Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,

New to forum and getting my first traveller next weekend, 1971 model in White.

I was wondering how many people had put in different/new engines to the Morris ones and which ones?

This is a daft question I know and I apologise in advance. Is it possible to put a diesel engine in the car instead? I want a newer engine thats going to be light on fuel economy.

Thanks a lot for your time and insight.

It depends on what you define as "light on fuel". A well maintained moggy should average 35-40 mpg. On a long run mine does 45-47!
It's got a rebored engine 60thou. KandN airfilter and an unleaded head - nothing else.

Thanks, the engine in mine will be the 1098cc one and I came across a web site where it said mpg was 28 and you can imagine I was quite concerned .

I will be happy with 35+

Hi and welcome! If a Moggy is only doing 28 mpg there is something very wrong with it. I have always averaged 40 mpg in mine, and just as regaliaqueen says, over 45 mpg is possible on a run. There are not many petrol cars that can do that. The key to such economy is regular maintenance, an out of tune Minor will be much worse on fuel.

Good luck with your Traveller, mine is also 1971 in white!

hi i regually get over 45 out of my mog,on a run just drive it sensiably on the motorway say 60ish and you should get those figures

Great thanks for clearing things up, my mind is at rest. I am buying a lovely example and want to keep it as original as possible. It doesnt really need anything doing to it, so that is a bonus too.

Thanks for all your help, see you online again soon when I get my baby

Hi Seadragon, welcome to the forum

It doesnt really need anything doing to it

That's what I said 2 years ago.

Start tinkering, you know you want to

Andrew

I'd stick with the petrol unit.
My 1098 does mid 40's easy with my driving style.
If that isn't good enough what about LPG conversion - certainly a lot easier then a diesel transplant .

Paul Humphries

will be happy with 35+

Expect 38 to 45 MPG from the 1098 if well maintained. In any case, an engine transplant would cost the equivilant of an aweful lot of petrol. Typical engine swaps are Fiat Twin Cam, K-Series, Rover Sd1 V8, and now Zetec.

I would be well happy if mine did 30's or 40's, I seem to be getting 20's but that could be due to the supercharger and the heavy right foot!

Options have been mentioned but what economy would you expect from a mild 1275 marina on standard box, surely it is the way to go?

Welcome by the way and you knopw tinkering is the way forward, or was it backwards.

I'm looking for an 848 engine to try to maximise economy. I doubt these +40 mpg figures - are you all sure your mileometers are reading accuratly ?

Were there ever any 848cc Minors built? I think that engine was just used in minis and A35s.

1098cc Minors will easily do 45mpg, mine always have.

bmcecosse wrote:I'm looking for an 848 engine to try to maximise economy. I doubt these +40 mpg figures - are you all sure your mileometers are reading accuratly ?

I use Satnav data logging and the Moggy odometer (in my car at least) is very accurate. My average MPG is 39.6 measured over five years. Worst was 36 MPG (short runs in winter) Best was 47 MPG long B road run in the borders. Vacuum gauge and trainers help (for feeling pedals, not running along side)

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.

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.

Of course! The idea of the 848 is to stop me flogging it! But at the moment it's just an idea - to see just how economical the car can be made by using smallest possible engine with smallest carb (1 1/8") with a modified high compression head.

No harm in that, give it a try, if you can find an engine.

I had a Minivan with the 848cc engine and I swear that would do 50mpg. It was still a quick little van too, and was the smoothest, quietest A series engine I have known.

Give it a go, why not? Could be an interesting experiment.

I was thinking of the LPG as well but the 2 places I have called wont do it for my Traveller. Does anyone know a place in the Herts (Home Counties) who can do it for me?

It is so tempting to upgrade isnt it, I guess it depends what my wallet can afford.

Luckily the car already has a fair few sublte modernisations already which has saved me a packet but I will have to see what else. I guess when I start going to meeting and shows is when I am going to be really tempted

I thought there was an 803cc OHV engine.

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.

Fuel ecconomy is more about good maintenance and driving habits, rather than engine size. Being able to feel the pedals through thin footware will save most good drivers 10 to 20% in fuel. Roofracks, heavy tools boxes will all use extra fuel as well. I'm amazed that my 1098 Moggy engine, returns the same MPG as my 1.4 MPi Polo, mind you the Polo is a darned site quicker 0-60

Of course if you go up to silly engine sizes, like the 3.5 Litre SD1 V8 it's going to drink fuel no matter how you drive.