Hi Dave,
the quote was "BTW, that engine is not likely to "come on the pipe" no matter what you
do to it. It is a long stroke engine."

Sooo ....... since all the above was in the same papargraph it represents a particular point or line of thought according to the use of common English.

There are two statements in that line of thought, one is that the 'engine is not likely to come on pipe,' and the other is that 'it is a long stroke engine.'

And taken at face value you could reasonably assume that you meant that the cause of the engine not coming onto the pipe is that has a long stroke.
So Iasked why this is so. Or 'What has the length of the stroke got to do with a pipe resonating in tune with the engine?'

But I take things very literally and that may not have been your intention.

Cheers.