22-05-2023, 09:11 PM
I recently bought a rolling chassis with a fresh looking engine built up with a 9E1 head, bunch of bananas exhaust and lightened flywheel. I had great hopes that it would be the perfect basis for building up a second Speedex Silverstone. The first surprise (and warning sign) was finding no thrust bearing in the gearbox when I separated it... next, although the engine turned over, it locked up until I removed the petrol pump... then the starting handle had a jury rigged spring that somehow held the shaft against the starter dog and today I thought it prudent to check the tappet clearances before attempting to start it. 6 of 8 were somewhere near where you might expect them, but the last two appear to have been set using a spanner in place of the feeler gauge... although the lock nuts were tight, I don't think the valves lifted in the slightest... I suspect the old boy who built it up had also used the rule of 9, but forgot himself and set the clearances on the valves that were up not down!
Still... it is the problem solving that makes this hobby of ours interesting.
I went for 6 thou and 7 thou... certainly better than the 243 thou I started with.
Still... it is the problem solving that makes this hobby of ours interesting.
I went for 6 thou and 7 thou... certainly better than the 243 thou I started with.