Engine identity

TVJL

1 April 2012 at 14:08 #48877

I’m trying to identify a 2 litre engine. The number on the timing case reads S5503/2/558. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Tim

Colin M34

1 April 2012 at 15:30 #48878

Hi Tim,

These numbers generally cause much confusion. Would you be able to kindly post some pictures to aid identification?

Colin M34

TVJL

1 April 2012 at 20:35 #48879

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your reply. Here is a photograph.

Regards,

Tim

Attached files

Colin M34

1 April 2012 at 23:11 #48880

Hi Tim,

I really need a general selection of pictures of the front and sides of the engine to identify some of the general features. For example, is this a HC or LC engine, is it early or late etc.

I would also very much like pictures of the oil pipes under the carbs which will allow me to determine that it is speed model not standard model. I think it is speed model as denoted by the “s” on your picture.

Any other information would be most appreciated.

Colin

TVJL

2 April 2012 at 06:43 #48881

Hi Colin,

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to consider this for me. Here are some more snaps, which I hope will do the trick. The engine was run for a number of years in the car of a well-known LC member, before he replaced it with the correct SC engine circa 7 years ago (as i understand it). That’s about all the information I have.

Regards,

Tim

Attached files

lagonda33

2 April 2012 at 07:55 #48882

I have made a study of the Lagonda 2 Litre engine numbering and some of the results were published in two articles in the Lagonda Magazine a few years ago. Your engine is a “side mounted dynamo” engine; usually (but not always – some were made as late as 1931) they were the early 2 Litre engine type for high chassis cars. The number after the last forward slash on the timing case is the serial number of the engine. Your engine is therefore the 588th 2 Litre engine built and the date of manufacture/assembly is roughly the first quarter of 1928. I did not have your engine on file – do you have a registration number of the car the engine belongs (or belonged) to?

TVJL

2 April 2012 at 08:25 #48883

Thanks very much Lagonda33. Very interesting observations and kind of you to post them. I don’t know which car the engine came from originally, although the well-known LC member I mentioned earlier may have the details.

Julian Messent

2 April 2012 at 17:01 #48884

Hi Tim,
As for “Type” that one is easy, It is without a doubt a “High Chassis” “Type” but notice the speech marks, Just because it is of the earlier type does not mean Lagonda fitted it in that car type! They often did some funny things as we have all found over the years.

The engine is though, the early type found in the high chassis cars and 14/60 with the early type block and milled out exhaust etc.

Regards,
Julian

TVJL

2 April 2012 at 17:18 #48886

Thanks a lot Julian. Much appreciated. By the way, Colin mentioned that the serial number might mean that the engine was (at least) destined to go into a Speed Model car, even if it may be open to question, as you suggest, whether it ever got there.

Regards,

Tim

Colin M34

2 April 2012 at 17:22 #48887

Hi Folks,

Yep, it looks like a Q1 1928 HC speed model engine – which stacks up with the previous correspondent’s observations. Pointers are the aluminium cam covers – later HC engines had steel ones. It also has the “1928” and beyond oil distribution, a single pipe from the oil manifold on the timing cover. Early speed model cars had oil pipes which entered the engine via the three semicircular machined casting faces.

Later cars also had a larger capacity oil pump.

The back of the head shows what I think is a repair plate fixed on with two bolts. Mine is also cracked there and this is not really a problem.

Looks good!

Colin M34

TVJL

2 April 2012 at 17:36 #48888

Colin (and gentlemen),

Thank you all so very much for your kind assistance. Now I know what I have, which is great. If only I had a car to put it in! Never mind. :

I will be selling it soon, if anyone is interested.

Regards to you all,

Tim