and all the other small parts that are currently occupying a cardboard box on te garage floor.
It's nice to be making progress again. Photos will follow soon, perhaps once we've cleaned the sump and re-sprayed it in GoldSeal Gold.
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