9 replies to this topic

[Findlay94]

Hi

Id greatly appreciate it if someone could give me some guidance on which route to take in potentially achieving as close to 90+ maybe 100+ if im lucky on an engine budget of around up to £1K.

I currently have a 91 1275 cooper engine with only 60k mileage, it ran and lovely with 5 mins work after standing for 3 years so I assume it could handle some extra juice.

I have trauled forums for hours but it has just increased my undecisiveness

Im looking at all options and all combinations; 1275, 1340/1380, wacking a turbo on and upgrading to support it. Anything to give reliability and performance. New heads, cams, rockers, gears, carbs, manifolds, exhausts...???

I intend to do the work myself with a bit of help when I get really stuck to try support myself as Ive just started an apprentice building Merc F1 engines and it has always been a dream to have a mid-range performance engine and a nice car set up. The car rebuild has started, now I need to get some plans in order for the engine!

Begging for any help, especially example of a set-up or someones own project.

If im naive in thinking anything of this is possible then please forgive me and put me in my place, always willing to learn :)

THANK YOU!!!! Dec

[Skortchio]

Cheap / Reliable / Powerful.

Pick 2, you can't have all 3.

60k is edging on rebuild time especially if you're wanting 90+ bhp you're far better off refreshing the engine now rather than stripping things twice.
You can get 90bhp from a good form 1275 with a big valve head, decent intake (HIF44) and exhaust (side exit, twin box RC40 + Maniflow LCB), lively cam and suitably curved ignition. Add in a rolling road session to get it all dialed in. That should do you, more or less.

Rockers are pretty poor in cost vs. performance and gears don't make power.

If you're pulling the engine out for the new cam then you could go with a 1293 (only bore 1 size at a time) while you're at it for a bit more go.

On a budget of £1k I personally wouldn't be looking at a turbo on a 60k motor unless you like picking up bits of engine.

N/A is your more reliable route and 90+ bhp shouldn't be too much of a stretch if you do the work yourself and take time to source parts.

[Findlay94]

Clearest response ive seen on these forums I think haha!

I was wishing to stay away from a turbo to be honest, unless I grabbed an engine already set up with it but I wouldnt be able to trust it. I think youve confirmed my fears that it would cost too much and a lot of setting up with forged pistons etc.

As for the 1275 set up you have there, is it a stage 3 kind of head? Id like to give it a nice rebuild, it must be like a a glass of orange juice and a shower after a hangover or an engine

What is your opinion on larger bores if you dont mind me asking.

I have a good 3 months to source parts as of when they are available.

[Cooperman]

+0.060" is a good overbore as it gives 1330 cc, does not require offset boring, uses a standard gasket, is reliable and the block can subsequently be sleeved & bored again without risk of scrtapping the block.
Pistons to use are AE 21253-60. Use 35.6 mm inlet valves and 30.5 mm exhausts with compression ratio at about 10:1.
For the cam use a Kent 276 with an alloy inlet carrying an HIF44 carb.
Use an LCB ex. manifold and a twin-box Maniflow exhaust system with 1.75" bore.
Use a better distributor, such as a Megajolt which is programmable across the rev range.
Fit a centre main bearing strap.
Build it very accurately and thoroughly.

[Skortchio]

There ya go!
Cooperman is the man to see about tuning, as he has a very nicely improved motor himself.


Head wise, basic step is to get larger inlets 35.7mm in fact which is came on a bunch of MG metros as standard. Or you can get the opened up on a stock head.

While Stage 1 tune is pretty well accepted, 2 through 5 seems to vary depending on who you talk to and where you shop.

But a good head will have be something along the lines of 35.7/29.4 valves, with improvement to the throats (smoothing and slight enlarging) and some removal of excess material in the guide bosses and improving of the shape of the radius to valve seat.

There's a very good reference by A.C. Dodd available on the MLM website and of course Vizzard also has extensive literature on what and where to cut, if you want to do it yourself.

[MrBounce]

Findlay94 there is one piece of advice I would give you. If you are going to rebuild your engine and you go to a decent machine shop, the costs mount up.

My 1275 to 1293 rebore with crank regrind, reconditioning the big valve head (including unleaded valve seats), new pistons and full balance cost me more than I expected. I have no change from £1k. And I have to build it.

So budget for what you think then add at least 25%.

[racingbob]

i got hold of a good 2nd stage 3 head on ebay for my mg metro engine
got a MED substack and itg filter, maniflow stage 2 system

this was about £500

[Findlay94]

Thank you very much guys!

That's all a great help and seems all affordable if I approach it right.

I think I will go with the 1330, as I guess that technically leaves me with more potential as well if I decide to do something extra later I guess.

Would anyone reccomended anyone else over MED for machining I'm terms of cost and results?

Also the best company to recondition the head?

Sorry for all the questions, I just really want to get a great set up her with my limited funds

I now have an actual path to follow!

Thanks again!

Edited by Findlay94, 05 October 2012 - 09:52 PM.

[jd24-7]

I know parts are getting a bit more scarce now, but i went down the route of 1275 engines from dead metros (Tidy crashed ones, there was a good chance the engine still had some life left in it!) followed by a turbo from a metro. Engine / gearboxes used to be £60 - £100 and the last turbo cost me about £25
I need to find another engine and turbo to get me back on the road, so i might be in for a bit of a shock... Maybe have to rebuild instead!

JD
After the turbo engine, i did a vauxhall conversion and respray for under £100 plus alot of hard work! Alot of the choice and cost comes down to making or buying.
JD

Edited by jd24-7, 05 October 2012 - 10:56 PM.

[Findlay94]

Struggling to find appropriate insurance as I will only be 19 when its done Even using like 2k miles which is all it would probably do. Grr I dont fancy using a standard engine!

On a good note the car is completely stripped and rusty bits have met my new best friend, hes called mr angle grinder