27 replies to this topic

[jonb_5]

Hi,

Had a bit of a dissapointing morning and need a little cheering up.

Went to Alan Jeffery rolling road this morning and he has completed an engine set up for me. (Shown below on printout:)



Basically the spec is 1330cc, Kent 296 scatter cam, ported and polished head, hiff44 carb.

Im a little bit dissapointed with the bhp, it is at the flywheel and from looking at similar specs on here i was expecting higher.

He also told me that to pass the MOT I am going to need to fit a new cam (at the cost of around £700) as it is a race cam and the emissions are too high with it.

The CO2 is ok, but hidrocarbons are around 1800, (needs to be 1200) i was told.(Its a 1988 reg car)

Can anyone help as im pretty gutted at the moment?

Thanks

Jon

[Paul Wiginton]

Sorry to add to your doom and gloom mate but Yes, it is a race cam which is for all out power not road use. I used to run a 296 (now a 310)in my 1960 car which doesnt need to pass emissions.
It sounds like your head and carb are not upto the job of keeping up with such a cam which is good for 140 horsepower. A HIF44 is only good for 100 on a n/a motor

Paul

[Guess-Works.com]

My engine spec sounds very similar to yours, 1330, 296 scatter, HIF44...

On the rollers it was making nearly 85 at the wheels.

For you to be that far off, I would strongly suspect that the cam timing is way out... do you know what degree is was set up at, was it just done dot to dot on a timing chain, or do you have adjustable cam timing...

Ideally you want the printout to show below 3k rpm, as that that point there should be a BIG jump in the power (that's when it's starts the 'on cam' band)

[Bungle]

you could try Paul Inch for a second opinon

he's also in Plymouth

[jonb_5]

Hi,

I have mailed the person who build the engine, as i bought it from a for sale add on here, i will update you on the cam timing issue.

How difficult/expensive is it to check cam timing?

Thanks for all your help,

Jon

[biggav]

With a 296 you need as free a flowing head as possible!!!!! "Visard" the HIF44 and inlet manifold, and either stage 3 or 4 head and a good exhaust system to get it anywhere near its potential.

[jonb_5]

Just taken this off the for sale add when i bought the engine:

"The head is a big valved mg metro 12g940 which has been polished and ported.

The head has had 30 thou skimmed off it and the valves were all re seated.

It has double valve springs."

I would have thought this would be up to the job??

Thanks

Jon

[Sam Walters]

a few quid for a timing cover gasket

You will need a dti (Dial Test Indicator) for finding where max lift is and TDC

A timeing disk.

A new set of gaskets for the head. (i always have the head off when trying to find TDC and i use a Dti to show where it is)

If you dont have a venier adjustable timeing chain setup you will need the right offset woodruff key to correct cam timing

Edited by flyingears2002, 29 November 2008 - 03:36 PM.

[mk1leg]

If I were you I would try a Swiftune SW5 cam ...............

[Sam Walters]

Id say your cam timing is off and that your head isent fantastic, it should be 106 atdc

the valve sizes in the mg metro head are ample, i dont think its had any porting work to be honest.

mine apparently made peak torque at 5300ish being 88 pound per foot of torque and something like 110 bhp at about 6800 revs. (about 85-90 atw)

seems to keep pulling way past that though.

Edited by flyingears2002, 29 November 2008 - 04:29 PM.

[Sam Walters]

If I were you I would try a Swiftune SW5 cam ...............

why?

[andy_b]

Would sorting out the cam timing sort the emissions out then? I think the main thing Jon is after is to sort the emissions then possibly sort the power second?

[Sam Walters]

my car passed emmisions with that cam, he did have to do the 2000rpm one though.

[Sprocket]

Just taken this off the for sale add when i bought the engine:

"The head is a big valved mg metro 12g940 which has been polished and ported.

The head has had 30 thou skimmed off it and the valves were all re seated.

It has double valve springs."

I would have thought this would be up to the job??

Thanks

Jon

Well there is a clue in that little lot

I recon that is a boggo standard head and useless with that head, valve seats could be worn

I would also be concerned that the cam is not what it was said to be, and cam timing could well be miles out anyway

Have you done a compression test to see if all cylinders give similar results?

Could be anything if you didnt build the engine and you bought it on some ones word

[Sam Walters]

I would also be concerned that the cam is not what it was said to be, and cam timing could well be miles out anyway

i was thinking that but I put this down to poor timing and posibly in correct tappet settings, the torque curve is not what i would expect from a 296 it makes its peak torque too far down the rev range.