So I got to a position with the pinto engines that I need bits to carry on overhauling or building up the ones I have in bits at present, mainly missing pistons where they have come with dud ones.
So I decide to swap my attention to the Locost to tackle the two main reasons I have not completed many miles in it including both of the tours I have been involved with this year, that being the harsh suspension since the rebuild and the less than perfect engine that still has low compression on two cylinders and misbehaved itself in the nightmare Q for the BHP show and subsequent trip home.
Head gasket checks and other investigation proved no reason for it rougher than usual load less rough running between 1500 and 2500 rpm.
So I decided to get hold of a identical engine via Facebook market place ideally that I could hear or get running to check oil and compression pressures before giving it a clean and brush up, gasket renewals and swap over the rear wheel drive kit car stuff but not mess with the head at all.
So once I got an engine from a bloke who breaks, races ST and a loan of a basic ECU from Matt, my old bike carbs, plastic inlet manifold and super long silicon hoses to get the carbs to fit, oil pressure gauge from the Leader, some petrol, battery and daughter to man the I phone I had the engine splutter and run a few times on the floor to give me the thumbs up ( on my u tube channel ).
So pinto /St170 engines were swapped over on the stand and bits stripped off with videos and pics to remind me how this new modern stuff bolts together, block cleaned and painted and front wheel drive sump removed, full gasket set, water pump and cam belt kit waiting.
So last week/ weekend I set about positioning the car where I wanted it in the garage after draining the radiator outside.
Off with the nose cone, radiator, exhaust, the remainder of the water system, inlet side including throttle cables complete, alternator to allow the engine only to clear where as the pinto was that bit longer I had to do gearbox as well.
Sump guard off that is pretty badly bashed up given the miles it has done.
Onto the following evening when I manage to get the engine out without hassle, onto the floor and remove the clutch and flywheel with a fight, oil filter, oil pressure sensor, back up in the air to get the sump, oil pick up and the baffle off, had to swap over the mounting bolts for the baffle from one engine to the other as they are special main cap bolts.
Next evening clean up the sump, oil pick up and baffle in the washbox and a spray down with brake cleaner, box up the ex Locost engine with rwd sump to keep it air tight as may well live again.
Fit the clean bits to the newly painted engine to make that air tight as well.
Spin it back right way up in the stand and try to crack the crankshaft bolt to allow the cam belt to be changed, o dear bit tight and my locking methods prove a failure, so round to mates house tonight to get his home made locking tool that worked a treat and had pulley and plastic cover off in a few mins.
No idea where that pic came from