Ok it's beginning to look a lot like a project!

[JdeW]

It looks like that rust has eaten away the metal in combination with poor oil, lack of oil changes, leaking piston liner seals, and years of standing in a barn. In general overall lack of maintenance (oil, cooling liquid) judging by the sludge build up on the outside of the pistonliners.
Do as @mojobaby suggested, all the oil feed channels have to be cleaned, the oil pump as well, remove the camshaft also, dismantle and clean the rocker armshaft assembly etc.
@Jurjenz project is a good example and there are more good examples because they handle the Billancourt engine, for me, I am a Cleon engine fan.
But the type of engine doen't matter, it's the final result that counts and that will cost time, a bit of £££, patience and a lot of reading in the correct manuals because Haynes doen't cover all the bits.

 

[mr-reno-139]

I think you are now out of the realms of first-time DIY repairs as as sending an engine away to be rebuilt would be expensive as they will want to replace everything and indeed that maybe be necessary for reliability
as if you cut corners and it fails you have wasted time money and effort
again if you could find a running second-hand engine it may be the simplest method to get it back on the road but the 850 engines and indeed the 750 which for your purposes would Interchange easily are no longer available from every scrap yard at a bargain price
not sure of your location but a trusted member on this forum may have a suitable engine for you if the rest of the car is in perfect condition then spending the money on a rebuild may be more appropriate

 

[KeithS]

Having had quite a lot of experience with race engines, my immediate thought is of the engine having filled with water at some point and left standing for a long time. Corrosion has set in (not rust - the bearings are not made of steel) and as soon as you try to turn the engine over, the bearing surface breaks away. Looking at the other engine photos earlier in the thread, I suggest you find a known used (running) engine and go from there.

 

[Melissa]

Having had quite a lot of experience with race engines, my immediate thought is of the engine having filled with water at some point and left standing for a long time. Corrosion has set in (not rust - the bearings are not made of steel) and as soon as you try to turn the engine over, the bearing surface breaks away. Looking at the other engine photos earlier in the thread, I suggest you find a known used (running) engine and go from there.

no, it was a family runaround before I bought it

 

[Melissa]

Having had quite a lot of experience with race engines, my immediate thought is of the engine having filled with water at some point and left standing for a long time. Corrosion has set in (not rust - the bearings are not made of steel) and as soon as you try to turn the engine over, the bearing surface breaks away. Looking at the other engine photos earlier in the thread, I suggest you find a known used (running) engine and go from there.

and the problems started after a winter of having stood unused, up until then it ran, obviously needed some tlc, mixture needed to be rich to stop it stalling at low revs, then one day it was sticky on starting, not turning smoothly..so I started the investigations!

 

[Melissa]

I think you are now out of the realms of first-time DIY repairs as as sending an engine away to be rebuilt would be expensive as they will want to replace everything and indeed that maybe be necessary for reliability
as if you cut corners and it fails you have wasted time money and effort
again if you could find a running second-hand engine it may be the simplest method to get it back on the road but the 850 engines and indeed the 750 which for your purposes would Interchange easily are no longer available from every scrap yard at a bargain price
not sure of your location but a trusted member on this forum may have a suitable engine for you if the rest of the car is in perfect condition then spending the money on a rebuild may be more appropriate

rest of the car is daily driver standard..few bits of surface rust round windows but never had any welding, solid underneath so not bad for her age

 

[Jurjenz]

Hi Melissa,
Any new update on the engine?
Cheers, jurjen

 

[Melissa]

Hi Melissa,
Any new update on the engine?
Cheers, jurjen

Hi Jurjen, I left it with a garage to change the plate at the rear as it has the wrong one & doesn't allow oil through (who knows why!) but after lockdown I went to collect it & he had no idea how to remove it, so then I decided to do it myself with help from Mojobaby..but then I broke my right hand & am now slowly cleaning out the inside of the engine so I can get back to fixing it up when I get the cast off!!

 

[Jurjenz]

I hope for a quick recovery on your hand!

 

[jjad]

Yes, I hope your hand gets better soon

 

[Melissa]

Thank you x

 

[Melissa]

Ever seen this before?? ok I managed to get the timing plate off with my working hand & found this....so one hole is the oil feed, which has been blanked off..any ideas what the other blanked off hole is? (Bilancourt 782 engine block)

 

[Melissa]

should look like this, the engine I got the timing plate from..

 

[Melissa]

I'm going to remove the blanking plug & then the right plate will fit I think!

 

[Melissa]

top photo is my original engine w blanking plug removed..lower photo donor engine which I just peeled back the gasket & has same 2nd plug in so mine looks good to fit the correct plate, the right tensioner & oil will flow as it should be