25 replies to this topic

[sl5]

i have recently purchased a 998 in good condition and am toying with the idea of adding a stage 3 from minisport to add a little extra woomph with my next paypacket. the kit includes: modified performance cylinder head, polished ported and gas flowed, incorporating 29mm larger inlet valves and increased compression ratio; twin 1.25 inch carburettor with heat shields, alloy inlet manifold and linkages; a sportex dual exit 3 inch tailpipe (extra) ; long centre branch exhaust manifold; KN air filters; head gasket, rocker gasket; manifold gasket; carb gasket and thermostat gasket. i will also after fitting take it to a rolling road for some extra tweaking. kit claims a 50% power increase and turn your mini into a truly responsive mini all for £861! has anyone any experience in doing this to a 998cc and is it worth it or shall i spend my money on other mods, any recommendations and advice will be helpful. im also thinking of adding some thirteen inch wheels aswell has anyone any idea on loss of power in doing so! thanks

[day101]

i have recently purchased a 998 in good condition and am toying with the idea of adding a stage 3 from minisport to add a little extra woomph with my next paypacket. the kit includes: modified performance cylinder head, polished ported and gas flowed, incorporating 29mm larger inlet valves and increased compression ratio; twin 1.25 inch carburettor with heat shields, alloy inlet manifold and linkages; a sportex dual exit 3 inch tailpipe (extra) ; long centre branch exhaust manifold; KN air filters; head gasket, rocker gasket; manifold gasket; carb gasket and thermostat gasket. i will also after fitting take it to a rolling road for some extra tweaking. kit claims a 50% power increase and turn your mini into a truly responsive mini all for £861! has anyone any experience in doing this to a 998cc and is it worth it or shall i spend my money on other mods, any recommendations and advice will be helpful. im also thinking of adding some thirteen inch wheels aswell has anyone any idea on loss of power in doing so! thanks

I have spoke to loads of people about modding a 998cc and the same answer i keep getting is basiclly why spend the money on a engine that you cant really modify that much?!? why not get a 1380 or 1275 or somethink in that range. when you get get more bhp out of it, with the money your looking at spending on the engine is it really worth it? to be honest i wouldnt do it.

Hope this helps

[Guess-Works.com]

likewise... There's only one reason to want to get all that performance increase out of a 998.... and thats because you want to do it...

If you just want extra oomph, then buying a stock 1275 will do that...

buying an upgraded engine kit, say 1330 or 1380, will give you probably double the grunt of a stg1 998, and for less pennies than your spending on your stg3 998..

ps. forget the exhaust, that'll just remove a lot of the power you're trying to gain... stick with a 1.75" exhaust system

[Mini-Dave]

The 13" wheels will also hinder your acceleration!

But yeah as has been said if you want power, get a bigger engine!

Dave

[miniallsort]

go for it mate my mate has done it its a big improvement on performance

[rozzer!]

i would go for it mate. i am going along similar lines myself. its going to be good for 70 bhp when its done. your call tho.

[fikus01]

i would do it, just so i could beat a 1275 (maybe) or atleast give it a run for its money and say " haha im in a 998" only thing that would very definateyl be worth doing with all that is changing the cam and followers, the kent 256 or swiftune 2w5 are both very good in small bore engines adn my choice would be the kent 256 im sure 1000 others will disagree with me!

make sure you get it setup on a good rolling road, it mite also be worth checking to see if there is a better distributor to suite that engine spec too!

[minivanman]

I'm also doing something similar, but for a lot less than that. The twin carbs arent especially necessary, in most circumstances a HIF 38 is as good (but twins look better). I have an LCB on mine because it was already on it when I got the car, and a 1.75" twin box exhaust. Sounds lovely. 3" fart cans look rubbish, and on a 998 they dont even sound good. I have got a 12g295 head, which I've just got back from morspeed. I have had unleaded valve seats, new valves and springs and a bit of porting done on it. Within the next few weeks I will be fitting it and getting it set up on the RR.

[Pie]

why spend the money on a engine that you cant really modify that much?!?

"you cant cant modify it that much"! what are you talking abuot?? I think im right in saying the phrase "anything you can do, i can do better", basically anything you can do to a 1275 or 1380 or even a 1410 you can do to a 998 (within reason).

The guy alerady HAS a 998 so why bother gong out and spending money at MED or morspeed or anywhere else and buy a block when he can tinker abuot with his 998? Small bore "racers" are coming back into fashion, i think this forum has about 20+ members doing small bore engines.

Ok so a "Standard" 998 might not be quick, the reason i say "Might NOT be" is because you get 'unusual' engines, and not just 998s. Every now and then you find a standard engine that goes like stink. Alas last year i got 106mph out of my car, the engine then was a 998 with RC40 and a AAU needle! nothing special, so hopefully with a few new "toys" it might fetch a little more.

Please have a look at JetBLICKs project and mine. We are oth doing small bore engines. Dan (JetBlick) has already got himself 63bhp out of a 998! I myself am aiming for near enough 100bhp FROM A 998 WITHOUT Forced induction!!
People i have talked to have said "ahh impossible without turbos or superchargers" hmm ok look at the mini se7ens!

to be honest (and probably harsh) i feel that post was completly unhelpful. Ok so you suggested what everyone suggests "Get a bigger engine". so many people asked me "why a 998, why not a 1275?" well to be blunt, why SHOULD i get a 1275 etc?

Not only do you have the engine to think abuot, but as Minidave pointed out, wheel size will be an option. Would you rather get quicker acceleration (10s) or higher top speed (13s), or maybe somwhere in the middle (12s).

at the end of the day it IS completly upto you, but im fed up of people slating smallbore engines and asying "ooh get a 1275 or a MED 1410" they might as well say "ooh get a KAD126v or Z-cars, or a ferrari mini engined!!"

Rant over lol

Hope you find this somewhat helpful. the projects will hopefully help you out.

[sl5]

cheers folks thanks for all the advice, the reason im sticking with my 998 engine is that it has only done 27000 genuine miles not bad for a h reg! also my insurance will rocket if i add a bigger engine, hence adding the stage 3 to it, on the motorway now ive got off the speedo on it already (90+mph) so i cant wait to add a my stage 3 and see what else it can do, also it will be good to blow away all my mates in their 1.4 corsas and vectras bought on finance, and say mines only a 998 whats wrong with your car. lol

[who_loves_the_mini?]

rather than pay the huge amount for a "stage" head if you can take the engine out then i would pocket the block and oput a 1275 head on your engine, be a lot cheaper than a stage head

[who_loves_the_mini?]

you could also change the cam at the same time

[Pie]

As above. Stick a 12g940 head on it, but pocket the block. And stick in a nice cam, something like a 286 or leyland 544.

As for insurance if you stick a stage 3 head on it will probably be the same if not more than a 1275.

But its upto you. As you stated you have a 998 and its only done 27000miles so id stick with it. If not, ill buy it off you

[blacktulip]

why spend the money on a engine that you cant really modify that much?!?

"you cant cant modify it that much"! what are you talking abuot?? I think im right in saying the phrase "anything you can do, i can do better", basically anything you can do to a 1275 or 1380 or even a 1410 you can do to a 998 (within reason).

The guy alerady HAS a 998 so why bother gong out and spending money at MED or morspeed or anywhere else and buy a block when he can tinker abuot with his 998? Small bore "racers" are coming back into fashion, i think this forum has about 20+ members doing small bore engines.

Ok so a "Standard" 998 might not be quick, the reason i say "Might NOT be" is because you get 'unusual' engines, and not just 998s. Every now and then you find a standard engine that goes like stink. Alas last year i got 106mph out of my car, the engine then was a 998 with RC40 and a AAU needle! nothing special, so hopefully with a few new "toys" it might fetch a little more.

Please have a look at JetBLICKs project and mine. We are oth doing small bore engines. Dan (JetBlick) has already got himself 63bhp out of a 998! I myself am aiming for near enough 100bhp FROM A 998 WITHOUT Forced induction!!
People i have talked to have said "ahh impossible without turbos or superchargers" hmm ok look at the mini se7ens!

to be honest (and probably harsh) i feel that post was completly unhelpful. Ok so you suggested what everyone suggests "Get a bigger engine". so many people asked me "why a 998, why not a 1275?" well to be blunt, why SHOULD i get a 1275 etc?

Not only do you have the engine to think abuot, but as Minidave pointed out, wheel size will be an option. Would you rather get quicker acceleration (10s) or higher top speed (13s), or maybe somwhere in the middle (12s).

at the end of the day it IS completly upto you, but im fed up of people slating smallbore engines and asying "ooh get a 1275 or a MED 1410" they might as well say "ooh get a KAD126v or Z-cars, or a ferrari mini engined!!"

Rant over lol

Hope you find this somewhat helpful. the projects will hopefully help you out.

i agree about one off standard engines. one of my old 998s was a damn sight quicker than my old spi cooper. it was an absolute gem to drive, i also think if you can afford to have a play with a 998 then go for it. if u want a finished article type engine then go bigger. it will be interesting to see what u can get out of yours mate!

[THE STIG]

Please have a look at JetBLICKs project and mine. We are oth doing small bore engines. Dan (JetBlick) has already got himself 63bhp out of a 998! I myself am aiming for near enough 100bhp FROM A 998 WITHOUT Forced induction!!
People i have talked to have said "ahh impossible without turbos or superchargers" hmm ok look at the mini se7ens!

mini se7ens are race cars

engines stripped after so many races would not be very pratical to strip your engine alll the time for road use

just my opion

but pocketing the block to run a 12g940 head is a good idea and a lot cheaper

i have a stage 2 998 unleaded head for sale if you dont want to pocket the block

dont have to spend over £800 to get good power from a 998

Edited by THE STIG, 17 March 2007 - 07:25 PM.