...you've had everything apart and it starts first time?
After getting well fed up with lots of little problems with the S2a (several recent threads - sorry to go on) I bit the bullet and did the lot. The vehicle now has
- Turner Stage 1 unleaded head
- New Zenith carb from Burlen
- New water pump, thermostat and all hoses
- New coil
- Decoked and polished pistons
- Cooling system flushed, back-flushed, side-flushed and every kind of flushed
- All removed parts cleaned, polished, or painted as appropriate
- Plus points, timing and tappets set with surgical accuracy (!)
All back together this afternoon. Turned it over with the coil disconnected to restore the oil pressure, then reconnected coil, held breath and
*con-tact*.....
Started first turn of the key, and settled immediately to a steady idle. Now sounds like a sewing machine. No oily smoke from the exhaust, no madly variable idling, several rattles and squeaks strangely vanished.
I've only taken it for a quick spin round the lanes, so I can't say too much about the Turner head, except that it seems to take hills much more easily, and altogether feels like a bigger engine.
Another bonus - Mrs B has now completed Land Rover Mechanics 101 and is fully trained in Tappet Adjustment, Why That Thing Needs Oil, and How Not To Put Things In Upside Down. She sat in the cab to start it, and the smile on her face was worth a million.
Next chapter - how fitting parabolics mean you won't need that sports bra.