403 replies to this topic

[Asphalt]

Hi all!

Can't sleep, so I decided to start my own projekt thread.
My Mini needs some rust and crash repairs - so thats a good time to add some performance too.

As I went to the SRR08 the weekend before, I crashed into a Golf (was tired after 2-3 hours of traffic jam).
No major damage, but needs to be pulled out plus some new paint.
And the rear end has become rusty the last 3 years - and needs a replacement.
Luckily the only panel in need of replacement (it's a '84!).

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Now the part I like the most: my funny iron-puzzle
I'm currently having a 1275 50HP SPI engine, with 'Stage1' and HIF44.
It runs well and economical - but I'm in need of a bit more steam!

And - as I'm a rather poor student - it needs to be 'no-budget performance'.
Which means: no extraordinary expensive high-tech parts and doing everything possible by myself.

The base for the new engine is a 1275 RSP Cooper engine.
Got it for almost free - but needs a rebore and new bearings + pistons.
I don't want to go for a 1380. My aim is something unusual.
I'm currently searching for +.030 pistons + rings. They are quite rare nowadays
but will give 1300 (or 1301) cc - that's the biggest legal bore I can go.
In Germany taxes are based on the engine's cc, x€ per 100cc. I'm paying for 1275cc - so I'm "allowed" to go up to 1300cc.
1310+cc will go to the next 100cc step in taxes and cost a little more... But the thing is: I just want an exotic bore

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The internals look very healthy, exept of the exploded piston which damaged the cylinder wal
Rolled radius A+ crank and good A+ rods.
Will be balanced and weighted. same with the flywheel (balancing together, of course).

The head I'm going to use is of an Innocenti B39, 36/29mm 11 stud.
I will try to port it myself. Thats why I have another - cracked - Innocenti head for practice
The good head cost me a bit - the other was for free.

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Polished valves, 36mm in, 29mm ex. Swapped for something I forgott.
Maybe I'm going for 30mm ex - but due to the minor difference I'm not sure about it yet.
My (smal) budget will decide what to to

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As mentioned, I have a smal budget.
So I'm not going to use high-tech aftermerket stuff like full roller rockers and the like.
An old Innocenti pressed steel rocker shaft must be sufficient (they'r stil WAY better than the sintered A+ *rubbish*).
Got it cheap as well (like 5puond).

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And now the most desirable part of the engine:
The 1.5" Reece Fish carburetter. It's a rare early piece with the original cast Reece alloy manifold!
Pure retro porn! Expensive - but bought before becoming a student

As I couldn't find an original trumped I ordered a custom one.
Another reason for the custom trumped is that with the original it would have only be possible to fit a sock filter.
And I don't like sock filters... So my trumped has a big brim to support a K&N filter.
The second trumped is more like a stubstack to give more room for air inside the smal filter. I will see which one works the best.

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The only thing I'm not sure about is the camshaft.
Either I go for a Swiftune SW5-07, try the experiment with the A+ 998 high compression cam (the one I have - would cost me nothing) or - I don't know.
MG Metro is another choice, or cooper 997. Or MD246, or MD266 (but opions are divided about MD266 over here).

Compression will be around 10:1 ish.


Plan 'B', if my budget is too smal for a new engine:
I'm having a complete set of new RSP Cooper (&co.) pistons.
If my budget should be too smal for a completely new engine, I will put them in the SPI engine and put the head on there.
That's my 'rescue plan'.

The engine needs to come out anyways,
I want to check the transfer gears and the gearbox needs a rebuild...

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(But if anyone is in need of a swap (cooper for +.30) - PM me )

For my new engine I'm getting another A+ rodchange gearbox.
All I have to do is bring an 998 Cooper engine from Switzerland to Berlin.
(Would have ben gone to Berlin regardless of it - but it's a nice addition, isn't it?)

So thats the iron-puzzle I'm going to play with. I
t may take a while to report any progress here - but stay tuned!

Best regards,
Jan

PS: Thats the current negine:

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Edited by Asphalt, 10 August 2008 - 01:47 AM.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Good luck with the project!!! looks like a nice little mini and sounds like you have some good plans for her.

Good luck once again.
Cheers
Craig

[Retro_10s]

That, sir, is a beautiful carb. Want to send it to me for £1 and a chococlate hob nob? must be great not to have to change a needle ever again

[Asphalt]

Thanks!

That, sir, is a beautiful carb. Want to send it to me for £1 and a chococlate hob nob? must be great not to have to change a needle ever again

Haha - erm - NO!
But here's one on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=290251806194

I'll see how it works.
I've heard from several people that the setup isn't that easy as it says in the manual.
And on the down side it has no choke - so I might figure out how to add one (keeping the throttle a bit opened should be sufficient).

Cheers,
Jan

[timbo]

Regarding the setup of the fish carb i think you are right it isn't as easy as it says in the manual. However it is still easier than tuning an su or a weber as there is no need to play about needles or getting it jetted, all you need is screwdriver.

With regards to the engine on start up with no choke on the carb i think that is part of the design og the carb to allow enough fuel into the engine on idle. That also needs to be setup intially.

Good luck with it any way mate and keep us posted as my minnow fish will be going onto my 1071 once it is finally built whenever that will be.

[AndrewJ530]

Sorry to be a pain but whats the difference between a fish carb and an SU? I'm a slight novice when it comes to things like this lol.

[Down&Out]

thats carb porn!

[Asphalt]

Regarding the setup of the fish carb i think you are right it isn't as easy as it says in the manual. However it is still easier than tuning an su or a weber as there is no need to play about needles or getting it jetted, all you need is screwdriver.

With regards to the engine on start up with no choke on the carb i think that is part of the design og the carb to allow enough fuel into the engine on idle. That also needs to be setup intially.

Good luck with it any way mate and keep us posted as my minnow fish will be going onto my 1071 once it is finally built whenever that will be.

you seem to have some experiences? I my come back to you at a later time

1071... The engine of my dreams!
Lucky you!

Sorry to be a pain but whats the difference between a fish carb and an SU? I'm a slight novice when it comes to things like this lol.

An SU meters the fuel via a needle, attached to a piston which rises or falls in relation to the sucktion provided by the engine, resp. the position of the throttle.
The needle sticks into the jet. Making the needle smaler (or choosing s thicker one) at certain positions of the piston's position is therefore needed to achieve correct fuel metering.
Plus it has dampers (oil and a spring) which need to be set up to prevent the piston from rising too fast which will result in a chocked engine during to lean mixture (velocity of the airstream over the jet drops and can't suck enough fuel out of the jet if the piston rieses too fast).

Basicly like this:


The Fish carb has just three to five holes in a hollow throttle shaft. Plus a little grub screw to restrikt the total amount of fuel coming through.
This is the metering for full-throttle. Part throttle is adjustet via the throttel itself, resp. the angle between shaft & throttleplate (throttle is just clamped on!).
As a plus the Fish carb has a very effective accelerator pump. The swing arm in the float chamber is attached to the throttleshaft. It runs in a little compartiment and if moved quickly, the fuel gets pushed against a little faether, or leave valve, which closes and forces the fuel to go into the shaft and spray out of the holes there. On part throttle air enters the top holes of the shat, at full throttle the mixture/fuel is drawn out of all (six) holes and mixes with the airstream.




So all you have to do is - basicaly - turn two screws to adjust it
(Plus a third for idle)

I hope that's somehow understandable - my english isn't that good speaking about technical stuff

Cheers,
Jan

Edited by Asphalt, 10 August 2008 - 06:05 PM.

[AndrewJ530]

Nice one! where did ya find that beauty then?

[Asphalt]

eBay

[AndrewJ530]

Haha the old fleabay, good call lol.

[kcchan]

You look like you've got some good plans for this little mini. Your english is very good aswell, better than some people on here. The only way I could tell you was German is the fact that you spell project with a "k". You seem to have a very good understanding of engines aswell and a very good ability to explain things. Ill be watching this thread, hoping to learn afew more things.

[T.Harper]

Aren't exhaust emissions bad from Fish carbs? - They don't achieve fuel atomisation as well as an SU which can lead to unburnt fuel in the exhaust - will this be a problem in Germany? Are there any standards you will need to pass?

[Asphalt]

Aren't exhaust emissions bad from Fish carbs? - They don't achieve fuel atomisation as well as an SU which can lead to unburnt fuel in the exhaust - will this be a problem in Germany? Are there any standards you will need to pass?

Some say atomisation is better, some claim the opposite.
But I think the accelerator is very 'rough' when squirting fuel out of the big holes...

And as I'm officialy in the worst of the worst known emision classes (resp. 'emision class unknown' ) it should be hardly a problem.

I need to pass an emission test every two years, which means runing on idle (under 900rpm) for 15-20 seconds with a co. lower than 3.5% for my emission class.
I think thats achievable. But: I don't know yet... Will see
A fairly larger problem will be the open K&N. In Germany any modification needs to be aproved by an TÜV (=MOT) engineer. And open airfilter systems are forbidden in combination with 'sports' exhausts. Maybe I can get away with insulating the bonnet; will see, too...

Cheers,
Jan

[T.Harper]

I guess in the worst case scenario you could just adjust the mixture for the test