First- I haven't checked yet, but I thought the 10CC or 10CG indicated
MG or AH, not the engine version, and the serial # is needed to Identify
the engine. (Rob?) I *DO* know that the 1.75" main 1098 had the mechanical
fuel pump, bolted to the side of the block, and the 2" used an electric,
and therefore have no opening for the mech pump. (There is a flat boss instead.)
I *really don't need* a full block, what with new pistons, etc. 1098 cranks
seem to be less common than 948's or 1275's. (I wouldn't *mind* a complete
1275) Faspec (I think) does have a reground & new bearing crank kit available,
It looks like it may be them or Spridgbits, when I've saved enough pennies.
(1098's were only used for a couple of years, with two different cranks yet.
I do have a spare head)
A story:
When Chet first began overheating, I thought mayby it was the water
pump. But, no. It got worse. OK, swish the finger around the inside of the
radiator neck. Sure enough, oil-goo. Dang. Guess it's time for a head
gasket. 85K is a pretty reasonable point to need a bit of head work, isn't
it? Especially considering how much work I'd gotten out of it so far. Quite
a reliable and peppy engine, compared to some of it's peers. So, first,
off came the head. Yup, bad gasket. Not too unusual for aluminimum head on
a steel block. OK, we're here, right? How are the valves? Could use new exausts.
As long as we're at it... (famous last words) Out came the block. These rod
journals look a bit rough, mains are good. (get crank turned, new bearings.)
Pistons are doing fine. Good. Could use a new clutch though... Well, a new
head gasket turned into a full minor-rebuild. A weekend into a month. So
what else is new? Well, this just happened to be the month that we were buying
our house, and this was not a "spare" sports car, but my '78 Chevy Luv, Long
bed, heavy suspension Pick-up. We had plans for it, real soon. Everything went
back together fine, and *as always before*, it ran like a top. (must be because
it used the same plugs as the MGB!) I've done a *LOT* of heavy hauling & towing
with that 1822cc engine, Mazda's and Datsuns couldn't touch it for
responsiveness. I still remember the Duran-Duran wail from the radio through
the job. So, Chad writes:
>Isuzu made the Chevette engine, early S-10 engines, their own pickup (as
^^^^^^^^
This *is* a piece of junk. But are you sure it's Isuzu? It doesn't say Isuzu on
the valve cover, as all their other "chevy" engines do. (Spectrum, Luv..)
>if they're different than S-10s), and other trash.
They are different than S...-10's
>I've known 3 people with Isuzus in some form with mixed, poor
>results. A GUTLESS chevette with 130,000 miles, a TRASHED ISUZU pickup
Chevette's are gutless when they're new...
>with 47,000 miles (knocks horribly with every start), and a S10 with Isuzu
>engine( pig). Oh don't forget the Chevy Luvs. Fortunately, we don't have
>them in Indiana anymore. They all rusted away.
I won't forget the Luvs. They *were* terrible about rust, but Isuzu does
make some decent drive trains. Chet still ran great when I sold him @120K,
especially after I put an Izusu-Opal 5 speed in place of the 4 speed...
but there wasn't much left of the body or the frame. He gave a lot for
those MG's :-)
> Oh my TR engine died at 77,289 with a spun bearing.
So who are you to "knock" ( :-) ) Isuzu? I don't really think Lotus would
use their parts if they were junk.
++++ No flames intended, just righting the memory of an old friend...++++++
________
/ _ \ Roger Garnett (garnett@tcgould.TN.CORNELL.EDU)
/ /|| \ \ Agricultural Economics
| |\/ || _ | 3 Warren Hall | South Lansing Centre For
| | || | | Cornell University | Wayward Sports Cars
\ ||__/ / Ithaca, N.Y. 14853 | (607) 533-7735
\________/ (607) 255-2522 | SAFETY FAST!
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