50 replies to this topic

[mcaville]

Model: Sprite 1293cc
Year: 1994

I've just got my mini back on the road after converting it from auto to manual. She has been bored out to 1293, has a maniflow stage 2 LCB and 1 7/8" twin box exhaust, and a Hif 44 carb on a minispares manifold. I took her for a rolling road session at Gerald Dale Motorsport yesterday, and i was slightly disappointed with the result. Gerald then made it worse by telling me about his 1293 that's getting 140bhp. Now i know that there is probably many many £1000's separating my engine from his, but i'd still expect to be getting a bit more than what would be standard on a 1275. I know that bhp isn't everything but it would be nice to have a bit more reward for all the effort i've put in.

During the session Gerald adjusted the carb and distributor, and he also needed to adjust the tappets as i hadn't given them enough clearance. All of the adjustment only added an extra 2hp on what it came in with, but it odes run a lot smoother as a result.

I asked Gerald what he could suggest i do to get more power, and the only thing he could suggest is that i get a stage 3 head. Ok, so that will definitely give me more power, but it still doesn't answer why it is much lower than expected at present. I was hoping for around 80, is this reasonable?

Can any one tell me what they are getting from a similar setup, and give any suggestions of what might be the issue with mine.

Thanks

[zebidee]

Is the head still standard? Its the most limiting factor on the A-series, a worked head will do wonders!

[mcaville]

Yes, the head is still standard.

[Shifty]

60 bhp at the wheels from what is basically a standard engine is fine. That would equate to about 75ish at the flywheel so really its bang on the money.

The fact that its a 1293 really means nothing, its just a standard overbore that will add very little power. Its a good figure and shows your engine is healthy.

As already said, the next stage is a head upgrade.

[steble]

i wouldn't too suprised to be honest mate. i know what you mean in expecting more but sometimes it doesn't happen.

it is more than a standard 1275 thats only 50bhp

but as said above do the head, the block won't make much difference without doing the head to with it. if you put a decent head on there you will probably get 80-90 bhp

[xBR4DLEY]

No a 1275 is 59hp

[steble]

a standard cooper when it left the factory might have 59 if your lucky it certainly wont now.

1275 engines range from 50bhp depending on model for example

mine is a rio and is 50bhp standard out the factory, same for italian job, tahiti, 35's etc

spi's are only 50bhp 53 if your really lucky.

so 60 bhp out of a basically standard 1293 doesn't seem out of the ordinary at all to me as shiftyseamus said a 1293 is a slight overbore

[Sprocket]

140bhp 1293? Hmm

[mcaville]

Ok. This has been my first outing into the mechanical world of mini's, so yes, i probably have expected too much.

About cylinder heads. as i see it there are a number of options

1. I take my head to local automotive engineers and get them to port and gas flow it and all that jazz - been quoted about £350

2. get one off fleabay

3. get one from Minisport/spares etc..

4. get one from some where like MED (pricey but worth it i guess??)

What is everones thoughts on the above options? Or is there an option that i haven't considered?

[Asphalt]

There is no thing like "the" 1275cc engine! There were loads of different 1275cc engines with loads of different HP/torque figures.

Ranging from 53 to 93 BHP!

In 1994 there were two different engines:
53BHP and 63BHP. These are flywheel figures...

Being a carbed engine, I guess yours started life as a 53BHP unit?
If so - 60BHP is a good result - if you only added an exhaust and a mere 18cc(!)!!

Many of the factory "63BHP" engines don't get this high...! (but nobody want to hear this, of course )

[mcaville]

140bhp 1293? Hmm

Apparently it has lightened everything, stage whatever head, twin webbers, ECU. The guy is a world champion mini racer, so his 1293 is full race spec.

[rosco454]

To summarise the above,your spec is not much more than a stage 1 1275 (apologies if sounds blunt but i couldnt think of a nice way to put it).

The head will be whats holding it back,invest in a good head - dont take any notice of stages and just go off the spec of the head as different peoples stages vary massively and dont mean much at all.

[rosco454]

140bhp 1293? Hmm

It ran somewhere close to that in one of the mini world dyno days a few months ago,i think it was on his own dyno.

Edited by rosco454, 28 November 2009 - 06:57 PM.

[mcaville]

Ok. This has been my first outing into the mechanical world of mini's, so yes, i probably have expected too much.

About cylinder heads. as i see it there are a number of options

1. I take my head to local automotive engineers and get them to port and gas flow it and all that jazz - been quoted about £350

2. get one off fleabay

3. get one from Minisport/spares etc..

4. get one from some where like MED (pricey but worth it i guess??)

What is everones thoughts on the above options? Or is there an option that i haven't considered?

or option 5. get the dremmel out

[huw_jenks]

Well I've got 72 out of my 1293 without any extravagant mods...

1293 A series
K&N pancake + stubstack
HIF44
Water heated inlet manifold
Cooper S head
LCB exhaust manifold
Maniflow single box 2" exhaust
Electonic distributor
Unknown camshaft
Red engine paint
Fluffy dice

I did also 'Vizard' the carb and inlet manifold which is well worth doing! Costs no money and helps your engine breathe its best. Didn't even have to buy the book, just got it from the library... If you want to go a bit further the book also explains how to modify the head (or if you're buying one, then what to get).