'Easy' engine to rebuild?

I guess the other obvious one is the small Triumph engine as fitted in the Spitfire, Herald, Dolomite etc. Dead simple, parts are cheap and plentiful (as long as you don't pick an 803 or 948cc version) and they're light enough to cart any of the bits across the workshop on your own. If you want one to strip I have one or two in use as doorstops which you are welcome to take away...... Cheers, Bill.

-- Rarebits4classics .......just what you've been looking for

PO Box 1232 Calne Wiltshire SN11 8WA United Kingdom

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Reply to
William Davies
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Hi, The money I had prepared to buy a P6 has been earmarked by 'er indoors for more important things :o( And I was thinking that a P6 might be a bit technically challenging for someone whose mechanical knowledge is limited (I know how cars work but I wouldn't know a big end or a thrust bearing if it jumped up and bit me) So I thought about a project to learn about these things. What is a reasonably easy engine and 'box to learn on? I thought maybe an A-series? Lots around and parts widely available but are there known problems that I might find difficult to solve? Any other candidates?

TIA, Del

-- STOP PRESS - Microsoft buys Electrolux and finally manage to produce something that doesn't suck... To email me, you must remove YOURCLOTHES

Reply to
Del The Obscure

The message from Del The Obscure contains these words:

It might be an acquired taste but I have found that a Series Landrover (or at least the 2A) is remarkably easy to work on. And, I would have thought, should be relatively cheap to buy. They are not particularly rare either.

Roger

Reply to
Roger Chapman

To a large extent I agree with what you say about the A series. I know I cut my teeth on them in minis and there are lots about. Another but not obvious choice in the VW air cooled. Andy

Reply to
Andrew Wheeldon

Subverting the thread a bit, what's a real bitch of an engine to rebuild?

Stag?

Jag V12?

Other?

Reply to
The Blue Max

Surprising as it might seem, an Imp engine might be a good candidate. As you are learning rather than desperately trying to get your new toy on the road, you will find the Imp engine light enough to move around, it will teach you about aluminium corroded to steel when you are trying to get things apart, and the importance of a torque wrench when putting things back together. If you appreciate engineering design, there is nothing irritating about this engine either.

I wouldn't recommend the Imp transaxle as an easy gearbox though. There I would go for an A series (out of an A40 not a mini!) or a Spitfire one.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

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Any of the older Ford engines. Up to about 1990. Fiesta, Escort, Sierra, etc. In fact most 4 cyl carburettor engines, up to about 2Ltr's are pretty basic. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

Wouldn't an Imp engine be rather expensive and difficult to find? Of course, that would mean a properly rebuilt one would have a decent value - assuming you don't wreck it while rebuilding...

The other engine that is easily obtained and sold on afterwards would be the Rover V-8 - easy enough for two to lift and one to move around.

But for a first engine I'd choose an A Series - make it an A Plus 1275 from an Ital - again easy to sell on afterwards.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

The worst top end I ever did was a Fiat 128, partly due to aluminium/steel corrosion and partly due to inexperience. Up until then I'd only done Viva engines which were an absolute doddle and therefore a recommendation for 'Easy'. If there are any left, that is.

I'll second the Triumph gearbox as being a nice one to work on. Don't buy any new-old-stock parts for it off Ebay though, recent bids have been quite staggering:

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quid for a layshaft, 4 synchro rings, a couple of bearings and some gaskets!

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

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66 quid for a layshaft, 4 synchro rings, a couple of bearings and some> gaskets!

I was bidding on some of that stuff early - very early on and backed out when it got silly - all this stuff is available 'off the shelf' but beware there are some crap synchro rings out there - they just don't work! Got to somewhere that actually rebuild the boxes properly if you want parts. Canley Classics will sell you stuff that works. As a well known Triumph Gurus often says, there's far to much "con" and not enough "re" in most recon boxes - I'd say buy on recommendation not on price for this stuff. There ain't much worse than putting a box together only to find it's useless because the new components you've bought are no good.

Reply to
J

Rover KV6 --- anything goes wrong junk it

Reply to
bonzo

I've never had problems working on Imp transaxles but I would not recommend the Imp engine as a beginners engine the likelyhood of getting a good seal between the head to the block on a standard engine is just too small.

Reply to
bonzo

A series isn't bad BUT the 1275 versions can give you headaches due head gasket problems caused by the core plug in the head face between cylinders 2&3.

B series is no bother but very heavy.

Rootes Minx/Hunter/Rapier 1390/1490/1600/1724 engines are very easy to work on.

Xflow engines easy to work on but parts are much too expensive

Small Triumph 4 & 6 cylinder engines easy to work on but crank thrust wear on the block can very easily make them scrap.

Standard-Triumph Mayflower/Tr/Vangaurd/Fergie engines east to work on but heavy. Likewise Humber engines and Vauxhall sixes.

Reply to
bonzo

what about the Vauxhall viva/chevette engine they don't come any more basic than that.

Reply to
Big Mc

I had a Marina do that on me once. Removing two spark plugs to be met with a stream of water was a bit of a give away. I don't see why this should put anyone off rebuilding one though, unless it's been standing with cylinders full of water.

This is easily discounted before acquiring the engine by levering the crackshaft pulley with a screwdriver to check for excessive endfloat.

True, but then I never met one that managed more than about 70,000 miles without needing major surgery. Perhaps I was just unlucky. One problem with them is the oil pump to distributer drive. The smaller of the two lugs breaks off leaving it impossible to set the timing accurately.

Mind you, it's all very well talking about the potential trouble spots. The biggest problems, IMO, will be finding lots of general wear, having to decide what is acceptable and being faced with a massive bill that far exceeds anything you'll ever get for the rebuilt engine.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

I must have been lucky then :-)

But I did re-torque the head twice - once after 200 miles and again after

500.

I also know of a former Imp owner who *did* have problems with head gaskets going. He finally fixed it by using two at once.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

The Mayflower has an (IIRC) 1200cc side valve unit, and I doubt you'd find one easily.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Later engines have the slot in the middle. So possible to get the distributor 180 degrees out, but stronger.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

It is also far from typical - the big end is wider than the bore, so the pistons have to come out past the crankshaft. It is the only engine I have come across where you can re-ring the pistons without removing the head!

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

Given the tendency of the aluminium head to corrode to the studs in a big way, no bad thing...

It was a sweet little engine which could take everything you threw at it without complaint - very unlike the equivalent Ford unit which cooked its exhaust valves. Fortunate, really, as the Mayflower was so underpowered it was usually driven flat out everywhere.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

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