[Spridgets] Turbo motor post mortem.

[Glen Byrns]

In the last few hours of driving home from LotO, as I crossed the Sierra, the
oil pressure dropped a bit and power dropped a bit.  I was so fatigued I just
parked it and haven't driven it since.  I've been driving the Austin and
working on the Morris truck.  But last Tuesday I pulled the motor, took it
apart Wednesday evening and took it to the machine shop yesterday at lunch.

What I found was that the custom Venolia pistons had failed badly.  On #1 and
4, the top compression rings had shattered and gone on to enlarge the ring
groove until a piece of ring poked through the top of the piston.  On
examining the pistons and comparing them to a picture of the Metro Turbo
pistons, it looks to me like they are simply under-designed for turbo loads.
Though I had specifically told the rep that they would be used in a turbo
motor, they look to have a crown identical to the standard piston.  I don't
know how to tell if they are forged, as I asked for, or cast, but either way I
won't be using Venolia's again.

Bugsy will reawaken next spring with EFI/EI AND good pistons.

The Mini race guys in England seem to offer virtually every piston on their
websites, so the next set will be Metro Turbo, 40 over with 13cc dish.  Even
with shipping it'll be about half what I paid for the Venolia's

Glen Byrns