47 replies to this topic

[dklawson]

Let's give this a couple of days. It's easy to spend several thousand dollars on an engine rebuild and each of us has our own idea of what is great or would be great.

I suspect that if new pistons are involved, the machine work and parts will eat up most of the budget you mentioned at the start of this thread. After you know that initial expense, and have a feel for how much more you want to spend, all of us can make well reasoned and financially reasonable suggestions towards more performance. While you're waiting on that estimate give some thought to how you use your Mini and what you'd like to be able to do with it. (i.e. Is this a daily driver, is it a street machine, a weekend toy? ) How you use the car should influence the type of improvements you want in the rebuild.

[adautobits]

600 quid dont really buy you an engine, and then u have a gearbox to sort too really if someone is doing the work it has to be almost 3 times that for a short engine fitted with rebuilt box, then worry about the head afterward, labour is half the killer

[Sprocket]

I have a 1330 tom bell race engine producing 105bhp on a single 1 3/4 carb with a 286 cam,and i have the dyno sheet! I have been told with the sw5 i will easliy make more torque with the sw5,this was on peter baldwins rollers,I have a 45 to go on next also

Baldwins rollers have been seen to over read some what, hence why you will find many people using the term 'Baldwins' rather than 'BHP' This does not detract however from the fact that the guy knows what he is doing and is one of the only places you know you'll get what you pay for, with the engine set up as it should be. You just have to take the power figures, in some instancies with a pinch of salt. Does not mean its a bad thing

One thing im not sure on is how will a 240 duration cam produce more torque over a 286 cam, maybe they were talking about that fact the torque will move down to the lower revs.

[Sprocket]

And by the way, your spelt probably wrong, your making yourself look like an arse.

Oh, is this what it has ended up as, a slagging match about peoples spelling. I will thank you for highlighting my dyslexia. I dont think i do too bad with it considering i dont use a spell checker, its just takes me twice as long to write something, but thank you any way

And wahts this about 'hiding' behind my computer

[Sprocket]

I wouldnt be fitting anything racier than a 270 duration cam on 1293 to 1360 upping that to 280/ 286 on a 1380, if you wish to use this on the road. Mine and my own opinion, disclaimer applies

the SW5 is an excellent cam but does lack the ability to produce the figures, if thats what you are after

[alexcrosse]

And by the way, your spelt probably wrong, your making yourself look like an arse.

Oh, is this what it has ended up as, a slagging match about peoples spelling. I will thank you for highlighting my dyslexia. I dont think i do too bad with it considering i dont use a spell checker, its just takes me twice as long to write something, but thank you any way

And wahts this about 'hiding' behind my computer

you called me the arse first, if you took offence from what i said, dont call me n e thing in the first place mate. You need to say, 'ah, r u thinking of the SW10 mate?" Crazy little thing called manners. N dont play the dyslexic card, you dont no what other people r going through so just watch it.

[Jammy]

WO WO WO!!!


If you have a budget of £500-600 then you can afford to have Bill take the engine out of your car, rebuild it, and repair whatever went wrong with it (I imagine the diff pin, leading to the diff housing breaking and spilling oil, either that or a driveshaft seal went), and then put the engine back in your car. Thats it. Trust me you won't have any money left to upgrade anything!

[alexcrosse]

Dr Basturd has a good point (hehe). I think southam charge 250 just to take the engine out and put it back in!

[Jammy]

I think Lee (Bills other work) charges £150 each time the engine moves up or down (ie, £150 in, £150 out).

To put it this way, a full rebuild for the 1425 that Alex ^^^ currently has, cost me £1200, that included new piston rings, and new baulk rings, and a couple of bearings, and labour for the engine and gearbox rebuild and removing and refitting the engine.

[silky]

I see your point Dr Jammy. I will have to wait until Monday and find out the true costs. It does seem that the labour charge is going to be the killer.

Due to the potential cost involved and Crimbo coming up, I had to apply for a credit card which comes next week! Thank goodness for nice banks.

This may give me a couple of extra pennies to spend (but don't tell the missus)!!!

Edited by silky, 27 October 2007 - 11:16 AM.

[silky]

I'm trying to cost the parts first so I can go to Bill and find out what the labour would be.

Regarding the pistons, is there going to be a bog difference between the £230 MiniSpares and the £150 MiniSpeed ones?

[alexcrosse]

mini-its do cheap powermax pistons, without worrying about missing things. Rings fitted and pins included. Remember its usually £25 to put the rods on too! then £70 to offset bore, then you will need the crank balancing etc etc etc.

I planned a basic 1380 with SMMC and it came out at £700 with everything. Not sure if that included pistons.

Also, alot of the blocks were lined, check yours isnt before comitting to anything or your limited to 1293.

[Jammy]

A lot of which blocks are lined? Companies don't generally line blocks at the moment, because its expensive when they usually have a number of blocks waiting to be used, so if a block has got so bad that it needs lining it'll just be thrown and a replacement block used.

Wait a good few years when large bore blocks start geting hard to get hold of and then we'll start seeing more lined blocks.

[dklawson]

Silky, I went to the MiniSpeed web site and looked up pistons. They appear to sell the AE P21253 pistons that MiniSpares sells. I didn't see the same price you did though. I found them for 155 GBP +VAT. They did have the P21251 pistons for about 85 GPB +VAT... are those the ones you were looking at?

Piston prices go up as you make the transition between cast, pressure cast, and forged. The P21253 pistons are pressure cast and I believe the P21251 pistons are simply cast. The pressure cast pistons are suitable for a mild performance build (I use them). The P21251 pistons are strictly for the street. I would not use them if you do start adding performance bits to your plans. The P21253s would be a better choice but they would not be suitable for a really high performance A-series engine. For that you'd want the much more expensive forged pistons.

I hope that helps a bit.

Everyone else... please give this a rest for a while until Silky has his "basic" quote and gives some thought to his budget.

SIDEBAR:
OK, lots of finger pointing about spelling in previous posts. If it really bothers anyone, Google for "Google Taskbar" and download it. It will integrate with your install of Internet Explorer and includes a built in spell checker. Just click the spell check icon and you're done. However, to the best of my knowledge it uses "American" English so you might find yourself spelling "color" instead of "colour" and "theater" instead of "theatre". Of course, it will also add words to your personal dictionary as you use them and tell the spell checker to save them.

[Sprocket]

lets not also forget that the 21251 pistons will also require a chunk machining off the top of the block to get the compression ratio up, and that will add another £45 to the cost