From The Drive · Stephen Edelstein · · 40s
102.4L Engine Needs Whole Truck to Start
A 102.4-liter engine from 1953 requires a Ford F-150 to start after decades of inactivity.
In brief
A 102.4-liter engine from 1953 requires a Ford F-150 to start after decades of inactivity. The Mirrlees Blackstone JS8 engine, used as a generator on a Royal Air Force base in 1953, started after being manually pumped of water and vacuumed. Originally reported by The Drive.
Engine Scale
The Mirrlees Blackstone JS8 is a 102.4-liter straight-eight turbodiesel engine delivered to the U.K. Air Ministry in 1953.
Engine Inactivity
The engine hadn’t run in years, with a thick layer of patina and water-filled oil passageways.
Starting Challenge
Starting required a Ford F-150 to yank the flywheel after manual water removal and vacuuming.
The takeaway
The Mirrlees Blackstone JS8 engine, used as a generator on a Royal Air Force base in 1953, started after being manually pumped of water and vacuumed.
