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mudhut
May 14th, 2005, 02:05 AM
Finally got head off. Pleased to say that the problem does not appear due to my having previously altered and then restored the carb fuel levels.

Here's the list.

Head gasket blown: between No. 1 and No. 2 (25mm chunk missing), between No. 2 and No. 3 (failed but not blown to pieces), between No. 3 and No. 4 (just showing signs of starting to fail).

Scoring in No. 2 bore (presumably the metal bits of gasket passed this way)

Water damage in bores: No1. 1 minor marks, No 2 similar, No 3 more extensiveand deeper of rusting - can be felt, No. 4 extensive but old water damage.

Head plug thread on No. 3 playing up again. Needs Timsert.

On the other hand, pistons are fine (have the flat topped variety with small recesses for valve edges). Not sure if these can be made to get to 10.5:1 CR as claimed by Oselli - anybody know?)

Head and piston surfaces very different across the engine - 1 is almost completely clean (understand water can do this - yes?), 2 is quite fouled, hard and dry, 3 and 4 look are soft and oily but the oil would have arrived during head removal anyway.

GC reckons I need to have block skimmed as well as head so apart from anything else, it's complete stripdown time. The head I could get away with cheaply but the water damage I really do not know how to deal with apart from rebore. This may put the whole job over £1000 with new pistons/rings/head bolts/good gasket and the head work if it is stripped and converted to unleaded/internal thermostat etc. etc. Quite apart from that the exact spec. of the head is unknown, esp the valve springs.

OTOH there may be a couple of whole engines on the horizon. I'd really like to get a complete one. Won't guarantee not to break it - after all the last one died shortly after doing what it was meant for...

IMO this engine has not been in the best state for some time and not really driven very hard at all. I didn't thrash it but it should have been able to more or less keep up with my boy's VX220. Perhaps all this and the very dodgy fuelling partly explains it,

Any observations anybody? I want my toy back.

chris.richard
May 14th, 2005, 02:32 AM
Any observations anybody?

BOLLOX! :(

mudhut
May 14th, 2005, 03:29 AM
BOLLOX! :(

I got to that observation before you. ;)

Any progress on the brakes? Had a thought on this matter but won't confuse the threads here. Will get back to you on it when I've finished sorting out the leak in my 100 year old lead plumbing.

Swamprat33
May 15th, 2005, 02:33 AM
Really sorry to hear the bad news Peter.
To be honest, i would think that £1000 is well on the way to a Alfa V6 conversion.

Hope to see youat abingdon still.

Cheers
Tim

mudhut
May 15th, 2005, 02:58 AM
Yes Tim - I'm inclined to agree. Won't be in the Stratos at Abingdon if I go that route though.

Want to get on the road asap so will likely get a drop-in replacement to tide me over for a year or two while I look around at the conversion options and possibly move house. There are so many good/new bits on the car (that you'd really struggle to find new now) that I'd prefer to convert rather than build from scratch.

mudhut
May 15th, 2005, 04:05 AM
I would like to make it clear that my comments in this thread and elsewhere on this forum are in no way intended to be critical of the previous owner's care and use of the car while in his ownership.

shaun
May 15th, 2005, 12:24 PM
The previous owner of my part built kit had a carb 2L engine and box, he is not that far from you(I think). The head was off and no. 4 spark plug needs a helicoil type repair other than that I could not tell you much more about. If you are interested I could try and find out his email address or do a search for a part started HF2000 for sale around Dec 04.

For beta engines try these forums:

http://www.betaboyz.co.uk/

http://www.lancisti.org/index.php?page=2&sid=c0d4735798c3322838a6b9c48f2bcae4

I was surprised at how well the 2L s kept up on the monte run but they do seem to have a limited life span. I'm sure an old beta will come up on ebay in the next few weeks, I'd be more than interested to get the engine less car and V5!

mudhut
May 15th, 2005, 03:36 PM
Thanks Shaun

I found the ad. you mentioned. Will contact the previous owner of your car. If the engine has been opened and head off, it may be as much work as mine but it will do no harm to find out. Don't know the location though.

I'm keeping an eye out on various web sites for likely donors. If I find a whole car then I'll let you know.

Many thanks

STR470S
May 16th, 2005, 01:04 AM
Peter,

Might be worth giving Peter Harding a call at 'Peter Harding Classic Restorestions' on 01256 766880 as I know he has got a Strat replica there at the moment. He is replacing the Volumex engine, not sure what state the engine was in or what he is replacing it with, but worth a chat as he specialises in Lancias, so may be able to get his hands on a twin-cam for you.

Cheers,
Chris

mudhut
May 16th, 2005, 09:26 AM
Thanks Chris - I will make contact.

chris.richard
May 16th, 2005, 12:14 PM
Any use? And it's in a Strat already!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=72205&item=7974741445&rd=1

Swamprat33
May 16th, 2005, 01:56 PM
This was the mysterious car that was sold on ebay a few months back.
I contacted the owner through ebay, but got no reply.
It seems, he is not happy with a 2.0 4 pot and is replacing it with a Ferrari 308 lump. That should be interesting to see.

I will try to make contact again as he has made his phone number available.

Cheers
Tim

Martin K
May 16th, 2005, 02:14 PM
If it is the same engine/car then it has not been looked after too well!

Look at the pics of the car as it was sold:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29750&item=4525218437

Mind you - I don't think I'd be very happy with only 160 BHP in my Strat!

chris.richard
May 16th, 2005, 02:22 PM
Odd, isn't it? There are too many similarities in detail for it to be a different car, unless two cars built by the same person. But it is the same guy selling that bought the first one. But why strip all the good bits off and replace with tatty ones?

mudhut
May 16th, 2005, 02:36 PM
This is quite interesting. The seller "olympicbluecossie" is the same person who bought the Stratos in Hayling Island in February, see here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29750&item=4525218437 that I went to see and bid for.

However the engine seems to have had the coil and leads changed along with the air filter.

Hayling Island would have been more convenient for me. Will keep an eye on it. Thanks for the heads up.

mudhut
May 16th, 2005, 02:42 PM
Would be quite happy for any bhp right now Martin ;)

CorseChris
May 17th, 2005, 01:27 AM
I've only got 119 at the moment :( Still, there are 200 waiting in the back of the garage.

catswhiskers
May 17th, 2005, 03:16 AM
Chris, that sounds like a summer project to be getting on with now you've got the SVA behind you. What are you waiting for???

Mick :rolleyes:

CorseChris
May 17th, 2005, 03:36 AM
I need to run the car with the TC for a while to convince myself it was worthwhile fitting it in the first place....plus I can't be spending any more on it at the moment....plus I need to spend some time on the Westy and the Alfa...plus I want to drive it some before turning it back into a kit of parts :)

...no. I'm not convinced either.....

BAS
May 17th, 2005, 11:26 AM
Mudhut

I have sent you a PM give my a call

Sando
May 17th, 2005, 12:03 PM
Mind you - I don't think I'd be very happy with only 160 BHP in my Strat!

I know what you mean! :rolleyes:

Still, we kept those V6 boys honest in France.....I'm sure you meant the v6 boys kept up well with me and the Hassleblad's and that bloke who kept following us in an Astra Shaun? :D :D ......well they let us go in front when we had some blind twisty bits to do ...and they wanted pace notes called over the radio.....but we did make Nico boil his V6 following us up Turini! Now that was fun...

One day....... ;)
Rob :cool: