newagetraveller wrote:I thought there was an 803cc OHV engine.
Indeed there is, but they are completely gutless, and would need to hammer it and still you would be holding traffic up.
I had an A30 with the 803 and like you say totally gutless.
My current A35 has a 948, with an SU off a 1098 A40, and I must say it goes quite well with good economy.
bmcecosse wrote:Yes - A35 vans had 848 engine, never as standard in Minor. I like the trainers idea! My poor Traveller struggles to get 30 mpg - but then it gets well thrashed anytime it's out.
And you've tweaked it for more power too. If you want better economy, don't drive it as hard. I get considerably more MPG when I cruise at 60 or so in the wake of a HGV rather than flogging it flat out. Putting an 848 in will mean you don't have the extra power available when you really need it.
Alex, what revs are you at when doing 60mph? Do you have the standard Minor 'box?
Hello all, just a thought, would an extra gear help the mpg? My Van, when I bought it had the original diff in and I always thought it sounded like it needed another gear to go in when I was going about 45mph approx. Someone suggested I put a saloon diff in, I did this and it seems to be better but I still think it could do with a 5th gear and I would have thought this would help with the mpg. Then I was told not to mate a 5 speed box to the original 1098 engine so I'm not sure about it now. Anyway, just a thought.
Yes - a 5th gear will help slightly, but only if the engine has enough power to pull that gear. Trubble is - it's not cheap to fit a 5 speed box, so would take about 10 years to repay the cost!
The old trick was to fit a Wolseley 1500 diff, but obviously these are scarce now. I must be honest and say that the standard gearing of the 1098 cars has always been fine for me, ideal in town, and still ok up to about 70.
The 1098 engine can only just pull the gearing it come with. Only if the power is increased - or a 1275 engine fitted - should higher gearing be considered. One exception would be where the car lives in relatively flat country with no hills - then a higher gear could be pulled - but the fuel savings are never likely to pay back!
The 803 engine had a very lazy camshaft - and a very weak crankshaft. Otherwise indeed that would be one way to go for economy, the cam is an easy change - the crank sadly not! The beauty of an 848 is the short stroke and overall relative 'unburstability' of the engine.
