The 3.8 litre engine is shown above, assembled and ready for a test run. To accommodate the large bore on this engine, the water pump has been moved forward on the block casting, so a special pulley is being machined with the correct offset for the belt.
Assembly of the first engine turned out to be a straight forward process, with no real surprises.
The engine fires for the first time, making good oil pressure and a considerable amount of noise. An special moment for Dave, Max and everyone else involved.
Dave carries out a little seat of the pants tuning, the engine idles smoothly and revs freely. Next step is off to the dyno for thorough testing.
The timing chain tensioner is shown above, steel with bronze bush and eccentric adjustment.
The 3.8 litre engine in place on the Dyno at Saliba Engine Services in Melbourne
The initial test run of the engine produced the following -