The LXC liners were ‘hardened’ rather than plated, which could present a problem with the piston ring bedding in process if the wrong spec oil was supplied. Many of the European/Scandinavian engines, at that time, were being fitted with piston ring designs incorporating much higher radial pressures. In order to reduce the possibility of ring/liner contact the oil companies introduced additives into the oils to keep the required oil film between liner wall and piston ring. The problem was that a customer had to hold two specs of oil, with the possibility that they could be mixed up and cause mechanical damage. The radial pressure designed into the Gardner engines was much lower and needed a base oil to get the initial ring/liner bedding in process completed, after which it was OK to go onto the higher spec oil. If I remember correctly engines were initially filled with the correct oil by Gardner or the OEM with the proviso that the oil be changed at approx. 3-5K miles. The reason for low radial pressure piston rings is to improve your Brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) figure, which affects your fuel consumption.
8LXBV8BRIAN:
Atkinson with the Gardner 8lxb fitted
Did it have Power steering Bri ? Cheers Dennis.
ERF:
windrush:
cav551:
The big end diameters were increased by nominally 1.5 mm and the mains by nominally 8mm.B/E 3.1875" to 3.2500"
M/B 3.6250" to 3.9375"The 8 LXB also introduced a ‘tuned’ exhaust manifold referred to as the bunch of bananas.
Also used on the (not particularly successful) 201/LXC engines, but at least they didn’t crack the manifolds like the older one piece ones!
Pete.
We always knew the 8LXB manifold as ‘The Bagpipes’!
The LXC (in both 6 and 8 cylinder engines respectively) shared identical crankshaft dimensions with the LXB’s.
The larger crankshaft journals of the 8LXB, 8LXC and 8LXCT, and their matching new connecting rods, were utilised on the later turbocharged 6LXDT 230 engine.
The naturally aspirated LXC was really Hugh Gardner’s swan song, and proved a very successful and reliable engine in service, although criticised for lacking in power output in an age then dominated by turbocharged engines. Paul Gardner’s turbocharged 6LXDT, designed to address this criticism, did unfortunately give service ‘issues’.
Just to be pedantic, the 230 was the 6LXCT, the 12.7 litre 6LXDT was rated at either 270, 290 or 310. I seem to recall that the 6LXCT was introduced in about 80/81, the LXDT was much later in about '88.
cav551:
There are a few pictures on the Henley Transport thread which feature Mk2 Atkinsons, but none showing any of the A series ERFs
JYX 550K the my Dads old motor I remember doing some miles in this with him as a kid.
This was also the first motor in Kent to have the 240 gardner in it.
acd1202:
Just to be pedantic, the 230 was the 6LXCT…
Not pedantic at all - just my finger faux pas, thanks for the correction!
To keep things accurate and detailed for those interested…(?)
The naturally aspirated LXC engines were introduced at the 1980 Earls Court Commercial Motor Show.
The LXC engines shared most major parts with the later manufactured LXB.
Most (but not all) of the changes made were to facilitate the slightly higher speed running, and fuel pump calibration.
The liners were different, and have been been covered well in previous posts.
The pistons in the LXC had three-rings, and were 15:1 compression ratio ‘Alfin’ type. The LXB also had three-ring pistons later in production, but initially these pistons were 14:1 compression ratio. The higher compression ratio was to improve cold starting and smoke emission, and these pistons (not rings) could be fitted to older engines, but obviously only in engine sets. The LXC piston shared its centre ring with the LXB, but the top compression and scraper rings were unique to the LXC and could not be used in the LXB for reasons explained in previous posts relating to the harder liners. Incidentally, chromium plated rings (albeit lower tension) were used in the LXB.
The cylinder head castings of the LXC were modified from the LXB to give better flow, but the valves, springs, and even the injectors (…‘sprayers’) were in fact identical between the two. The LXC used the exhaust valve rocker from the LXB for both valves, but the LXB had a different inlet rocker.
The camshaft lobes of the LXC were identical to the later LXB, the so-called ‘5D’ type.
The 6LXC kept its tuned exhaust manifold right through production, but by late 1981 the 8LXC had reverted to the standard 8LXB ‘bagpipe’ type, for service issues covered in previous posts.
Other LXC changes included a plastic fan, updated belt drive etc…
Reading all this tale of woe about Gardners am I glad I decided that after I had bought the last two 8LXC Sed/ Atks in 1984 I decided to stick with the Scandinavian marques, well Scania and not many Volvos 
Cheers Bewick.
Here’s a rather purposeful-looking A-series with a 240 Gardner in. Pigeon loft to sleep in and a tilt to exercise on. Luxury! Robert
Bewick:
Punchy Dan:
0this belongs to a friend of mine and is driven by another ,it still has the tipping gear on and was until recently still used for straight bar towing in duties .Now as an Atky operator from years ago Dan’l that is a very interesting shot because that D85 drive axle ( if it is 100% original) must have been one of the very first fitted as at the time of the “K” reg 70/71 they were still fitting BDR axles with under slung springs unless you ordered an Eaton axle, very interesting
WATERS ATKINSON
i know that Atki very well a pal of mine who lived across the road drove it for ages, as far as a know its never been touched from new … shes had an engine rebuild the new owner told me at Llandudno show about 6 years ago…