Leaderboard

Maybe check the timing tensioner? A failing one would make valve knocking sounds.

did you lose the washer that goes between the strut top and the mount? it's about 30mm in diameter, maybe 4mm thick with a taper to one side (taper side goes up) This washer is what ride on the bearing inner hub and allows pivot for turning.

To keep costs down I carefully purchased my engine from a parts yard. It had 127k km on the clock. Turned out the clutch was completely toast. Then I “bench” test as I wanted to make sure my wiring worked properly - and to assess the head gasket situation as I really didn’t want to do that job already, mainly due to cost. Here’s the first start up, exhaust mid section poked out under the rear door of our shed: Worked a treat! These head gaskets survived a 5min run at 4K rpm in soft sand on a beach with the temp gauge at 120*C (mechanical temp gauge plumber into the coolant out pipe in the heater circuit). I also froze the block in the first week of moving up to the snowfields - the replacement coolant didn’t have any antifreeze properties in it! Head gaskets survived after some very careful engine start, runs free seconds, sit a few seconds, start, run a bit long etc and repeated this until the radiator hoses were liquified. Then drove it to the season staff carpark where it was a much more sheltered. Left it to thaw out then swapped the coolant out. Four years later they let go! Anyway, bit of a long story there! I guess I’m saying enjoy the exeperience. Make some informed decisions and that’ll help with a successful conversion Cheers Bennie