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So the final push to connect all the oil and water unions / hoses and hose clips was on and to try and get the engine running. I had to purchase a pre engaged starter and wire that in removing the inertia remote solenoid and related wiring from the old car setup. Once oil and water had been filled and the complete system checked for leaks i attempted a crank to check oil pressure. Gulp….. Nothing. After running through the basics, oil level again, box to engine block bolts and finding nothing i attempted back filling the oil pressure switch drilling and rotating the engine backwards to draw oil into the oil pump. The oil was drawn in and again i tried a short crank to check oil pressure. Still nothing. At this point I went home to think.

After going through all possibilities of the o-ring missing situation, the oil pump gasket rotating when fitting leaving the bung in the central oil pickup pipe i was getting frustrated of having to think the engine would have to come out to check it all again. The next evening i went back to the car and timed up the engine to remove the timing belt i was thinking perhaps the oil pump wasn’t rotating fast enough to draw oil up from the sump. As the old camshaft is now an oil pump jackshaft i connected a battery drill to a socket and spun up the oil pump. Bingo finally a healthy oil pressure showing on the gauge. After refitting and checking the timing again by hand turning i connected up the laptop and opened up SXTune. I wanted to check if the ECU was picking up a signal and showing an RPM from the engine it was after a couple of adjustments getting the crank sensor aligned. I then checked if we had spark at the plugs. Again yes.

That weekend i completed the fuel lines, filter, fuel pump and final bits and bobs in the engine bay and stuck a couple of gallons of fresh unleaded in the tank. On the second or third crank it kicked up. After a minute of the occasional cough messing with the throttle bodies it ran. It ran perfectly at about 900-1000RPM. Noticeably it was so quiet at the front end. No rattling of pushrods followers or timing chains now. Even though it ran nice it wouldn’t rev and it really needs to go on a rolling road to be properly set up I think i managed maybe 1200RPM maximum by just touching the throttle linkage.

Finally i have to complete the wiring for the alternator circuit and the relays need to be plumbed in properly to operate the fuel pump and the cooling fan.