engine problem - advice needed!
Discussion
I have a problem which I know I can rely on PH to solve for me.... I have a 1275cc with a 286 cam - that's the only mod to the actual engine & I want more power 
I'm thinking about a competition head at £500 and some 1:7:1 roller tip rockers at £239, and a (recon) 1.75" SU for £50. With labour this comes to a tidy sum even if the labour rate is £17 p/h. But my local mini garage are sh*t hot at engine building (they regularly outgun swiftune, MED, etc) and will do me a 1380 with 130 horses at crank (to be dynoed by me) for £1450. now then, is this a good deal? will I get almost as many horses from the modified 1275?
what would you do?
money ie performance per £ is an issue here as I'm also buying a westy and have only a student budget
BTW I already have a 'box that will take the extra power
I'm thinking about a competition head at £500 and some 1:7:1 roller tip rockers at £239, and a (recon) 1.75" SU for £50. With labour this comes to a tidy sum even if the labour rate is £17 p/h. But my local mini garage are sh*t hot at engine building (they regularly outgun swiftune, MED, etc) and will do me a 1380 with 130 horses at crank (to be dynoed by me) for £1450. now then, is this a good deal? will I get almost as many horses from the modified 1275? what would you do?
money ie performance per £ is an issue here as I'm also buying a westy and have only a student budget
BTW I already have a 'box that will take the extra power
plotloss said: 1380 is probably the best trade off of power/reliability - or so Vizard says
If they can do that for £1450 I say go for it (is that fitted?).
The advantage of course being that a new engine is exactly that, new seals, rings etc. But then you do have to run it in which is a bit of a chore.
Matt.
fitted - I know that's cheap but they work out of a shed (no, really, it is a shed) so the labour rate is £17 p/h inc VAT!
Paul V said: The price of the 1380 seems ok, are the lightening and balancing the crank/rods? Does that include a lightened flywheel/clutch? What sort of spec is the head going to be? Valve sizes? Type? Really you need to get a full engine spec then have a ring around for prices etc from other builders.
the problem is, I don't know much about the actual techie bits - ie optimum valve size, what the effect of certain things are on others, etc. the crank will be nitrided, (is that right?) and yes the components will be balanced with a lightened flywheel (am I right in thinking that this means it's more responsive?) the head will be "ported, polished, flowed then chambered, then planed to increase compression" - at least that's what they tell me.
another thing is how do I tell what they've done to the head? there isn't any way I can think of to corroborate their claims and unfortunately they are well aware that I am a bit unknowledgeable.
edited to say> I'm aware that I need to improve my knowledge so I'm currently reading the vizard book
Thanks for your replies
>> Edited by minimax on Thursday 27th March 14:04
plotloss said: Whereabouts are these magically cheap Green and White chaps Tom?
Re the lightened flywheel, yes it will make acceleration more responsive but if you have a hot cam it will magnify the lumpy idle.
Matt.
I don't mind a lumpy idle as it makes me think I have a real live racing car! (I know, I know, I should grow up!) and I like the feeling when it comes "on cam" yeehaa!
Green & White are in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, just off the A1
phil hill said: Green and White used to campain/sponsor/prepare (not sure which) a very battered looking green and white clubman in autocross. It was fairly successful I seem to recall. I've not heard anything about their work so don't have any experience of them, but they have been in business for a good while.
They still do!!!! It lives outside their shed & still gets raced regularly.... has an 8-port and the crank alone cost 2k, very fast machine, local estimates (not their own) say it's dynoed at 130-140....AT THE WHEELS! They have to rebuild it every month or so.
Alex said: I fitted a Swiftune 1380 lump to my brother's Mini a few years ago. The engine was set up for everyday use and had a mildish cam (forget actual spec) which gave around 95bhp and loads of torque. I'd be surprised if 130bhp was achievable without resorting to a fancy 7-port or 16V cyclinder head. It's certainly at the top-end of power claims for a 1380 engine.
well they say with a 286 or 300 cam + all the other techie bits it should kick out 130ish at the crank... we see!
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