5 replies to this topic

[topcat]

Hi, I'm thinking about fitting a metro 1275 but I'm a bit unsure about a few things and dont want too many supprises when I come to do it:

1. Clutch - I currenly have a verto clutch but if the metro engine has pre verto then do I need a new slave cylinder and bracket?

2. Cooling - What are the differences in the plumbing?

3. Power - will a standard A+ 1275 metro engine be more powerful than my current 1990 1275 cooper engine? According to this it will be but I know someone with a 1275 metro engine in their mini and they reckon my mini was quicker:

http://www.austin-ro...ineaseriesf.htm

61bhp @ 5550rpm 61lb ft @ 3000rpm 1990-91: Mini Cooper
63bhp @ 5650rpm 72lb ft @ 3100rpm 1980-90: Austin Metro
72bhp @ 6000rpm 73lb ft @ 4000rpm 1982-89: MG Metro

Ideally I would like the MG Metro engine but need an engine asap

4. Leaded/Unleaded Would a metro engine be leaded. Would it be straight forward enough to put my unleaded cooper head on a metro engine?

5. Dizzy - Is it easy enough to fit my electronic ignition?

6. Diff Ratio - what would it be on a metro 1275 engine?

7. What do u think of this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...1QQcmdZViewItem

8. Anything else different that I will need to take into account?

Cheers.

[Retro_10s]

As for the EBAY engine, Iv'e seen loads of these.

Unless you definatly know the condition of the engine itself (to the point of having built it yourself) then 2nd hand engine is a 2nd engine, regardless of the claimed low mileage etc.

It's only worth about £200, A lick of paint just makes it look nice.

I could paint an engine with 2k paint and have flip colours and metal flake etc, and i could probably sell it as a 'one off' engine, in great condition for loadsa money, but... it could be a right dog inside, knackered gearbox, chewed up diff, worn bores, knackered piston rings. it might leak oil everywhere, the head could be dead with broken valves etc etc ETC ETC ETC ETC!

Get an engine off someone on this forum and hopefully you'll be ok, this way you know it's been cared for by a mini lover.

If you're gonna buy an engine off someone you don't know or someone not from this forum, budget on a complete rebuild.

Edited by Retro_10s, 10 September 2006 - 03:56 PM.

[topcat]

Yer fair points, I can see me buying a metro so at least then I can drive it to see what the engine is like. Not sure what I would do with the car after the engine is out though.

Any more info on the orignal questions I asked?

[minidan]

hi i dont know much about the questions you asked, but i have a 1275 MG metro engine for sale. pm me if you are interested

oh and its unleaded.

Edited by minidan, 10 September 2006 - 04:13 PM.

[topcat]

PM sent to minidan

[Lomcevac]

Find a later model Metro engine if you can:

Metro engines will almost certainly have a Verto clutch.
Theres a good chance that it'll have electronic ignition too.
If you go for an MG, the earlier leaded ones had larger valves than the later unleaded ones.

The power differences are probably more to do with the carburation and manifolding than the engine itself. If you keep your current carb/manifolds etc then performance will be the same. Look out for dished or non dished pistons which result in different compression ratios on metro models, this would affect power a bit.

Early Metros were leaded until about 1989 I think. Yes you can put your Cooper head on an unleaded engine as they are all basically the same.

As your mini is an A+ 1275 you basically shouldn't need any extra bits!

Defenitely steer clear of shiny engines on ebay.
Defenitely ring round all your local scrappies looking firstly for a complete running Metro that you can drive or otherwise for an engine. Mose decent scrappies will only remove an engine if it seems to run/drive okay.

Scrapyard 1275 Metro engines seem to go for anything from £60-£150.
Engine = Engine, gearbox and all ancilliaries.

Good luck

The FD ration will depend on the Metro model I think.