Javelin/Jupiter short engine

[David Morris]

Hi All,

Not sure if anyone else has seen it, but there is currently a Javelin/Jupiter short engine for sale on eBay here in the UK. The eBay item number is 275265025193.

Entering this into the search box should take you straight to it, if you are interested? The advert mentions the block number is E0 PBL 9275, so it's an older block, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as we have found these less prone to cracking. It comes with an oval web crank, which looks, from the photo showing their oval stamp, to be a Laystall one, ground down to -0.010". There are liners and pistons as well, but the cylinder walls are a bit pitted from corrosion. The pistons are reportedly STD, and look like Jupiter ones with the flat top. The gudeoun pins have plastic retention pads, which might mean the pistons are not original?

The price is £675 or best offer? P&P is also available, at £75.

One interesting thing is the flywheel, which is of a type I have never seen before. It looks much lighter than usual, with lots of balancing drillings.

I should mention that I have no connection with the seller, who is apparently in Torpoint, Devon. I once bought a Javelin that was sitting in the front garden of a house in Saltash and drove it back to Kent overnight, but that's another story!

Hope this is useful,

David

[trymes]

The link should be https://ebay.co.uk/itm/275265025193

[Srenner]

Pistons are aftermarket flat tops, rod bolts are the uprated allen head and yes, I would like to see more of that flywheel! At the delivered in the UK price of £750 or $1000, Is this a decent deal? In this might sell in the US as oval web cranks are fairly rare.

[David Morris]

Hi, the question as to whether this is a 'good deal' depends largely on whether the block has any cracks. This can only really be determined by an air pressure test. When we were pressure testing quite a few bocks in the Section, we had a 'pass' rate averaging at about 15%. Early blocks better---later blocks much worse! Then there is the question whether this PB block has been brought up to 'Series 3' specification, by drilling out the oil ways. I realise that 'Series 3' also implies the casting of the strengthening webs, which obviously you cannot add to an earlier block. But, personally, I have always thought these were a bit unnecessary, as the earlier blocks were considerably thicker anyway. Maybe they were added to stiffen the thinner later blocks?

It looks to have a 'Series 3' oil pump, so perhaps the oil ways have been enlarged? You can tell by the large brass plugs the factory fitted to close the ends of the two longitudunal oil ways running behind the tappets. The original ones were much smaller in diameter and made of steel.

Then there's the question of the oval crank. Reportably it's been ground to -0.010", presumably on the big ends, as there is a photo of a con rod out of the engine. No mention of the mains? The Laystall oval stamp is encouraging. I believe they nitrided their cranks to a depth of around 0.018", so there should be some left on the big ends, unless it's been re-nitrided after machining?

So, I am afraid the value is open to debate. Depends on the depth of your pocket I guess?

All the best,

David