I don't think you can ever trust a 'rebuilt' but never run engine unless you really know who rebuilt it and trust them to have done it right. Am going through this with an engine (not Austin) at the moment and the only thing to do is strip it all down, clean, check and rebuild it yourself. If you're lucky you get to reuse most of the main parts and just need to replace gaskets and lock washers and so on. On mine there is so much gasket goop everywhere a total strip down is required. It also has that old problem of numbered big ends on the connecting rods but the numbers don't go in order! So who knows what state it is in.

As for lathes they are very handy. I have a little Chinese mini lathe at home and it works very well (with some fettling) for small things. At work I have access to three others, a mini lathe like mine, a medium one and a monster. Technically you can't use any without health and safety training so I am only allowed to use the medium one (same goes for the table saw, drop saw, etc, etc).

They call this training but it is nothing at all to do with how to safely use a lathe. This is more idiot, cover their asses legally training for the workplace. Thing like don't get long hair/clothes caught in the lathe. Don't trip over it. If you have to lift it don't strain your back (seriously!). If using coolant you have to wear full safety gear including respirators. We're also not allowed to use them after hours unless the company health and safety person is physically onsite!

Presumably they need someone there to do the paperwork in case of an accident?

Simon

Location: Wellington

It all sounds terribly dangerous Simon ;)

I had that problem when my con-rods came back from being re-metalled. The company had carefully marked the pairs, but it didn't tally with the dot punches on the now clean metal that must have been done on some previous rebuild. As the con-rods had been line bored after re-metalling, I'm hoping all will be fine.