Dannyb

I also have the Accuspark ballast sports coil.

I have mine mounted towards the front and I'm sure the flow is the bottom one so that would make yours nearest the bulkhead facing down. I can check tomorrow when I start it up to be 100%

All back together now. Started on second turn and ticks over and sounds good.  But the weather is crap so will have to wait for a dry day to road test.

Achtung Spitfire

Thanks Wim.   Now just waiting for the new one to arrive.

Is this looking at the front or rear.   

This afternoon I set up the valves with 8&9 on the rock. I also made a piston stop and the TDC on the timing cover is spot on.  I have also decided to buy a new duplex (double sprocket) from Paddocks as the old one is a bit worn on the slot for the woodruff key. Does anyone know what way it should be fitted as I can't remember when taking the old one off.  Is it with the tapered end facing towards the block ?

It's in the alloy sealing block at the front where the bottom timing cover screw goes. I ran an M8 tap in the hole and the m8 bolt tightens ok to the correct torque.

Charitable donations have been as follows: 1990 British Heart Foundation             £13,500.00 1992 Imperial Cancer Research Fund   £8,500.00 1994 Leukaemia Research Fund           £11,500.00 1996 Alzheimer Research Trust            £20,700.00 1998 Macmillan Cancer Relief              £37,500.00 2000 Children with Leukaemia             £40,500.00 2002 Multiple Sclerosis Society            £37,000.00 2004 Children with Leukaemia             £47,000.00 2006 BLISS                                       £52,000.00 2008 RNLI                                         £67,000.00 2010 MIND Mental Health Charity        £51,500.00 2012 Children with Cancer UK             £65,000.00 2014 Macmillan Cancer Support          £59,500.00 2016 Guide Dogs for the Blind            £95,800.00 Total                                               £607,000.00 ​ +  2018  which has not been announced yet.

Thanks Michael,  I will do that, possibly in the week if I get a chance as there's a lot going on at the moment. I will report back.

You will need to replace the ballast wire with an Ignition fed 12v supply. I have been running Accuspark for about 6 years with no problems at all.   Why not keep the ballast coil as it will ease starting.

New standard thrust washers in and sump back on. Also took the opportunity to take out the front alloy sealing block as I knew the thread had gone on the middle blind hole that the timing cover screws too. I have re-tapped with M8. Next will be to determine TDC and then set the valve timing with valves 7&8 at balance point. Not sure if this can be done with a dial gauge in the plug hole.   

John O'Groats ? 🙂.... It maybe on the garage floor. Probably come across it at some stage.

Sump off and all clean. No lumps of metal and magnet drain plug all clean. Rear crank bearing shell shell like new. Took out the shims. The rear shim is pitted and under size. The front shim still looks good. Both are standard. So now to order a new pair.

Thanks Wim,    With a bit of luck I will get the sump off and get the shims out during the week. I can then work out what size will be needed.  

Or is it like wanting to leave CT but having to pay to leave. Two ways at looking at it.

Checked the end float today on the crank.  0.07mm so 0.04mm over the limit. Not enough I would have thought to suggest the thrush washers had fallen out but worn. Oh and the bit of metal that I thought was the remains of the Woodruff key turns out to match the hole in the pully. Does anyone know what thickness the standard thrust washers are.

In your bottom picture, behind the shim on the crank nose, there looks to be a rubber oil seal?  Or is it just the lighting that makes the chamfered end of the front journal look like an oil seal?  Yeah it's the light that makes it look like rubber. I Have sourced another pulley wheel and will have to take the sump off to check the thrust washers are still in place. waiting for new woodruff key and timing cover gasket to arrive. I think the problem was started with the flywheel end and the vibration loosening the crank nut. normally I would have stopped at the first sign of trouble, but being the RBRR I pushed my luck for too long. I'm hoping the woodruff key will still fit in the crank. May have to think about sticking it in with something or maybe a weld. Got nothing to lose.  If the crank is shot then I will rebuild the original engine I have in the garage.

Found what was left of the Woodruff  key. It was embedded in the rubber seal of the crankcase cover.  Looks like I will have to get another crank pulley, as the face is scored where the seal runs. Also the slot in the pulley has taken a bit of a beating. Also you can see the slot in the crank has also taken a hit. 

Crank nut off with the help of a 4 foot tube, after removing the timing I could see the D shape Key was missing. Unable to find any remnants so could have gone down the oil drain slot into the sump.

Cars all back together but won't start. fuel and spark but no compression.  Took valve cover off and it looks like the valve timing is out. So the timing chain (duplex) must have jumped a few teeth.  Put the flywheel lock back on which I made to tighten the loose crank nut and now cannot remove it. Will try getting a length of tubing tomorrow to give it more leverage.    

I always remove the nipple and use an oil gun.

Fitted the starter today. After measuring it turns out the standard 1500 spacer was spot on. Looks like the starter front plate is machined to give the correct clearance with the standard spacer. Also the orientation of the starter with the front plate is also already correct.

Factory settings are I believe 10deg BTDC.   However, modern fuel burns at a slower rate than the old leaded 4* and ignition timing must be adjusted to compensate for this. There is a lot of information on the web and this forum about setting ignition timing.  

Thanks Tim, I will measure it but I did not know there were 2 sizes for the spacer.