Having seen the opportunity to do work on the engine with the delay of the mini come back home, a glimmer of a chance to just get the engine ready and simply drop it in the car on it's return was seen. So the big push to really check the engine happened and kind of fell on it's face. With several options of ways to move forward on the table it was quite a fraught time. There was the optermists approach - lightly dress the shaft and replace the clutch boss then wack it together and get a few miles out of it keeping the project on track and in budget, down side is would the engine be wobberly and out of balance and setting your self up to take it back out later. Or throw the towel in and buy another engine, would it be better or last plus the bill would be close to the theoretical cost of fixing mine. Or finally get another crank, poss a reground second hand one, and go for it.
With other aspects having to take priority o get the parts away from temporary locations and back home the latest thought is to try and check the sticky valve guide is ok then grind the valves in and reassemble so there is just one lump to move in the garage. Send the gear box off to get the first motion (primary shaft on the side of the engine) bearing changed and the gears checked over, leaving just the block sat on a pallet in the garage waiting for the parts. Although with that said I will wait till I have had a chat with another engineering place tomorrow (guessworks in Rugby) before making the final decision. But the main thing is the opportunity doesn't get any better than it is now to do work to this level, so some kind of long term solution really does have to be the way forward. It will prob end up being more of a bonus for re sell as this will be pretty much a fully rebuilt engine and I would be hoping it being good for 50k + which at an expected max of 2k a year I am truthfully unlikely to get even close to.
Wel while the pondering has been going on more cleaning and a bit of painting has happened and yes you can see one of the doors in the background, it is finished and back home as I only had enough clear coat to finish one door last time I had the gun out and have only just got round to doing a final buff.
This weekend will be sadly giving back the loaned engine testing box until I get closer. But on a plus I am trying to get the mounts done Saturday for the astra seats due to go into it and then push it round to my works unit and do the last clear coat now fresh stock have been finally bought. The mini really does have to get out of other peoples units and back home before I start peeing people off.
I do have to do some work on the daily as well, with the MOT due end of this month I really do have to sort the car I use instead of the toy. But hoping I can get the engine pushed forward just a little bit more whilst tidying the garage ready for it's return.
So much to do, and I know my time will get limited again very soon but tentatively looking forward to getting the roof lining in and then some glass. Hoping to get the loom in for the rear then carpets can go down, rear lights, tank and then boot lid although I know there is some bumps on that road but will be nice to see some parts going on over the next month or so.
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