What is involved fitting a Metro turbo engine!
Discussion
Car:
I would also recommend that you have a good shell to begin with.
Fit an automatic front subframe, but use manual mounts (shifts the engine forward slightly).
Upgrade the cooling system. 2-Core rad as a bare minimum, Electric fan that cuts in under 5mph is beneficial.
Uprate the brakes, discs are essential, preferably with a servo for road use. The 4-pot calipers off the metro with Vented discs is a good starting point.
Front suspension needs to be slightly stiffer, due to the extra weight of the turbo assembly.
Fit new engine mounts, preferably stiff poly ones and an engine steady to stop the turbo catching the bulkhead.
You'll need a turbo exhaust, the bracketry is different and the flow characteristics need to be right otherwise it'll screw the turbo/engine.
Air feed assembly for the turbo with an air filter!
Engine:
The heater on most minis requires a tap on the head, this is not standard on the metro and will need to be drilled out.
Water pump bypass, the water pump will need to be replaced with a mini type and have the head drilled for the bypass hose.
Either an new wastegate for the turbo for the desired pressure (wastegate is 4psi on the Metro T3) or Fit the entire bleed system from the metro (probably not with the engine).
If you're not rebuilding the engine, replace the oil pump anyway.
Fit the oil cooler from the metro.
Gearbox:
The Gearbox will probably need a rebuild and it is recommended to fit a cross-pin diff.
I would also recommend that you have a good shell to begin with.
Fit an automatic front subframe, but use manual mounts (shifts the engine forward slightly).
Upgrade the cooling system. 2-Core rad as a bare minimum, Electric fan that cuts in under 5mph is beneficial.
Uprate the brakes, discs are essential, preferably with a servo for road use. The 4-pot calipers off the metro with Vented discs is a good starting point.
Front suspension needs to be slightly stiffer, due to the extra weight of the turbo assembly.
Fit new engine mounts, preferably stiff poly ones and an engine steady to stop the turbo catching the bulkhead.
You'll need a turbo exhaust, the bracketry is different and the flow characteristics need to be right otherwise it'll screw the turbo/engine.
Air feed assembly for the turbo with an air filter!
Engine:
The heater on most minis requires a tap on the head, this is not standard on the metro and will need to be drilled out.
Water pump bypass, the water pump will need to be replaced with a mini type and have the head drilled for the bypass hose.
Either an new wastegate for the turbo for the desired pressure (wastegate is 4psi on the Metro T3) or Fit the entire bleed system from the metro (probably not with the engine).
If you're not rebuilding the engine, replace the oil pump anyway.
Fit the oil cooler from the metro.
Gearbox:
The Gearbox will probably need a rebuild and it is recommended to fit a cross-pin diff.
I've had 2 turbo mini's (Still have one) One was an ERA.
The main part of the job is hacking out a sizeable chunk of the bulkhead to fit the box which makes room for the turbo. ERA mini's had a very small box which was 'just' large enough. But makes any work on the turbo itself near impossible without pulling the entire engine out.
Avonbar do indeed sell a readymade turbo bulkhead box. It's much bigger than the one the ERA had. So it is actually possible to get at the turbo once fitted. It also intrudes on interior space some and makes it a sod to refit the interior heater, as fitting the box removes the heaters mounting points. But it shouldn't be impossible to fabricate some new ones.
With the box out of the way, everything else is essentially plumbing... If the engine is at all tuned however, then make sure the gearbox you are using is in tip top condition, if not better. As you don't go very far very fast with no teeth on your cogs
P,
The main part of the job is hacking out a sizeable chunk of the bulkhead to fit the box which makes room for the turbo. ERA mini's had a very small box which was 'just' large enough. But makes any work on the turbo itself near impossible without pulling the entire engine out.
Avonbar do indeed sell a readymade turbo bulkhead box. It's much bigger than the one the ERA had. So it is actually possible to get at the turbo once fitted. It also intrudes on interior space some and makes it a sod to refit the interior heater, as fitting the box removes the heaters mounting points. But it shouldn't be impossible to fabricate some new ones.
With the box out of the way, everything else is essentially plumbing... If the engine is at all tuned however, then make sure the gearbox you are using is in tip top condition, if not better. As you don't go very far very fast with no teeth on your cogs
P,
(If the engine is at all tuned however, then make sure the gearbox you are using is in tip top condition, if not better. As you don't go very far very fast with no teeth on your cogs)
Who in your apinion are the engine and gearbox specialist to extract the most out of a turbo engine?
Who in your apinion are the engine and gearbox specialist to extract the most out of a turbo engine?
Whilst I know this may be a bit against the rules, I have a box from one of the metro turbo cup cars thats about to come out of my own car. Mine will be for sale soon, but if you can find one, they have a longer first that was supposed to be better, although I can't remember why. IIRC it had something to do with them having a rolling start, or lunching tyres off the line?
Longer 1st gear means faster 0 to 60 time (not so many gear change) also as you already know TURBO works best when it needs to push, so a long 1st gear is good to get the pressure(and keep it) up 
just like when you go up a hill, the car out performs all suck/asperated cars.
I had a UNO TURBO before I restored my JANSPEED MINI, and it was GREAT fun to owertake big/fast cars up hill--he he . A couple of weeks ago I tried the JANSPEED car up a little hill, and it emedietly picked up pressure and started whining(sweet sound) the front liftet up, and away she went, till I stopped, and released the pressure on the gaspedal, as she,s only done 60 miles, with ALL new inside. good luck with the project.
just like when you go up a hill, the car out performs all suck/asperated cars.I had a UNO TURBO before I restored my JANSPEED MINI, and it was GREAT fun to owertake big/fast cars up hill--he he . A couple of weeks ago I tried the JANSPEED car up a little hill, and it emedietly picked up pressure and started whining(sweet sound) the front liftet up, and away she went, till I stopped, and released the pressure on the gaspedal, as she,s only done 60 miles, with ALL new inside. good luck with the project.
Edited by JC T ONE on Monday 10th November 00:36
vipernick said:
Who in your apinion are the engine and gearbox specialist to extract the most out of a turbo engine?
2 UK companies spring to mind that know a lot about turbo Mini's, they are Avonbar and Stuart Gurr at Vmax Racing. They certainly know their onions with the engine. But I don't think they have much to offer with gearbox bar some good advice. My current turbo Mini has a 5 speed straight cut Jack Knight box. So JK might be another company worth checking out concerning the gearbox.P,
Snake the Sniper said:
Whilst I know this may be a bit against the rules, I have a box from one of the metro turbo cup cars thats about to come out of my own car. Mine will be for sale soon, but if you can find one, they have a longer first that was supposed to be better, although I can't remember why. IIRC it had something to do with them having a rolling start, or lunching tyres off the line?
I used to have the Metro Challenge S/C gearset in my Turbo'ed mini...made for interesting driving around town.Long first gear was a bit of a pain on getaway, but once changed the diff, it made a huge difference. It's nicely ratio'ed 2nd to 3rd to 4th.
jodypress said:
Snake the Sniper said:
Whilst I know this may be a bit against the rules, I have a box from one of the metro turbo cup cars thats about to come out of my own car. Mine will be for sale soon, but if you can find one, they have a longer first that was supposed to be better, although I can't remember why. IIRC it had something to do with them having a rolling start, or lunching tyres off the line?
I used to have the Metro Challenge S/C gearset in my Turbo'ed mini...made for interesting driving around town.Long first gear was a bit of a pain on getaway, but once changed the diff, it made a huge difference. It's nicely ratio'ed 2nd to 3rd to 4th.
vipernick said:
I am looking for a Metro Turbo engine and ancilliaries. Please contact me!
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/index.php?sho...Note: this is not mine
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