13 replies to this topic

[LeonEveritt]

Whats the easiest engine conversion to do, and once done how would that compare to a heavily modified A series engine. Im just interested in what is the best route to go down for more power with limited mechanical skills.

I curently have a 93 Rio 1275 with a hif38 carb, it has very minor mods, plugs, air filter, back box etc.., after christmas i would like to look at improving the power output.

 

Cheers

 

Leon

[Down&Out]

CG13DE!

No expert on the subject but ive been looking into it myself and with my engineers head on, this seems easiest. Allspeed make the frame now too.

Nearly half the weight of the mini engine, 75bhp as standard, 100 obtainable with a decent exhaust and filter (so i've read).

Makes sense to me anyway, the engine is also dirt cheap.

Edited by Down&Out, 16 November 2014 - 02:38 AM.

[LeonEveritt]

would it be more cost effective and easier than say uprating mine to a 1380.

 

Thanks for replying

[cubby1701]

between the allspeed frame bottom arms and delivery your looking around £1000 before you get the engine and box and loom

[Down&Out]

It would be if you made the frame yourself, you get added reliability too.

[M J W J]

From someone who is part way through an engine conversion and decided to build his own frame.

 

NONE!

 

They all have their issues. I'd say that the micra engine conversion is probably one of the easier ones to do but it is still a bit in its infancy so you will have less support from other people compared to if you did a vauxhall, rover, suzuki or honda swap.

 

I'd say that one of the cheapest is the 8v small block vauxhall engine as there are loads of these engines knocking around, gearboxes are easily interchangeable. They have fairly good tuning options afterwards as well so you can get a lot more out of them. Achieving say 150bhp out of a small block vauxhall engine is going to be easier than trying to obtain it out of a CG13DE micra engine.

 

If your goal is only around 100 bhp I'd be tempted to put the money into a 1275 turbo. I ultimately wanted more than this and 5 gears so I could use it more as a daily driver, hence I choose the vauxhall route.

 

After building my own frame I understand why Allspeed charge what they do for their frames. They have taken a lot of the guess work out of a conversion.

 

Its a case of balancing cost, time and skill. If you have the money and want it done quickly then you can compensate for a lack of skill, if you don't have the money then its going to take you a lot longer to do or you are going to have to be much more skilled in fabrication.

 

I'd advise that for any conversion you buy a complete donor car. It will save you money in the long run and makes life much easier to get everything from one source. I wish I had done this.

[Guess-Works.com]

The easiest is to get someone else to do it... That way you save all the headaches, arse scratching and you should get a warranty...

 

ok, you pay for it...

 

The one which will mean the least mods to your mini is actually the Lynx R1 conversion. http://www.lynxae.co...ucts-MiniR1.htm

[Icey]

would it be more cost effective and easier than say uprating mine to a 1380.

 

 

'1380' isn't really an 'upgrade', the increase in capacity will only produce a small increase in power, not something you do in isolation or until you need to.

 

As for engine conversions, as has been said, none are easy. Even with off-the-shelf kits you'll still need alot of 'custom' components. You could just pay someone else to do it but that's not going to be a cheap upgrade.

 

If you haven't got one, buy a copy of David Vizard's 'Tuning the A-Series'. That will point you in the direction of some cheap and easy upgrades and then onto the more complex options.

 

From my own experience, I can't overstate how frustrating engine conversions are. Everything is twice as difficult, everything needs to be modified and everything costs money! Add to that the problems with SVA/MOTs, it's just not worth it unless you are doing it as an engineering exercise (see 'Project Binky').

[LeonEveritt]

thanks for all the replies.

 

I am waiting for 'Tuning the A series' to come into stock at MiniSpares at the moment.

 

reading your replies i think an engine swap will probably come at a later date when i am a bit more experience, probably on a second mini as i use this one as a daily drive.

 

Bearing that in mind what is the maximum performance i can get out my A series, i have in my head around 110 - 130 bhp (dont know where i got this from), is this realistic and if so what do i need to acheive this.

[kezzkitkat]

Depends what kind of money your wanting to spend where about are you located I think ive got a tuning the a series
All engine swaps have good and bad fault
I looked into into a few years back then decide to go 1293 turbo as I thought a series should be in a mini but cost is sky high depending on bhp properly best to do a abit of research on 16vminiforum

[LeonEveritt]

I am in Leicester Forest East

 

Money wise i dont mind what i spend really but bigger amounts will have to be saved for, i know its not really possible but i would really want to do a couple of mods each month where i can. what was so expnsive about the turbo engine, was it the initial donor or all the other little bits needed afterwards.

[LeonEveritt]

on another subject once i have upgraded the engine i will obviously need to upgrade the brakes, i saw a rear disc conversion kit in one of the mini magazines, is this a worthwhile option or an unnecessary expense

[Guess-Works.com]

Correct... Unnecessary expense...

[LeonEveritt]

Thanks for that.