18 replies to this topic

[Lplus]

 

Standard Metros idled at around 650 - 750 rpm with the MG and MG Turbo up around 900 - 1000 rpm. I use 1000 rpm on my MG metro engined mini and about 900 on my modified 1098 clubmen estate. There is also fast idle of about 1300 rpm but this is set up from the choke control for use when the engine is cold so can be ignored for now.  Stroboscopic timing is not set up at idle but at fixed rpm, 600 rpm from 69 to 72, 1000 rpm from 72 to 83 and  1500 rpm from 83 onwards (according to my haynes manual) - presumably to ensure the centrifugal advance has begun to kick in.

 

 

Idle revs will not help pickup significantly.

 

Thanks for this, is there a "tell-tale" way to identify  bog-standard Metro engine from MG Metro?  Presumably the A+ block casting is the same in either case?

 

The only major differences to the engine itself were the cam and the valves, neither of which can be inspected from outside the engine although cam timing can be measured with a lot of messing about.  The head may even be modified well beyond MG level and the cam could be any of the aftermarket ones.  It is not going to be possible to set the engine up perfectly without a rolling road and a lot of trial and error, even if you know the details since combinations of parts will all need slighty different setups.  Just concentrate on getting it to run smoothly up to the red line to begin with.

[DClarke1954]

In amongst all the receipts and assorted "stuff" is this rolling road report from 19th Jan 2023.

Whether it refers to THIS ENGINE in this car or not.... who knows.   

The previous owner was indeed called Alan.  Alan, had another mini (a van called "Alfy") did he swap the engines over?  Again, who knows. 

He has told me that my car has had to have a new head because the previous one cracked.

 

With the "Mobiletron" dizzy on it, I could not get it to run.  With the new Powerspark 65DM4 it at least does run.   Now Mobiletron is the only marking on it, and Mobiletron just refers to the inductive pickup manufacturer.  These parts can be fitted to many distributors I think, and there is no vacuum-advance unit on that distributor.

 

Assuming it is this engine, would this torque/power suggest a racer or just a "fast road mini".  I have no idea.

 

 

Edited by DClarke1954, 19 February 2025 - 03:50 PM.

[Lplus]

In amongst all the receipts and assorted "stuff" is this rolling road report from 19th Jan 2023.

Whether it refers to THIS ENGINE in this car or not.... who knows.   

The previous owner was indeed called Alan.  Alan, had another mini (a van called "Alfy") did he swap the engines over?  Again, who knows. 

He has told me that my car has had to have a new head because the previous one cracked.

 

With the "Mobiletron" dizzy on it, I could not get it to run.  With the new Powerspark 65DM4 it at least does run.   Now Mobiletron is the only marking on it, and Mobiletron just refers to the inductive pickup manufacturer.  These parts can be fitted to many distributors I think.

 

Assuming it is this engine, would this torque/power suggest a racer or just a "fast road mini".  I have no idea.

 

 

I'd call it fast road for a 1275

[DClarke1954]

OK, it's running much better now.

I would agree that the new dizzy's curve may not be wonderful, but I think it is better than the previous one with no vacuum advance at all.

I took my lad for a spin in the car today and compared to previous attempts it went like poop off a very shiny shovel (well that's how it feels from inside the cab).

 

I suddenly found myself doing 50 in a 30 limit in no time flat (my bad, but the silly 3-spoke steering wheel has one of the wheels spokes completely covering up the speedo when you are driving straight ahead).

I took my foot of the gas and there was a loud "misfire" in the intake (just the one).

I carried on across town and dropped the boy off at his house and drove home, popped the bonnet open and gave the mixture screw a tiny adjust to give it a slightly richer mixture (as per the SU Workshop manual process).

 

I jumped straight back in and repeated the section of journey where this "misfire" had occurred.  No misfire.  Took it up a decent hill with my foot hard down, no problems.

 

I will run it like this for a few days and then pop the plugs to see what they look like.

 

So onwards to the next problem.   Thank you all for your input & guidance.