Much rotating with rollers produced two starts of the engine which appeared to run quite well when warmed up. However even then, expecting that the piston rings might get free after some running , there was simply no way of starting the engine on the kick-starter.
So – off came the barrels to disclose the problem(s). The gudgeon pins were absolutely solid in the pistons and the little ends so that they could only be removed, even after the application of much heat, with a hammer and drift. The barrels are worn to a taper and the pistons are +60 thou with skirt to bore clearance at TDC .014″. Strangely there are two piston rings (one above the other) in the lower groove. All the internals suggest that the whole thing has been sat for a long time without moving.
Time for a re-think. I am considering having the barrels sleeved and using new pistons ..but I am looking in to the stores in the garage first !
