Engine Running Properly

All back together, but it still wouldn't start. Before the clutch woes the engine was running then it sluttered out and wouldn't start again. Either meant something had burnt out electronically or no fuel/no spark for some reason. I tested all sensor resistances, the exhaust smelt petroly so I thought that was all ok, and I checked a plug was sparking while the engine was cranking. I thought maybe contaminated fuel, and was just about to start draining when we noticed a fuel pipe into the HP pump was kinked. Took the fuel line off the engine and ... no fuel! Woo Hoo! Longer bit of pipe sourced with a strip of heatshrink-coated aluminium to hold the radius and we were back in business.

Not for long though, oil leak again. Which meant (depressingly) the N/S engine mount, intercooler pipework, exhaust downpipe etc all had to come out. The turbo oil feed adaptor had bottomed out in the block - could tell because the black anodising was stripped off the first couple threads on the adaptor. Using a spare crush washer/copper washer, and loads of PTFE tape the joint was remade, we restarted the engine while it was half dangling on the crane and no leaks.

All back together, here's a video of it finally starting and running well, no leaks, nice and smooth.

Next jobs - trimming inside and getting an exhaust made.

p.s. excuse wobbly camera work on startup, watch the exhaust you'll see why! That was much louder than it was on video.

Found another problem, but cured now!!!

So spacer machined, engine back in, clutch bled, still didn't work...

Took it all back out and with some advice from members of Locostbuilders, added a couple of washers behind the spacer to end up with a clearance between clutch fingers and thrust bearing (when fully pushed back against its spring) of about 1.2 - 2mm.

Back together, still no luck. Then read up after an extensive amount of internet searching about the gearbox input shaft possibly to tight into the spigot bearing in the crankshaft. When in 4th the clutch would slip a bit when pedal fully depressed, and in 5th moved easier, but still locked in 1-3. Suggested that something was locking eng and box together but could be overcome with enough effort. Quick and easy way to check, undo the engine to box bolts a bit, pull the two apart and stick a couple washers between each bolt hole. Back together and....

IT WORKED! Clutch depressed and all ok, biting point seemed fine. Lots of money spent replacing cylinders, fluid lines, 3 bottles of fluid and a new slave cylinder unecessarily, oh well at least we're back on track. Few hours later and hoses pipes and wires all back together. Next step - starting the engine again!