ORIGINAL: downunder
Did your engine have an extremely tight pinch? Both my SE and RE versions were unbelievably tight but after much running in the RE is now a delight and has had quite a bit of use in a CL model.
Brian, I am going to be a tease here, did you run it in as per the advice found in another famous thread on this site?
(Runs for cover behind the lounge!)
And yes Macheast was the Iya's trading name many years ago, if you strike out trying to contact him then I suggest PMing 'diesel diehard' on this site as he, Iya and myself help doctor the Marz article on Ron's Model Engine site - Iya seemed very informed about what was going on during the communist days.