MGA Engine | Workshop Uncut | Car S.O.S. 

If you have space to take an engine apart and put it back together just do it, your tool kit as a mechanic should be quite sufficient. You can buy a single cylinder motorbike engine which needs work, for about £25. Take it apart, re-assemble it, and repeat as necessary. When you have done that a few times you can get it back to as-new condition, or just scrap it and try something else. When working with engines you need to be very good at taking measurements, this is more important than mechanical ability.If you can measure well it doesn't matter how many times you need to make adjustments to get things perfect, if you can't measure well things never will be perfect. I also recommend that you read 'Internal Combustion Engines' by Litchty. Go for it, and I wish you good luck with it.

it's simply worn out, been sitting for a few years and needs rebuilding. my '61 was equally worn out by the time i bought it in 1970 and needed rebuilding too. BITD engines needed periodic rebuilding (i.e. main and rod bearings, oil pumps, water pumps, rings and clutch plates) about every 50-100 thousand miles.

I wouldnt just dip my bits in Johnson's pint at the moment