7 replies to this topic

[Dude61]

I'm about to start cleaning up the engine bay on my '84 which has had a 1275 fitted and have a question about the thermostat housing. Heater hoses come off the other side of the head and the housing has a blocked off hose and what appears to be a spacer underneath which appears to fixed to a bracket on the radiator shroud. Can I remove the spacer completely as it doesn't seem to be doing anything and any recommendations for a housing, are they all the same size?

 

 

 

 

[nicklouse]

You have what looks like an SPi engine that has been fitted.

 

now this is where things can be fun. As the engine is newer than the car (and can be identified as being a newer one via the engine number) even if it has been converted to run on Carbs it needs to pass the SPi emissions test.

 

but back to the housing. Remove the sandwich plate and get a suitable new rad top mount.

you can also drill out the cylinder head and fit the take off at the clutch end so you can run the heater as originally done.

[sonscar]

I understand that emissions are tested to the older of the car or engine so SPI emissions are not required to be met.Worth checking,Steve..

[cal844]

I understand that emissions are tested to the older of the car or engine so SPI emissions are not required to be met.Worth checking,Steve..

This is true

[Ethel]

Was the car originally a small bore? Likely done that way because it would have needed a new radiator bracket. You can remove it, and fit a new bracket, or you could tee it back in to the heater return hose, with a restrictor to bias flow through the heater, like Rover did.

 

Note that the hoses changed from 1/2"  to 5/8" bore, which could be a minor headache if you're replumbing an older car for newer bits.

 

...That does look like an earlier "flat top" head though. Is that an extra stud/bolt hole in the 2nd piccy?

[Dude61]

You have what looks like an SPi engine that has been fitted.

 

now this is where things can be fun. As the engine is newer than the car (and can be identified as being a newer one via the engine number) even if it has been converted to run on Carbs it needs to pass the SPi emissions test.

 

but back to the housing. Remove the sandwich plate and get a suitable new rad top mount.

you can also drill out the cylinder head and fit the take off at the clutch end so you can run the heater as originally done.

Thanks and apologies for the late reply. I did some checking on the engine number and it looks like it is an SPi engine, I’ll get a new housing, bracket and tidy it all up.

 

Was the car originally a small bore? Likely done that way because it would have needed a new radiator bracket. You can remove it, and fit a new bracket, or you could tee it back in to the heater return hose, with a restrictor to bias flow through the heater, like Rover did.

 

Note that the hoses changed from 1/2"  to 5/8" bore, which could be a minor headache if you're replumbing an older car for newer bits.

 

...That does look like an earlier "flat top" head though. Is that an extra stud/bolt hole in the 2nd piccy?

Thanks Ethel, it does have a different head on it but I don’t know where from and I’m too much of a novice to know what a flat top head is!

[Ethel]

It's not that significant really. When Austin-Rover brought out the Turbo Metro the head had a slightly raised profile to the mating faces for the gaskets and, reportedly, improved water ways; instead of being machined flat right across. As it was adopted on all 1275s, within a few years, it's just another clue to an engine's origin.

[coopertaz]

yep no problem to remove just fit shorter studs, probably had new head as no temp. sender on injection heads. as for emissions it goes on vehicle or engine, whichever is older, if you fit older carb engine to newer vehicle it is up to you to provide details as proof of engine age. we did this to dispose of cat and spi, guess works gives engine spec, from number that our mot tester accepts

Edited by coopertaz, 01 February 2023 - 09:39 AM.