Noisy 1275 (With video!)

[williamraff]

I served my time at Vickers Engineering - we made the Trident / Vanguard Submarine and the lightwight "Chobham" armour for the Warrior Main Battle Tank. I still have contacts in the Leeds division. As for the sodium valves, I will be installing an MG turbo eventually when time and funds allow .
Will.

[bmcecosse]

Oh dear....... There may be trouble ahead!
Completely different engine build required if you are going with a pressure charged engine!

[williamraff]

Please enlighten - I have seen one completed on YouTube and a complete set of parts went on ebay for £200.00. I get the impression you are not a fan or are you hinting at prohibitive rebuild costs?? .

[bmcecosse]

Crikey ! In the space of a few posts we've gone from worrying about rattly rockers to building a full blown Turbo engine !
It will work - but to make it last any time you need low volumetric compression ratio, strengthened pistons, uprated oil pump (which won't easily fit behind the Minor backplate), strengthened mains and big-end shells (which means modifying the mains caps to take them -and probably 4 bolting the centre main with a strengthening cap) running on a Tuftrided crank (I'm not aware of any Nitrided cranks for the Marina/Ital engine although you could probably have one specially made in EN40B for ~ £1000/£1500) , and the Turbo head (with your sodium filled exhaust valves) and of course the ubber expensive Turbo head gasket, a standard camshaft - and of course the Turbo itself in GRO with manifolds - and the special 'blow through' SU carb - and a good exhaust system!
Keep us informed how you get on.........

[williamraff]

I know it's mad ! This forum should carry a Government health warning " Not to be used unless accompanied by a responsible adult !"
I get the impression with these Minors that it is a case of extremes - you either put up with what you have and tinker to maintain and / or upgrade slightly or you take advantage of the frequently required engine / gearbox removal operations and upgrade everything in site (finances permitting).
It appears that it is almost too easy to take a stock, almost pedestrian vehicle and turn it into a bit of a "snorter" ! But where do you stop?
I beleive it would be agood idea Roy, if you and / or similarly experienced members of this forum were to put together an "ingredients list" for the main derivatives of the "A" series engine - citing parts required and related improvements and post this a "sticky"
That way we would have a "one stop shop" for know how on improving each engine, accumulating the necessary parts and an idea in advance of associated time, costs and expected improvement over standard.
What do you think?

[bmcecosse]

It's pretty much all available if you use the search function - only Mods can make 'stickies'.
Get your hands on a Vizard A series book - of course it's Mini oriented - but much of the work applies also to the in-line engines.