<html><body><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><div>Now that I've been given some insite on posting here goes.</div><div><br></div><div>Close to 20 yrs ago I bought a 65 B with an 18GF engine in it. Once I went thru the mechanicals I drove it for about7-8 years, then we pulled the</div><div>engine and put it in my race car so my son could do his SCCA drivers school. After running it for several events I decided to rebuild the engine. </div><div>Took it to a local machine shop with some different size pistons so they could pick depending on final bore after machining. When I got evertyhing</div><div>back it got put on the shelf and forgotten about till this summer. This machine shop had already done a head and bottom end for my race engine,</div><div>and it ran like a top. Of course it was done with aftermarket items like Carillo rods and ARP, Elgin cam and so fourth. </div><div><br></div><div>Now when deciding to complete the rebuild and gathering it all back together, I found they had put .040 over pistons with the wrong rods. </div><div>How they ever got off the workbench is mind boggling since there was no movement in wrist pin. I then found out that the owner went to work</div><div>at a government contractor ( needed money I guess) and left most of the shop work to his son. As a result has lost his reputation for quality work</div><div>and lost almost all his machine shop business- does auto repair now.</div><div><br></div><div>I decided to do the rebuild with what parts I had on the shelves. I also decided to see if putting alot of effort into the details could result in a better rebuild result.</div><div>Such as smoother running and increased throttle response, along with decient gas milage. Yes I know there are better combos of parts to produce more power</div><div>but that was not my goal. It was somewhat <span style="font-size: 12pt;">an experiment in how long it took to do it vs. throwing in a stock part. I also used alot of Peter Burgess advice in his</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">book</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I started out with the 18GF block that was bored out to .040 and a set of 65-66 pistons #12H1489, the piston to wall clearance was checked to between</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.003 and .004. Beveled all stud holes on top of block, lapped oil pressure relief valve. Polished and deburred main cap and block mating surfaces.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The main bearing clearance where all .002 except # 3 with .003. Because of the pistons I had to use an early set of rods, These I balanced the big and small ends to within .5 gms and the pistons to .3 gms and overall with piston attached to .4gms. Then I spent the better part of 2 days polishing the rods, starting with 50 grit disks and ending with scotchbrite.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ring gaps varied from .012 to .016 and rod bearing clearance where .002 . inserted pistons and rods and torqued all caps to book value.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Using a Performance Grind D9 cam. Initial cam timing was 110' and spec was 108', Found on the MG Experience fourm that it was generally recommended </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to advance cam 4' so I used a 5' off-set keyway to end up with 105' cam timing. Rest of engine assembly was pretty standard</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I will post another message on the head work</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ron Shellenberger</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To many old cars</span></div></div></body></html>