96 replies to this topic

[hazpalmer14]

If this is going turbo have you work out the compression ratio? As most people use dished pistons.

I'm using a non skimmed 12g295 which has 28.6cc chambers which will take the compression low enough to safely run 10psi (will probably end up as more)

Ah small bore thats ok then. Just seen turbo in the title and flat top pistons. Make sure you get a decent intercooler and you will be ok.

[MaxDempsey]

Got a bit more done on it today, bottom end is now done and I've just got the head left to put on (forgot to order head gasket). First I fitted the flywheel casing, I'd already checked the idler and primary gear end floats.

 

DSC_0776 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

The I fitted the oil seal, dust cover and clutch assembly.

 

DSC_0780 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then with that done I timed the engine and fitted the tensioner.

 

DSC_0785 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then the wok

 

DSC_0786 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Annoyingly I have used a second hand 1275 flywheel casing which has two stripped threads for the wok which I will have to helicoil.

Finally I fitted the core plugs, timing cover, crank pulley and tappet chest covers 

 

Then I rested the head on to cover the engine and the rocker cover (ignore the shoddy paint, tried to wrinkle it in -4 which didn't work) 

 

2018-04-29_05-46-19 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Got a few niggles left to work out but should have it in hopefully next weekend.

[Chris.Williams]

This all looks very well done, nice clean work with attention to detail.....win win!
Can't wait for the finished item....a bit of poke to say the very least.

[MaxDempsey]

This all looks very well done, nice clean work with attention to detail.....win win!
Can't wait for the finished item....a bit of poke to say the very least.

Yeah I'm pleased so far with how it looks, whether it'll actually run I've got no idea , also a shame its going in such a ropey car 

[lawrence]

Looking good dude. Congrats with the save of the crank! Engine looks good now its back together too

[MaxDempsey]

Nice big step forward over the last couple of days. Gave the engine the last finishing touches and dropped it in. Makes me realise how crap the rest of the car looks but gonna get it on the road before I worry about that.

 

received_2151351174880001 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then spun it over on just the starter and it made good oil pressure so I carried on putting it together. It's much higher when running ofcourse

 

DSC_0807 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then this afternoon I attempted the first start and it fired straight away, clutch works and goes into gear fine. The road rally clutch feels super heavy after driving only modern cars for the best part of a year and a half. Had no exhaust on it but couldn't resist taking it for a drive down a 'private'  road and apart from being stupid loud and really flat with no tuning it all seems good so far. Might still make L2B.    Stupidly didn't take any photos just because I was too distracted. Got loads more niggles to sort out but feel like the bulk is done now and it runs NA (for the moment).

Edited by MaxDempsey, 08 May 2018 - 06:21 PM.

[mini_in_progress]

Loving this thread mate, im going to be hacking and welding mine up again soon... hopefully with as much motivation as you.

[MaxDempsey]

Loving this thread mate, im going to be hacking and welding mine up again soon... hopefully with as much motivation as you.

Cheers, my only real motivation is that I wanted to make L2B 2017 but failed miserably so want to make this year, but if I have to miss it to do things properly I will. 

[mini_in_progress]

Id love to make it one year too, and get it to mitp too one year

[MaxDempsey]

Got the rest of the car thrown together now, not neat and final but good enough for an MOT First I properly wired in the centre clocks.

 

2018-05-11_04-43-05 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then spent ages doing loads of little jobs for the MOT which I had booked for the Friday afternoon (today)

 

2018-05-11_04-42-25 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

It made it to the station no problem although I didn't remember how bad the brakes were.

 

2018-05-11_04-42-39 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

It went pretty well really, One rear drum does nothing, which explains the bad brakes, so hoping for a seized wheel cylinder and the fog light doesn't work which I knew about but ran out of time to fix. Hopefully get it sorted over the weekend and have a retest early next week and get it run in ready for L2B.

Edited by MaxDempsey, 11 May 2018 - 03:51 PM.

[MaxDempsey]

Since the last update the car passed the MOT, only had to free off a seized brake adjuster I knew about before the MOT but hoped wouldn't be an issue as I had run out of time and clean up fog light wiring connections. The day it passed I took the car out and did 70 miles after work. On the way back about 5 miles from home the front end made a bang on a corner driving pretty slowly. It felt like the sill had hit the floor. I tried to pull over and the wheel hit the arch and cracked the trim. Looked under the car and it was on the bump stop. Jacked it up but soon realised it wasn't a road side repair when I saw the knuckle joint in two pieces  . Got recovered home and replaced it with a genuine MG Rover part. I had a look to try to work out why it broke but everything seemed in order. Inspecting the broken piece it looks like one piece had been cracked for a while. It wasn't seized in the cup so I'm putting it down to pot hole damage (ironic as I'd only just paid my road tax that day  .)

 

The new ride height with a two piece knukle, hopefully be able to run it this low at some point but wings need serious cutting and not sure how all the filler would re act 

 

DSC_0840 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

DSC_0841 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

DSC_0846 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

DSC_0849 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

After fixing this I got back on the road and managed 500 miles in the week before L2B which meant lots of night driving after work. Did the first oil change on the run in engine on the morning of L2B then set off. Didn't make it too far until I had to stop and adjust the rear height as with me, my mate and the camping gear it was rubbing so bad it melted the arches.

 

received_2167048559976929 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Apart from that it made it to crystal palace with no issues, couldn't resist giving the run in engine a bit, forgot how slow it is standard.

 

IMG_20180520_194338_213 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Ride height it all wrong, for some reason the front wont settle down after the engine removal but I'm reluctant to lower it too soon in case it suddenly goes. 

 

DSC_0859 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then on the sunday it made it to Brighton again with no issues apart from it being a standard slow 998 with no soundproofing between the centre speedo and K and N 

 

DSC_0864 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

The car was really thrown together for the event so looked really ropey, bit embarrassing as wasn't even cleaned but I ran out of time. Unfortunantely don't think it's cool or old enough to have patina so just looks pretty crap. Think I'll neaten it up throughout the summer while slowly turboing it. Next job I think is to fit the nodiz ignition (if I can afford it) then finish off the 12G295 which I've still got to put valve seats in. 

 

Here's a random photo of it with some other peoples cars at work.

 

DSC_0830 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

But yeah done 750 miles on the new engine and all seems good, primary gear is a little noisy which I'm pretty annoyed about but apart from that sounds sweeter than ever. Wonder how long it'll last 

Edited by MaxDempsey, 26 May 2018 - 07:56 AM.

[Vinay-RS]

Congrats! That's quite an achievement and a long drive for a first drive. So what is the next job on the car? Some soundproofing? 

[Will16]

Good to see you on the weekend man, and well done, youve done a great job, even if it is na for the time being Never seen a knuckle joint go like that

Edited by Will16, 25 May 2018 - 08:51 AM.

[MaxDempsey]

Congrats! That's quite an achievement and a long drive for a first drive. So what is the next job on the car? Some soundproofing? 

 

 

Good to see you on the weekend man, and well done, youve done a great job, even if it is na for the time being Never seen a knuckle joint go like that

 

 

Cheers, think I'm gonna start turboing it next, don't need soundproofing in a race car   was planning to keep it on the road for this whole summer and boost it over winter but now I've got a nippy daily the mini feels soooo slow so might try to do it for MITP but not gonna push to finish it this time as just end up rushing it.

And yeah I'm a bit worried about how it broke and whether its gonna happen again.

Edited by MaxDempsey, 26 May 2018 - 07:55 AM.

[MaxDempsey]

Another update, I've done 1100 miles on the new engine. Found a 'private' stretch of road to see what it would do and its still as slow as ever making it to a mighty 87  . Nothing really mechanically has changed with the engine and the only real issue was the rocker cover gasket being pretty non existent and 'rust proofing' the entire engine. With the standard one piece exhaust it hits the floor a lot and there is no way to twist it up or anything. This led to it stripping one of the diff side cover bolts which the exhaust mounts to and also to it leaking loads at the manifold. Also I think because it is pretty much solidly mounted with it constantly hitting the floor the top engine steady bolt has snapped again in the block (same one which I have only just drilled out  ) 

 

DSC_0881 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I've decided that now the engine is fully run in I'm going to take the car back off the road to turbo it and fix these issues. I'm also going to re set the primary gear clearance as the clattering on idle is doing my head in. Started taking it apart again this afternoon and hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on a flywheel puller this week and sort it, not looking forward to doing it in the car though.

 

DSC_0884 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Luckily everything trim wise comes apart quickly as for the most part it is cable tied on  . I'm not too fussed with it being off the road again as I knew my first engine build would have issues and even if it does go bang its just an excuse to make it more of a screamer. Hopefully in the next couple of months I can fit the ignition parts and mechanical turbo bits which I've been slowly collecting.