Rick,
As to question # 1... I prefer an electric pump because it will fill the
float bowl before you start cranking. The engine starts sooner, less load
(read wear) on the starter, etc.
Q#2... All of the Spitfire 1500s had a concentric "recess" at the top of
each bore, something like .040 wide and .006 deep (need to get out the
competition manual). The proper head gasket for the 1500 has additional
metal that acts as an o-ring, filling that recess and sealing the cylinder
better.
Are you certain that you block is sleeved? Or are you just seeing the
recess and assuming that the sleeve was pushed down too far?
Jim
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rick Gregory [SMTP:rick_gregory@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 1998 4:31 PM
> To: spitfires@autox.team.net
> Subject: Fuel pump & cylinder sleeves
>
> Hi All!
>
> I've run across a couple of things while rebuilding a 1500 motor for
> spitfire I'd appreciate any input on:
>
> 1) Upon unpacking the trunk (which was full of half the engine from
> the po) I unexpectedly discovered an electric, inline fuel pump hooked
> to the fuel line from the tank. Sure enough, I opened the hood (or
> should I say bonnet?) and discovered a plate bolted tight against the
> block of the old engine where I would have expected a mechanical pump.
> Should I a)Keep the electric for the new motor -or- b)get a regular
> fuel pump? Someone at the garage suggested running both? But I've
> heard nightmares about just such a scenario gone bad when the
> mechanical pump diaphram broke, but the engine would still run because
> of the electric pump... this caused a "gas leak" into the crankcase
> which subsequently dilluted the oil and damaged the engine...
>
> 2)When tearing down the new engine (to rebuild -- the old engine in
> the car is shot) I discovered the cylinder walls were sleeved and
> recessed below the surface of the cylinder head... Is this normal? We
> were a bit concerned of "blow by" between the cylinders in the gasket
> didn't compensate?
>
> Any thoughts are appreciated as this is the first 1500 rebuild I've
> been involved in...
>
> --Rick
>
>
>
>
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