2019 1st April, New Sprint Engine saga - No Joke

Having decided to build up the original Sprint engine I first started work on in 2014 I began by cleaning up and checking over the block.

"New" block I started in 2014

Cleaned up ready to start work

Checking threads are OK

Bottom end ready for -

the balanced crankshaft

and a set of pistons on balanced rods

Choose your jackshaft

Starting to look like an engine, until -

Curses, pistons are well above the block face

Having made what I thought was good progress with the bottom end of the engine it all came to a sudden stop when I realised the pistons were about 0.025" above the block face at TDC.  This might be OK for a race engine when it is used as a way of getting more compression ratio but I didn't want or need it for a road car.  I discussed the options with Alex at Maynard Engines and we decided it would be possible to machine a small amount off the top of the pistons, so I stripped them back out and took them down to him for machining.

Pistons showing amounts to be machined off.

I also took the head from rally engine head down to be checked for flatness.  The exhaust manifold that came with the engine was also slightly warped where it bolts to the head so that needed to be machined flat as well.