Stripped engine to replace piston-rings, mains and big-ends. Rebuilt engine and refitted to car with head still removed. Quick check identified pistons WRONG WAY ROUND!! Dropped sump, withdrew piston and found the FRONT marking was facing the front of the engine (I've never disconnected the rod from the piston!)

Removed and refitted pistons, with con-rods now facing wrong way round!!!

Phoned Burtons who said it'll make no difference anyway, as long as the pistons are correct, otherwise they'll hit the head.

Anybody else wasted a WHOLE DAY on something that doesn't matter???

You get used to it...

It's when it's out of your control that it gets really infuriating!!!

[Edited on 28-2-05 by Hellfire]

I wasted a whole day yesterday i got up at 4am loaded all my car up on the trailer and went of to snetterton to a trackday got there at 7am only for them to say at 8.20am that it was cancelled due to over night snow. The annoying thing was at 10am after the tractor went around with the brushes on the track was clear.

Be glad you didn't put a main bearing cap on the wrong way round, spent a very long time trying to make an engine turn over without need of a 5' lever.

I snapped one of the piston rings when rebuilding my engine. Was cheaper in the end to buy a new piston, cos no-one seemed to do rings in less than 4s. Wasted days.

rebuilt an mini engine, then went into "panic mode" did i touque the big ends and mains up, strip back down, gearbox the works on these iccle buggers, yup they where all done up ok, wasted day........