Spark plugs look good once the engine is hot - havn't checked them after a cold start. Wondering about doing a compression test - what figure should their compressions be around? 145 psi??? I don't think it's a high compression 3.5 but it could be - I dont know exactly what changes Lotus did to the twin plenum - this one was the last sd1 ever made. Yes Viscous coupling is an issue, although I don't know how one can tell when there's trouble brewing. I guess, in asking you, I"m trying to tap into your experience of a high frequency vibration in pushrod v8's - something a lot of mechanics don't have much experience of.
Yeah I wondered if it might be something like that - what about a tooth or two off the flywheel - would that account for it or doesn't that sort of thing happen much? How does one diagnose an out of balance crankshaft, conrod or flywheel I wonder?
Are you thinking that it could be the crank pulley or vibration damper it'self that might be at fault, or just using them to locate a crankshaft problem?
OK, thanks for that - I'll try it. One final question - On the start-up oil burn, how do I tell whether it's coming in via the exhaust or inlet valve guides?
PS I'm a psychotherapist who collects British Leyland cars for a hobby - got 5 SD1's of various kinds, Daimler x300, 2x Austin Princess 1800 and Rover P6B-S - all beautiful, all leak oil - all break my heart regularly - just like my woman. - c'est la vie!
OK thanks a heap. Talk later.