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The Sten


Ashley P

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Muh boy got a 2003 S10, 4.3, 5 speed MANual as a "first car".    When I test drove it, cranking at WOT showed that there was a cylinder with low compression. but the truck drove OK and the price was right.

After putting a few hundred miles on it, the idle when warm was rough.   Compression check showed borderline compression on the BEST cylinder, weak on a pair, and barely 50 on a couple (25 first stroke, 50 by the third).  Closed the valves and aired up the cylinders and nothing out the tailpipe, but plenty out the throttle.  Pulled heads.   Asked the old (75?) Ford hotrodder (who does his own valve jobs at home) if he knew anybody who could do a valve job.   Not only did he do the work, he wouldn't even take payment.

Now it runs on all 6 even at part throttle.  And it's less likely to stall when a young driver lets out on the clutch a little too fast.

And the Harbor Freight tool set I bought in 2019 has that under its belt and a Honda engine replacement.   No complaints here.

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  • 4 months later...

For some reason my son has been soaking up youtube racing vids and that lead to taking his Sten to the test and tune.   Hot day, about 85* F, he ran a low 12.   Sadly, that's 1/8 mile at a trap speed of 60!   Gladly, he drove it home, all the connecting rods and U-joints intact.

Treaded tires and a single track left him bewildered on how to launch and not spin....it would break the tire loose from a roll.   But he had a blast.

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 Wait, he's put about 3000 miles on it in the last couple months, and made about 8 passes at the track, one of which he won against a Charger that ran low 6s/120 ish.   

How's your LSX 'maro compare?  😛 

(LSX swapping might happen with my retired square body Sten.  Needs pedals, flywheel, bellhousing, and a rear end that won't explode.)

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1 hour ago, Ashley P said:

 Wait, he's put about 3000 miles on it in the last couple months, and made about 8 passes at the track, one of which he won against a Charger that ran low 6s/120 ish.   

How's your LSX 'maro compare?  😛 

(LSX swapping might happen with my retired square body Sten.  Needs pedals, flywheel, bellhousing, and a rear end that won't explode.)

Mine is ready to hit the track now.

That said...

Next round of mods, I'll redo all the suspension and brakes.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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