Unclejake

If the engine runs OK under load then you may just have a balance issue. It's possible that the rear carb float setting is slightly too high (or the valve is sticky), the front carb butterflys are openining slightly sooner. and perhaps there is a slight loss of compression on either #3 or #4. I'd also be tempted to clamp off that vacuum booster for a bit to see what happens, and re-set the idle mixtures. It's an easy job and makes a big difference to off idle throttle response

How do you know it's the front two cylinders that aren't firing, and what engine do you have these carbs on, and do you know the venturi sizes? There are a lot of potential variables here, so a photo may help. One thing to watch out for is a vacuum brake booster plumbed only off a single carb (not that I think that's the actual problem here... yet).

It is probably the bearings, but if the Type 5 is a single rail box with a removable bellhousing (like the four cylinder ones), then check that the sliding rail is not hitting the bellhousing.

Zep, are you certain the pipes are hooked up correctly on the M/C? If the front and rear lines were in the wrong ports on the M/C then strange things would happen

All suspension components deflect, but lateral control on a leaf rear end is a bit like nitrogen in your tyres. It will get you the last 1% of performance, but is really a waste of time if everything else isn't in perfect condition. Leaf springs already resist the tendency of a live axle to move sideways. Installing fresh, good quality, rubber bushes would be far more beneficial to road-holding. Just like adding some huge four pot calipers; guys love adding stuff to their suspension to make it better, but much of the time I expect they make it worse. You need to get your geometry right before adding anything to suspension or else things will bind up and make the truck less predictable on mid-corner bumps. You can certainly add a Watts, but you need to plan it very well and be certain of your intended ride height and suspension travel before you start. MTCW

First I would remove each bulb, one by one, including the tail lights A crook bulb can be easily overlooked and can cause all sorts of strange dramas whilst appearing to be working perfectly.

Sitting on the side of the road a bit south of Te Kuiti?

Engine light on a '70? I will guess at 'charge' light Check for obvious things like a missing fan belt. It is extreme speculation to think the engine is destroyed unless it stopped rotating after getting hot. If the car stopped again shortly after running out of fuel then you could well have picked up rust flakes from the bottom of the fuel tank.

This I did not know

Sweet. If you go ARP bolts you should probably have the big ends re-sized as the clamping pressure is different than the factory bolts.

The royal flush of Jasons.............. I don't think you are being pendantic at all. A well balanced engine is a delight to drive and produces more power. The trick will be deciding where to loose the 10 grams from. If the crank is already out of the motor then perhaps take it all in to get professionally balanced? They will need a bob weight to do the crank, but in your instance you can't even supply that as you have a choice of weights. As you are using components from different engines you will need to check main bearing clearances very carefully too.

That's a single rail 1600cc box in your photo Shaneo. They came in at least two ratio sets. If you remove the lid and count the teeth on the cog closest to the flywheel (the teeth on the the input shaft, not the spline) it should have either 17 or 19 teeth. 19 is the 'close ratio' box that came in various things such as 1600cc GT MK3 Cortinas and 1600cc GT Capris. You are slightly lucky to have found one with a drain bung. Many of them didn't have a drain at all.

The seating of the valve head onto the valve seat has little to do with oil burn on over-run. When you cruise down a long hill with the throttle closed, the combustion chambers are operating under a lot of vacuum. As the piston decsends after each stroke it will suck air and oil down through the gap between the valve stem and the valve guides. The stem seals constrict that pathway, but if the guides are really worn there is nothing the seal can do about it. When you get to the bottom of the hill and plant your foot back on the throttle there will be a huge plume of blue smoke...... but as you keep driving along the flat it will go away. I am not saying this is your problem, but from what your mate saw it should be checked out Good luck mate. It is hard to kill a Pinto!@!

NGK do the heat range the opposite of Champion plug - so an NGK 7 will run colder than a 5 (but you probably know that). The engine should run OK @ 135psi. I would hate for you to re-build it if it was just a weak ignition set-up and an oil leak somewhere.

What plugs are you using? You may want to go up in heat range (i.e. fit a plug that runs hotter and is more able to burn away oil)

Depending on exactly how you did the comp test: That is a worn engine, but a pretty evenly worn one. You may get away with just a refresh of the ignition system for a while. A worn engine needs a good spark to operate, but that will not reduce your oil consumption. WRT the smoke only on over-run: that points strongly to valve guide wear or valve stem seals being rooted.

wat

POR15 do a pretty good fuel tank sealant if this becomes a regular issue. Slant four Jensen Healey?

I have probably got more shim steel than I will use in my lifetime, so holla if you want some posted down. I approve of your project and there will be no charge (but I can't send it until nek week) UJ

Blinky Bill was looking for somewhere a few weeks ago. Dunno if he still is or if he has any coin

Whoa! Rack and Pinion into a Mk1 Cortina is a noble pursuit. Get some suitable shim steel wrapped around those tapers son. It will rule. I might even have some suitable shim in stock/perhaps I completely mis-understand the scenario ....it is a bit confusing: Have you got an imperial male taper flopping around inside a metric female taper?

Mk2 Cortina arms are definitely longer. Anglia racers used to use the Cortina arm to get more negative camber... I don't know dimensions though sorry What are you up to BS5620?

Well, that ought to motivate people to help you/sarcasm. The carbs would flood as soon as you got an any angle or under G force (like in a corner) so it would not be viable except for a stationary engine

I have put them in the dishwasher before now, but wear gloves when you take it out as they stay hot as for ages. Also wear a helmet and groin protection for when Kate catches you The other option is to get it hot tanked at an engine reconditioner