Ken75

On 1/3/2024 at 6:50 PM, iceman510 said:

I  have some L16s I would give you if interested.  When and where is the container shipping?

Hi Iceman,

brilliant if you would have 2 spare engines! condition not that important, will rebuild anyway.

I'd be glad and insist to pay for them 🙂

Container would leave end of February at earliest, but flexible to delay if that allows extra parts to be loaded.

Port will be Jacksonville, car and parts will be centralised in Lake Worth (FL) prior to shipping.

Will PM you ASAP

Thanks,

Ken

On 12/28/2023 at 10:10 AM, Draker said:

I was in Antwerp in June. Lovely! 
 

if exporting, the west coast of the USA is a good source. Oregon and Washington will be generally cheaper than California. I’m not sure where you’ll find them in Europe. South Africa would have some. 

Hope you had a great time here in Antwerp - I live in the city myself at 15min walking distance from the cathedral. Anything closer was too expensive LOL

Thanks for the suggestions

Ken

Thanks a lot, will have a look - I’m having a container shipped with a 510 anyway 😁

Merry Xmas everyone!

Ken

Hi Datzenmike,

2 cars:

- 510 ('68 - 4 door), 1.6L on paper, came with an L18 when I bought it -> L16 would be ideal

- 510 ('72 - 2 door), 2.0L on paper, came with an SR20 when I bought it -> L20 would be ideal

I may get away with putting the L18 in the '72 car, and have an L16 for the '68.

Thanks,

Ken

Hello everyone,

looking for an L16-L18-L20B engine, condition does not matter will rebuild anyway.

Anybody any lead or suggestion? Seems to be harder to find then I anticipated.

Other engine types will not work for me, the car needs to have the original engine to pass MOT (narrow-minded Belgium).

Thanks,

Ken

I apologize for my writing being incomplete: the 620 engine manual indicates a rod length of 142.67mm for the J13-J15, and a 139.85mm rod length for the J16 version. So the half stroke difference of 2.2mm as you calculated is pretty close to the 2.8mm difference in rod length. The compression height of the J16 piston could be slightly different, or the piston could sit 0.6mm deeper to adjust the CR using the same head. So that all adds up.

But the puzzling thing is that the 150mm rod length for the older 520 J13 “1300” block appears to be different from the 142.67mm rod length for the 620 J13 “B34” block.

So the question is where that comes from: the stroke is identical so it must be a difference in deck height or a different piston compression height.

And if the block is different indeed, it is possible that the cylinder wall thickness was increased as well to allow for the 73mm and 78mm bores.

I will post my findings when I open the 620 J13

BR,

Ken

I’m getting ready for a surprise. I have a 520 engine manual which only discusses the 1.3L engine. My 520 has the block with “1300” embossed.

The manual indicates a rod length of 150mm, wich is exactly what I measured in my block. I also checked the cylinder wall thickness, and at most locations it is 5.5mm so a diameter of 84mm. For this reason I always had my doubts that the J15 is just a bored version of the J13, because the wall thickness would only be 2mm at 78mm bore.

Then there is the engine manual for the 620 truck. This manual discusses the J13-15-16 engines, and also says that the J15 in essence is a bored J13 and the J16 is a “longer version” of the J15. Unclear if that refers to the stroke or maybe deck height as well. Anyway, the J13 version is written to have “B34” embossed on the block, and indeed so has my spare engine which is said to originate from a South African 620. But most interestingly, the rod length in this manual is said to be 142.67mm as opposed to the 150mm written and verified rod from the 520 block. So maybe engine-specs.net wasn’t all wrong!

I’ll be taking the “B34” apart somewhere in the next weeks to see what’s really in there. The rod length will be interesting, as well as the cylinder wall thickness!

To be continued…

Ken

The block says "B34" at the same location my other engine has "1300". According to the workshop manual, it must be a J13. The J15 and J16 should have "T01" embossed on the block. But I haven't opened it yet so no proof so far.

BR,

Ken

I'm working on a J13 as we speak.

I have 2 engines:

1/ the one which came with the '68 520 pickup (working on this one)

-> "1300" cast on the block

-> "37X24092" cast on the block (the X is very hard to read, may be something different)

-> engine number "623898" (at the edge of the deck)

-> distributor shaft diameter 1-1/16"

2/ a spare engine which is said to originate from a south african 620 (stored for now)

-> "B34" cast on the block

-> haven't started working on this one yet

I'm not sure if the ditributor shaft diameter say a lot. It is fitted into a bushing / plate, which itself slides into the block and locates the gear shaft towards the camshaft.

So your blocks could be identical, just with a different locking plate to hold the distributor. To get that plate out, remove the bolt/nut and tap both ways with a hammer so it starts rotating. When it rotation goes ok, then pull whilst rotating and it should come out (mine did).

Please don't trash your old engine, I'd be interested seized or not

BR,

Ken

If that’s say $50-60 including shipping - and assuming that the rocker geometry is well respected during the surface regrind - it is quite brilliant and no excuse left to reinstall used rockers IMO, at least not with reground cams.

BR,

Ken

I would assume that the J18 rods are a bit shorter compared to the J15 rods to compensate the extra stroke. Maybe the combination of the J18 piston with a J15 rod could work out. The J13 rods have the bolted smaller 17.45mm piston pin so that is no option.

So lots of loose ends information wise, and if I have to make a few shipments to Antwerp before I get it right on the parts configuration, I may be better off just going with custom parts straight away - with the option of reproduction in case of interest.

BR,

Ken

The J18 has a 80.5mm piston so pretty close to the 81mm target. In fact, a +020 oversize is even spot on.

So that’s an option for at least a proof of concept before moving to expensive custom pistons.

Anybody any idea on following J18 dimensions:

- piston pin diameter

- piston compression height

- rod length C/C

- rod big end diameter

I’ve become even more sceptical on online info lately: I measured the J13 rod length to be 150mm (as written in the workshop manual) but engine-spec.net indicates 142.67mm 😖

thanks,

Ken

3 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Instead of going to all that trouble, why not just install a 1.8L out of an MGB? They are virtually identical to the J series.

I know but the point is to start from the original engine. I’d call it a challenge, not trouble. At least or now, I may change my mind later on 🤣

Ken

Pistons and rods would be custom made to suit, as it looks now with 27mm pin height and 156.2mm rod length. I would only have production started after succesful boring and sleeving the block.

I actually have 2 blocks, one stamped with “1300” (from my 520) and a spare one stamped with “B34” which I still need to disassemble.

Any known differences between those?

Thanks,

Ken

Hi,

did anyone ever try to wet sleeve a J13? My plan is to run 81mm pistons (=1599cc) on modified cylinder centers so they will be equally spaced. This will bring the combustion chamber inside the cylinder. With 0.135” sleeve wall thickness that would result in 0.2” spacing between the sleeves.

It’s for a ‘68 520. Please don’t suggest engine swaps. The challenge is to start from the original J13 engine and go all the way from there 😉

Thanks,

Ken

Hi,

did you sell your 520 or did you keep it anyway?

Just a curious ‘68 520 owner 😉

Ken

Hi Russaroll,

I’m currently rebuilding my J13 as well and will replace the head studs with new ones. Need to find out if the ARP set for the austin engine are identical. If not I will make a new set myself in H13 tool steel. Unfortunately I’m located in Antwerp (Belgium) so shipping costs will be excessive…

good luck,

Ken 

One more thing we have been ignoring until now: what’s the condition of the cam lobes? If the rockers are worn, the cam lobes may be no better. Then it doesn’t really help to recondition the followers and run them on the old cam. The other way around - regrinding the cam and use worn followers - is equally pointless. It’s all or nothing…

When sanding the followers, don’t be afraid to do the same on the cams. Just use plenty of oil for wet sanding and don’t apply excessive force. Also, try to use a light colored grit so you can judge from the color how much material you are removing. With properly hardened parts, it really won’t be much and you will do no harm if you go gently.

When not regrinding cam and followers, it is VERY important to rematch the same followers with the same lobes when rebuilding the engine. Hope this tip is not late for Russaroll. If we’d both buy the identical pair of shoes, wear them comfortably for a month and then exchange them (between both of us, not between left and right LOL), our feet would be quite unhappy. Same for the cams and the followers…

Regrinding the cam gives you the option to grind a fast road profile so you get twice for the same money.

Again happy to help out on camshafts as well if required.

Hope this helps,

Ken

Hi,

I agree with Datzenmike, fine grit can do miracles. Even most new (aftermarket) followers are very happy when being sanded like this before installation. After sanding, additional buffing will make it nice and shiny.

However it will be very hard to correct the shape when the follower is worn - the shape is btw just a part of a cylinder. A simple trick to judge the resulting shape is using the follower as a mirror to look into a straight (edge of) light, for example daylight at the edge of a window. When the straight light source is aligned to the width of the follower contact surface, you should see a straight line again. When kept at 90deg the straight light will reflect  as a curve. When all is good, the line/curve should have no distortions.

On Datzenmike’s image you can see a line where the cam base is touching the follower. The visibility of this surface imperfection will be magnified when used as a mirror. The extra buffing will reveal all imperfections to the extend it may drive you nuts.

If the wear is to excessive and no new parts are available, I recondition the cam and valve surfaces of the followers in a wire edm in one single setup so both are perfectly aligned.

I would be glad to help but I’m located in Antwerp, Belgium so not straightforward regarding shipping.

Hope this helps,

Ken

Hi,

anyone know the deck height of the J13, J15 and J16 engines?

searched the manual and the internet but bo luck

thanks,

Ken

That would be really nice 👍

3.5L must be a serious bore/stroke. Did he make his own twin cam conversion, or a new head?

Thanks,

Ken

From experience I do believe in about 125hp per liter for really good 2 valve N/A competition engines (in general), which would be 300hp on a 2.4L being a target on its own.

Apart from the combustion chamber and more efficient valve angles, the crossflow design dramatically changes heat management which is a considerable challenge in endurance racing.

So yes I’m willing to give it a shot to develop it. I’m into cylinder head / valtrain development and manufacturing anyway, and consider this as a personal side project.

thanks,

Ken

I also have a professional shipping guy near Miami who can arrange pickup and forwarding 👍

thanks,

Ken

Last year I had the 520 truck sent over from the US, so yes I’m fully aware of the extra efforts, sea freight, customs clearance etc. I’m fine with all shipping or pickup options 😊

thanks,

Ken

Very much correct. In FIA historic racing, you need to stay with a SOHC and 2 valves per cylinder. The LY head was homologated for FIA group4 racing. I’m into custom valvetrain development and manufacturing, so once I’d have the head castings it’s an open road to completion...

thanks,

Ken