23 replies to this topic

[Dev]

got a mini sport catalogue thru post today with an offer of the above engine for 985 pounds.

is this worth the money and how easy is it to build myself?

Dev

[Oldskoolbaby]

I got that too. Did you get a 10% discount offer? I just sold Mini Mad Me my a 1400 block and pistons. Personally Id build my own. Ive never had any problems with Minisport but Ive never bought a complete engine off them so I couldnt say. Seems Ok to me.

[Dev]

yeah i did.

was thinking cheaper than the supercharger i was looking at and something to keep me out of the pub now winter has set in and its wet icey and generally horrid out.

Dev

[minimole]

i was under the impression that mini sport power figures are optimistic at best. bt i dont know anyone with one just what i have been told.

[Guess-Works.com]

Do they give you a breakdown of the parts ?

[Jammy]

I've only heard bad things about the MiniSport kits, like people building them, then over time having to replace most items that came in the kit. And I agree with Minimole, MiniSport power figures have been known to be a little optomistic.

[Dev]

from the picture you appear to get everything other than oil and spark plugs.

just wondering because i want more power but not sure how to get it.

dev

[The Matt]

*Matts spidey sense is tingling*

Did I hear my name mentioned?

I would hope that 105BHP os acheivable with a 1400 kit, but it will depend alot on what other components are used.

I would personally go for a built 1380 from the likes of Morspeed, get it fully set up with the bottom end fully balanced in etc.

I saw a Morspeed 1380 in Miniworld a couple of months ago and I think it was pushing out 120 ish but can't remember properly.

I wonder what pistons they use in there 1400 kit? Maybe they lengthen the stroke of the crank with some 73.5mm ones in it? There is a tendency to call the 1380 a 1400 sometimes too, likewise with calling a 1330 a 1340!

Without knowing the full spec of what they sell it's hard to know how good it would be.

[Dan]

I was wondering about the pistons as well. Since the common makes of 74mm piston that tended to be used in Mini engines are no longer available I'd like to know what they are using. You can use Hilman Imp 74mm pistons I think but that means a lot of work to the rods and so I would think it would cost a bit more than that (especially from Minisport who really know how to inflate a price). 1400's tended to be unreliable anyway as that last 0.5mm shaved off the walls makes the block very flexible which is why people stopped making 74mm pistons.

I have never herd anything good about a Minisport engine. Only bad news from people who have them. Maybe all the people with the good ones are keeping quiet about it but I don't think that's likely.

I'll bet Simon at Morspeed can do you a much better quality 1380 than that which will last a lot longer, fully built for similar money. He's a very good engineer.

[AlexM]

Ive heard nothing but good things about Morspeed.

[Oldskoolbaby]

Not putting the bloke down or anything but the guy at Morspeed takes an age to deliver the goods. However, there is no way you can knock the quality of his work. I bought a fully speced crank from him an it is pucka.

[The Matt]

I was wondering about the pistons as well. Since the common makes of 74mm piston that tended to be used in Mini engines are no longer available I'd like to know what they are using. You can use Hilman Imp 74mm pistons I think but that means a lot of work to the rods and so I would think it would cost a bit more than that (especially from Minisport who really know how to inflate a price). 1400's tended to be unreliable anyway as that last 0.5mm shaved off the walls makes the block very flexible which is why people stopped making 74mm pistons.

I am 99% certain that mine are ford Fiesta pistons (they measure in at 73.94mm)

Guessworks helped me ID them. The gudgeon is the same as the old Mini ones too. I would think the reliability of the 1400 block would depend on the quality of the machining too would it not? I measured my bores and I have to say they are spot on.

I am a little concerned about the reliability of the block, but I am building mine for a fun weekend jobby, so it should be good for a larf. I also plan to have a spare 1380 ready to use (my 1310 block is gonna get a +0.120" over standard to take it to 73.5mm if the scoring isn't too much).

This way I still have a good spare block (and will buy some nice 73.5mm pistons)and if there is ever a problem with the 1400 I can swap all of the bits over. :wink:

[Sprocket]

Yes, 1400 engines these days use 73.5mm pistons and a re stroked crank at 84mm.

And yes, as most people that build engines know, 74mm pistons are no longer available. Hence, when a brand new set of 74mm pistons appeared on Ebay I snapped them up, only to find when they arrived that three rings were broken Phoned every engine builder renowned for bigbore big cc engines including the piston manufacturer and all said the same thing "No longer available". Spoke to the bloke I bought them off and has offered me the price of a new ringset, which I now have knowledge where to get, but not till next year :nugget: So not all bad, just dam anoying.

[Dev]

does anyone have a contact for simon at morspeed so i could ask him about that. i would be very grateful.

Dev

[minimole]

morspeed.co.uk should have a phone number on there