Engine advice required

[dalgrae]

I am interested in getting a spare engine for my car that is being advertised fairly close to me in Bristol but I am unsure what it is , can someone help please I have the following info from the seller .The engine number starts 950 2a 724 08

[POMMReg]

Why is your car being advertised in Bristol¿

[jagnut66]

The engine is being advertised in Bristol not his car.....

I'm presuming that it is an 'A' series engine - though if someone else recognises the number I stand to be corrected -
if this is the case then what is the engine number prefixed by?

I've noted before that 948cc engines are prefixed 9M; 1098cc engines 10M; I believe that 1275cc engines are prefixed 12CC and that 803cc engines are prefixed either AHPM or 8M.

Like I say though, if someone knows better then I am open to correction.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[POMMReg]

Me having a Fawlty Towers moment!

Try the mg site for bmc engine prefixes, not 100%, but
ok for most engine types.

[dalgrae]

Thanks for the advice I have tried a couple of sites including I think the MG one but could not make any sense of the engine number supplied , so I will probably give it a miss and wait for another engine to come along

[brucek]

Sonds like it could be a gold seal or silver seal unit - which indicates that it has, at some point in its past, been rebuilt by the factory. Worth looking at imho. Look for traces of gold/silver paint on the block/head which would confirm this.

[bmcecosse]

The numbers shown are just casting numbers from the block. Obviously the 950 tells us it is a 948! Nothing more can be gleaned from these numbers.

[dalgrae]

Thanks for the further info, I have requested more info about the engine number from the person selling it

[bmcecosse]

A 948 is worth £20 of anyones's money no matter what the condition. Just buy it........

[mattyb]

On Gold seal engines there is a stamped in code (not the raised code) on the engine number plate,both letters tell you firstly what the bore size is & secondly the crank size for eg 'A' 'H' is Standard bore with a 40thou crank each letter denotes the size,so first letter is bore size,second letter is crank size
A = STD
B =10THOU
C = 15THOU (crank only)
D = 20THOU
E = 25 THOU (crank only)
F = 30THOU
G = 35THOU (crank only)
H = 40THOU
J = 45THOU (crank only)
K = 50THOU
L = 55THOU (crank only)
M = 60THOU

this was taken from a site that deals with A35's............

not sure if it helps ?

cheers

Matt

[bmcecosse]

I have NEVER heard of cranks being ground to 15/25/35 etc thou.......and there are no bearings to suit these sizes anyway!

[mattyb]

that'll be A35's for you !

[dalgrae]

Thanks again for the info I am told that the engine info will be with me today , and thanks BMC but I can only assume things are cheaper where you live as I think the person selling this engine is looking for approx £50 plus which seems to be the going rate plus P & P so that is why I am trying to find an engine really local to me in Bristol

[bmcecosse]

948 engines are not exactly 'sought after' - the £20 assumes a basic engine needing a rebuild. If your engine is a known good 'runner' - then yes £50 could be possible - but I would want to see it running - and have some sort of guarantee with it. I'm sure the £50 is negotiable - start him at £20 and then agree to meet in the middle !

[dalgrae]

Thanks again for advice the engine is out of the car so your reply will be used by me ref the condition externally and also that it rotates the rest I will have to take a gamble on , but as you say most things are recoverable and I intend it to be a long term project for the rebuild / the interest of overhauling it