Having started the winter engine change project back in October, our collection of engines has grown from one (the original) to four. We bought a second hand 875cc Sport engine + spare, but couldn't get it running very well, and spent some time choking on exhaust fumes even with all the garage doors open.
We then bought a 930cc engine which was supposedly built for hill climbing and had only been bench run. "Perfect," we thought, "it's tricked up and can go straight in." We toyed with the idea of trying to get the Sport engine going properly before changing them over, but then decided to just put the 930 in so we had more time to drive it around before our first event at the end of April.
Well... it turned out to not be quite so ready as we thought. We knew it needed an alternator, since we'd be using for every day driving and not just competition, so we got a second hand one sold as 'working ok'. The plug leads looked a bit iffy and didn't fit very well, and we discovered that the distributor cap had a massive crack in it so had to be replaced.
Having got the engine fitted we spectacularly failed to get it started, and with about 5 weeks to go until Wiscombe Hill Climb we decided to give it to our local mechanic to have a look at, as we were running out of time. Just to frustrate this plan, having put on a new brake master cylinder we then had trouble with the brake bleeding, and it took us at least 2 evenings of pedal pumping to get the brakes in a fit state to be able to tow the car down to his workshops.
The alternator turned out not to work ok so we got a new one, along with new plug leads. Our mechanic managed to get the engine started but it was running extremely rich, so the next thing was to get the correct jets etc. for the carbs. Our bank balance was rapidly shrinking and our stress levels rising, but the good news was that it passed the MOT!
The car now ran and had been fiddled with, and after two and a half weeks without it we went and picked the car up. We then discovered that both carbs were leaking fuel when the engine wasn't running. Adjustment of the fuel pressure seemed to fix that (fingers crossed), but the car was a complete b*** to start, although once it did start, it ran like a dream!
Head-scratching ensued. Plugs were cleaned, and a new battery has just arrived that should cope better with the higher compression. The next job is to adjust the timing to stop it pinking. Oh and the head gasket is weeping a bit of oil so we've ordered a gasket set. What did I say about the bank balance? It's currently on the downhill stretch of the roller coaster.
So, it's now two and a half weeks until Wiscombe and every day involves either working on the Imp or spending money on it, or both.
It's worth it for the huge grin on our faces when we drive it!
