Lund's MG Metro 1275 Engine Build

[FWDRacer]

The spacer goes on the outside of the Water pump pulley, so fan belt/alternator alignment is unaffected. The spacer puts the fan 3/8" closer to radiator vanes.

[guru_1071]

lund

you will need two or three of the spacers,

dont forget that you have to account for the fan blades 'pulling in' when hot and running, so its not enough just to space it off when the engine is cold and static.

beleive me, for the hassle your going to have trying to fit the rad once you have spaced the fan i would buy a flat breather cover.

its many years since i bothered with the round breather (before the flat breather ones could be got) and they where nothing but trouble and heartache.

[Mini_Lund]

guru_1071 said:

you can buy the later covers with the ready flattened side from minispares for not a lot of money (for far less than the hassle of sorting the round canister breather out on yours)

Flattened Breather, £39.08 inc vat

http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&p...

Bugger that, I'll take the grinder to the breather. By how much needs to come off to clear the fan? This is a real ball ache this is guys!

What do I do about the gauze on the inside?

Edited by Mini_Lund on Monday 6th April 19:18

[GTRMikie]

guru_1071 said:

lund

you will need two or three of the spacers,

I fitted a 1275 MG engine in my van and I had to use two spacers. Fitting the radiator was a bit fiddly but not a problem. Fit the radiator shroud with the bottom securing bolt loose, so that the shroud can be swung towards the engine. Fit the fan then slide the radiator in, hold it in position, being careful not to damage the core (another pair of hands may make this easier) then swing the shroud forward and bolt the shroud to the radiator using the correct bolts (short!). Put the top bolts in first to secure the rad then it is fairly easy to fit the bottom two as long as you haven't got forearms like Popeye! Finally tighten the lower shroud securing bolt.

eta: you may require longer fan bolts if you use two spacers

Edited by GTRMikie on Monday 6th April 22:20

[Mini_Lund]

Completed the timing cover. I decided to stick with it rather than buying a different cover. I wasn't ready to give in on this one just yet! So here we are. I'll let the pics do the talking:













...right. Whats next?!

[mish000]

whats a good fast road cam to go in one one of these engines?
i have minor head mods (3 angle valve grind, bullet nose valve stems, unleaded valve seats)
block bored +20 with mihle pistons
it is a MG metro engine also btw

oh bare in mind it has 1.5 ratio roller rockers too so i cant make it too higher lift

Edited by mish000 on Sunday 12th April 10:38

[minimatt1967]

mish000 said:

whats a good fast road cam to go in one one of these engines?
i have minor head mods (3 angle valve grind, bullet nose valve stems, unleaded valve seats)
block bored +20 with mihle pistons
it is a MG metro engine also btw

Kent 266, or 276 if you want a little more spice. Swiftune SW5 has a phenomenal reputation as a do it all cam, and on the RR sheets I've seen it creates a great torque and power curve.

[Cooperman]

Personal favourite would be a Kent 266.It's not too 'wild' but will pull nicely up to around 6500,with peak power around 6000 and peak torque at about 4200. With 1.5 rockers, these numbers may move up a bit and you'll only get the benefit of the extra lift at over about 5000. With the higher lift rockers you'll lose a bit of torque and power lower down.
Still, it'll be a very nice engine with all that.

[mish000]

this cam chain breather problem will i also have it when putting my metro engine in my clubman 1275gt chassis?

[minimadmotorman]

I believe in the clubman that your fan is spaced far enough to avoid this problem.

[GTRMikie]

minimadmotorman said:

I believe in the clubman that your fan is spaced far enough to avoid this problem.

Yes, the clubman came with a much thicker spacer which is also just the right size for drifting in the outer races of tapered front wheel bearings!

[Mini_Lund]

Hi all,

I am having the gearbox rebuilt by a friend in the mini club whom has built gearboxes and messed with mini's for years and ocassionally still does. However he informs me that he hasn't touched a gearbox in 2 years! I took my box to him and he instantly idenfified it as an early metro box, mk1 metro infact. - how he knows this I have no idea! Its upto the job. Graham will fully rebuild it for me.

However, he's trying to convince me against using the 3:1 differential. He says nothing will touch the mini until 60mph, great..but it will be screaming at 70mph and it will give no-more. He's wanting me to use a 3:44 differential - as standard. What do you guys think?

He also speaks of hardy spicer bits? & he showed me some straight but gears.. no thanks!

What diff would you guys reccommend? I do want it to accelerate well, however I want to be able to cruise at 60 too if possible..

Thanks, Tom

[guru_1071]

tom

stick to the potjoints, the hardy spicer stuff is expensive and just not required for what you need - we dont even use it on the racers.

id say a 3.4 is too low for road use unless all you do is town and back roads. any long journys it will be a screamer - dont forget that the metro ran tall 13" tyres to make the ratio 'appear' longer

have a look at this site, it works it out quite well.

http://www.guess-works.com/Gearbox/Technical/ratio...

[Mini_Lund]

guru_1071 said:

tom

stick to the potjoints, the hardy spicer stuff is expensive and just not required for what you need - we dont even use it on the racers.

id say a 3.4 is too low for road use unless all you do is town and back roads. any long journys it will be a screamer - dont forget that the metro ran tall 13" tyres to make the ratio 'appear' longer

have a look at this site, it works it out quite well.

http://www.guess-works.com/Gearbox/Technical/ratio...

I will be doing town and backroads, however the odd jaunt to a mini show up a dual carriageway wont hurt; 3.44 still sound reasonable?

Parts required for gearbox:

ADU7619 Single Roller
AAU1365 Double Roller
Baulk Rings x4 (Leyland specials)
13H9513 1st Motion shaft needle roller with 18mm main shaft
Central Oil Pickup?

Parts required for diff:

12G2583 Diff Cross Pin
2A7015 Pinion x2
2A7062 Bronze Thrust Washers A+ x2

Obvious gaskets and x2 drive flange oil selas..


Does this sound about right to you guys?

The hardened baulk rings are currently out of stock on minispares, I'll have to give them a ring.

Some of the part numbers don't quite match up, having difficulty sourcing the correct parts, can anyone help out?

Thanks, Tom

[minimatt1967]

3.44 all the way, a great balance for B road bashing and relatively reasonable Motorway munching ability, my 30 was great with the 3.44 final drive a few trips to Silverstone (from Bournemouth) in reasonable comfort, and I'm not talking about inside lane at 50-60mph!

[GTRMikie]

If you're fitting a 1275 engine with 10" wheels, I'd go for the 3.1. This was recommended to me by Andy at ML Motorsport. So it's what I put in my van, and I wouldn't go back to a 3.4!

[Mini_Lund]

GTRMikie said:

If you're fitting a 1275 engine with 10" wheels, I'd go for the 3.1. This was recommended to me by Andy at ML Motorsport. So it's what I put in my van, and I wouldn't go back to a 3.4!

I'm still wanting to use the 3:1, will be untouchable to 60

[minimatt1967]

erm are you of the thinking the 3.1 fd will give you super quick acceleration? If you wish for that you need either a 3.7 or 3.9 fd, the 3.1 is more a relaxed motorway cruiser and makes 3rd gear very long indeed, when my 30 had its 998 engine with Cooper head and stage 1 kit it would nearly pull off the end of the speedo in 3rd. But in a 1000 at least this made 4th somewhat frustratingly lacklustre, my friend has similarly spec'd (1293cc 276 cam ported head etc) car to my own, italian job mini with the 3.1 final drive but I have yet to make the comparison so I couldn't comment further.

[Mini_Lund]

minimatt1967 said:

erm are you of the thinking the 3.1 fd will give you super quick acceleration? If you wish for that you need either a 3.7 or 3.9 fd, the 3.1 is more a relaxed motorway cruiser and makes 3rd gear very long indeed, when my 30 had its 998 engine with Cooper head and stage 1 kit it would nearly pull off the end of the speedo in 3rd. But in a 1000 at least this made 4th somewhat frustratingly lacklustre, my friend has similarly spec'd (1293cc 276 cam ported head etc) car to my own, italian job mini with the 3.1 final drive but I have yet to make the comparison so I couldn't comment further.

I was thinking that yes, it seems I have got it the wrong way round! Thanks for clearing that up 3.44 it is!

[FWDRacer]

If you have a standard Mk1 metro box it'll be running 3.44/1. In the unlikely event of you having a 3.1, there is good s/h money in the 3.1 diff if you chose not to use it. Don't bin it

Personally with a tuned 1275 and 10" wheels I'd plump for using a 3.1 diff. The engine will have the legs to pull it and acceleration will still be more than adequate. It'll give you the best all round compromise (and that is excatly what a diff is - compromise!).