It's alive!

[900T-R]

After a rather short night following a trip to Birmingham(ish) and back, I by chance stumbled into Nimag's workshop just in time to witness my 4.3 being fired up for the first time after the rather massive rebuild/upgrade. It caught first time and then all it took to make it run on all eight cylinders was some rummaging around with electrical connectors. Then as I was there anyway, I tasked myself with running the camshaft in at 2.5 thou or thereabouts. Oil pressure and coolant temps all perfect, engine sounds a bit more hard edged (high compression forged pistons, big valves and all new uprated rocker gear, still on hydraulics though) than the usual woofly RV8 note - not a bad thing in my book.

To say I'm elated would be an understatement, yet I'm dreading the bill for engine removal/reinstall which will undoubtedly be with all the small stuff that as worked against us...

[dinkel]

Ready for spring then.

[900T-R]

It's ready for the Spring Run alright - only the bill isn't but more like - I'll have to make some very significant adjustments to my lifestyle for the next 14 months or so...

[dinkel]

Why didn't you buy a better one for a few dollars more?

Or better, a Tamora?

[900T-R]

dinkel said:

Why didn't you buy a better one for a few dollars more?

Nowt much wrong with this one there was - certainly better than the average Chim out there. Not sure where the 66 hours of labour have gone, really - there were some setbacks while on the job, mind

dinkel said:

Or better, a Tamora?

Um, and know I have to pay for an engine out job every 20,000 miles or so?

[dinkel]

That's every 4-5 year if you are unlucky.

[900T-R]

dinkel said:

That's every 4-5 year if you are unlucky.

And now it's done for good. Maybe a camshaft in 15 years' time if unlucky. Good thing too because I don't want the downtime and expense of an engine overhaul with associated stuff, ever again.