9 replies to this topic

[Mad Max]

I'm getting to the point of near breakdown with this sodden engine. I like to think that I'm a fairly intelligent person and have been mucking about with old cars for 5 years now. I've rebuilt a ford crossflow engine without any problems yet when It comes to aseries nothing goes right.

I had a standard 998 that burnt a pint of oil every 200miles and nn power so thought I'd rebuild it. I didn't bodge or cut corners. I got it rebored, skimmed head and block, new cam and bearings. All new bearings so should have run like a dream.

So far its on its 3rd head gasket and still seaping water into the oil, I've had to change the clutch oil seal as it decided to rip and piss oil everywhere. The new cam I brought from swiftune hadn't been machine right for the dizzy drive so that also had to come apart. Oh and the duplex timing chain didn't come with instructions from mini spares so I didn't know I had to knock the cover lump out so that was catching.

All in all I don't see how the people that rebuild these engines for a living stay sane. They are just pants. And to top it off its cost me the same to rebuild this pants 998 as it would have cost to build a 1380.

Rant over.

[ChrisCityE]

Considering they were used in production from about 1953 until 2001 then I would say they are a pretty phenomenal engine!

Stick with it!

[alicetheauto]

Sometimes you get a bad engine of any kind. I have known people spend hundreds or thousands on modern engine repairs, then have it still fail. The a-series is a 60 year old design which is still working in thousands of cars. It is tuneable, repairable, and able to put out double its design power reliably.

[Jordie]

cant say ive had many issues building an A-series, take your time, clean things up, check then check again. Bit of research would have highlighted the need to knock the timing cover out and fit countersunk screws etc.

[TopGearRules]

No problems here, my car has done 94 K miles and is still running the original engine (with possible the same head gasket). You get crap engines or any kind (mostly modern stuff), however I think the A series is a pretty bomb proof engine if you ask me (mine gets used and abused a lot)

[waddle]

the 850 i had got so much abbuse, revved to god knows what,  messed about with and made to spit flames and it still didnt give up on me aha

 

but yes it is irritating when they dont go to plan !

[Badboytunes]

Did you get your head skimmed before re fitting?

[blacktulip]

it seems like you have had the most bad luck with one. most of the minis i have had have been very reliable.

[Team Loxley Racing]

I've been running a rebuilt 998 and its run lovely for the best part of two years. (Since I had it rebuilt) Only issue that I've had Is the coil connections coming lose.. Easy sort out by using a new connect. A series crap? I'm not so sure probably one of the longest produced engines ever. Gotta be something good about it.

Edited by Team Loxley Racing, 27 April 2013 - 11:30 PM.

[minimarco]

As said, it's an engine that was in production for 50 years, used in numerous platforms that were able to win races; engine tuning companies dedicated to tuning this engine that are not run by insane people, and many who can testify here who run a reliable engine in their car......

 

...but it can't be you, must be the engine that's crap.