Author Topic: MK V engine number query  (Read 5988 times)

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Offline Jonathan Hewitt

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MK V engine number query
« on: 29 Aug 2017 at 18:56 »
Good evening all ,
                I have just bought a Mk V with engine no ' 8944SH ' is this engine right for a  MKV and what does the 'SH' signify please ?
Jonathan

Offline eddie

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #1 on: 29 Aug 2017 at 20:49 »
Jonathan,
               Are you sure that engine number is correct? Could it possibly be 8944 S4? - in which case it would be a Mark 4 Sports engine (possibly with the hotter 'S' cams).
  Regards,
                Eddie.

Offline Jonathan Hewitt

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #2 on: 30 Aug 2017 at 05:50 »
Morning Eddie,
             most definitely an    ' H '
Jonathan

Offline Jonathan Hewitt

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #3 on: 30 Aug 2017 at 19:16 »
should be an engine no attached

Offline douglas1947

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #4 on: 31 Aug 2017 at 16:50 »
Jonathan,

the engine number is very unusal.
I send you  the photo of my MK4 engine number to have a look.

Michael

Offline eddie

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #5 on: 31 Aug 2017 at 17:11 »
Jonathan,
               Looking at the style of your engine number in comparison to that on Michael's engine, it appears to be in a different font/ size to that used by the factory. Your number (8944) comes very late in the Mark 4 series - not Mark 5. Maybe your engine is a replacement and has been restamped by a previous owner to match the original. Mark 4 and 5 engines were identical (only being distinguished by the suffix to the number) - earlier crankcases were outwardly the same but had detail differences internally.

  Regards,
              Eddie.

Offline Pensioner73

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #6 on: 31 Aug 2017 at 18:59 »
Looks as though the original has been ground off, the casing is flattened under the SH number.

Offline Reg

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #7 on: 01 Sep 2017 at 10:04 »
Jonathan,
               I can confirm from the original postwar Douglas factory despatch records that machine with number 8944 was a Mark 4 Sports model sent to BELL and McCANDLESS of BELFAST on 31/8/1950. Bell and McCandless I believe were well known dealers with a particular interest in Nortons and possibly involved in the development of the 'featherbed frame' for Norton. I'm sure other forum users can fill in the details. Knowing this, did they have a play-a-bout with the engine themselves and changed the engine number details?
Reg

Offline Pensioner73

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #8 on: 01 Sep 2017 at 10:27 »
What numbers do the gearbox and frame have?

Offline Jonathan Hewitt

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #9 on: 01 Sep 2017 at 19:28 »
Good evening and thanks, all,
    I have looked at the casting around the number area and it is not nice and round as the 'Douglas ' finish but is indeed flattened off. There is no gearbox number but I do need to look at another box to see and feel any differences.
Frame no is 11355
  Jonathan

Offline eddie

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #10 on: 01 Sep 2017 at 20:27 »
Jonathan,
               A Mark 5 with the frame number 11355 first appeared in the LDMCC machine register in 2001. At that time, it already had engine number 8944 - so your engine and frame have been paired up for at least 16 years. It is a puzzle as to why your engine number has been restamped, as it doesn't match your frame number, and it's original frame (8944) apparently no longer exists.

  Regards,
                 Eddie.

Offline douglas1947

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #11 on: 04 Sep 2017 at 12:30 »
There is also a 2nd number on the MK engines in front of the oil filler cap. Is this an assembly number of engine builder?
Are these numbers also noticed in the factory despatch records?

Michael

Offline Reg

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #12 on: 04 Sep 2017 at 17:49 »
Michael,
I have no idea what the number near the oil filler cap signifies. The despatch records record only the engine number, the dealer/agent it was sent to, and date of despatch. The exception to this is with the early Plus 90 machines with the engine prefix 'X90/xx' . Unfortunately these numbers have not been recorded. In these cases the frame number may(?) be the official record.
Reg

Offline eddie

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #13 on: 04 Sep 2017 at 19:32 »
Reg,
        Do you think that number could be an engine identification number used in the factory prior to the engine being installed in the frame and stamped with a matching number? - just a thought!

  Regards,
               Eddie.

Offline douglas1947

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #14 on: 05 Sep 2017 at 05:07 »
It was just a thought.

Panther bikes have not only the engine number, but also a builders number (with a prefix).

Michael


Offline Pensioner73

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Re: MK V engine number query
« Reply #15 on: 05 Sep 2017 at 08:12 »
Could it be a part number stamped on because it is slightly different in some way to the standard part. Somebody dropped a little clanger in manufacture.