The 'T Series' engine
Discussion
Why not look for a different shape?Isn't the T fitted transverse in the 220? You'd need a different gearbox to fit a seven I guess. Also it's a cast iron block isn't it? Pretty damn heavy for the intended use. They can be pretty powerful though when tweaked, just need to sort out the bearings in the existing gearbox to take the extra power IIRC.
Cheers,
Rob
Cheers,
Rob
docevi1 said:
most of the K Series kit-cars are mid-mounted aren't they? Not many use a FWD engine to power the rear wheels via a prop. Or at least I don't think they do...
Caterham might disagree...
All the Superlight Rs use K series front engined. The weight of the cast iron lump of the T-Series might be a bit heavy up front in a 7 but not insurmountable, I wouldn't have thought.
The only kit I know of at the moment using a T-Series is the Marlin 5exi which is mid mounted.
If it's a se7en you're after, you could always go for something like a Mojo or similar mid 7 and just drop the engine and box in the back.
As for HGF, did that blight the T series? I thought it was only really the K that had real problems with it, and that only before they started using metal dowels.
HGF blight the T-series, it surely did!
I was involved with the bl00dy things back in the early to mid nineties, they used to go regulary enough on the injection ones, but it was envitable on the turbo versions, just a question of when
although the T series was much improved on the Mi-16 unit which it was basically a modified version of.
Mi-16 Turbo was a bit like a chocolate teapot! (fitted to the last of the series 1 820 Turbo)
>> Edited by mustard on Sunday 23 May 12:58
I was involved with the bl00dy things back in the early to mid nineties, they used to go regulary enough on the injection ones, but it was envitable on the turbo versions, just a question of when
although the T series was much improved on the Mi-16 unit which it was basically a modified version of.
Mi-16 Turbo was a bit like a chocolate teapot! (fitted to the last of the series 1 820 Turbo)
>> Edited by mustard on Sunday 23 May 12:58
LexSport said:
most of the K Series kit-cars are mid-mounted aren't they? Not many use a FWD engine to power the rear wheels via a prop. Or at least I don't think they do...
Caterham might disagree...
How do they do it then? From my understanding the FWD has two drive-shafts coming direct from the engine/gearbox... what happens a new 'box or something?
docevi1 said:
docevi1 said:
most of the K Series kit-cars are mid-mounted aren't they? Not many use a FWD engine to power the rear wheels via a prop. Or at least I don't think they do...
Caterham might disagree...
How do they do it then? From my understanding the FWD has two drive-shafts coming direct from the engine/gearbox... what happens a new 'box or something?
Yep, Caterham's own 6-speed.
Regarding the T series, although mustard clearly doesn't like it, the one fitted to the Shelsely T2 demonstrator has well over 100k miles on it, including lots of track use, and Peter Needham said the only problem was some leaking oil seals.
my mum had a 220 gti with the 'T' series.It wasn't a bad engine/car for 85k miles she had it,although the headgasket was changed annually with the oil and filter service.It didn't blow on the bores,just on the oil feed to the head gallery,apparantly a regular fault.The Rover garage,who did the head gasket for the first 5 years under goodwill,always called them 'T' for trouble.
T-Series is a bloody brilliant bit of kit - anyone who says otherwise is talking out of their bottom !! Rebuilt the unit in my old Bus (aka Rover Vitesse) last year - did a spot of basic head porting, lightly skimmed the head to clean up the surface & fitted new big ends & main bearing shells. Had nominal bearing wear at 120k miles & very little bore wear. Upped the boost to about 10-11psi which the stock system (on the later 200bhp motor) seems to cope with without any fueling or ecu adjustments. This thing pulls like a bloody train & never fails to bring a smile to my face! Performance is quite remarkable especially considering the size of the car ! - and my other motor is a Cobra with a tuned 4.6 V8 !!!
Yes, the T series suffered (at least initially) with the head gasket hangovers of the old O series, M setries etc. I think that there were three different types of head gasket used on the later blocks, but the current offering is a multi-layer stailess offering from Klinger which seems to work pretty well. The problem stems from an oil way which is located in the RH corner of the block - IMO all the talk of head gasket failures is overblown nonsense - virtually all head gasket problems that I've ever seen on this style of engine have been of a seepage nature (ranging from mild to quite bad) rather than out-and-out failure. A friend with an O series turbo modded his block/head interface to include a drilled dowed in the problem area which completely sorted the issue.
Fitting a T series to a 7 would be an interesting project - I'm pretty sure that several MGBs have been modded for T series power. I'm also pretty sure that the old 2 litre SD1 (and Sherpa) bell housing will fit the T block - you might be able to use the LT77 5-speed (SD1) also.
Lots and lots of T series info on the www.mgcars.org site (look or post under MG montego - as the T series montego transplant is quite a 'popular' conversion !!!)
Pete.
(BTW - IIRC the early vauxhall turbo motors were a piece of c@@k - didn't they get the necessary reduced CR with the aid of a 'spacer plate' under the head ?)
Yes, the T series suffered (at least initially) with the head gasket hangovers of the old O series, M setries etc. I think that there were three different types of head gasket used on the later blocks, but the current offering is a multi-layer stailess offering from Klinger which seems to work pretty well. The problem stems from an oil way which is located in the RH corner of the block - IMO all the talk of head gasket failures is overblown nonsense - virtually all head gasket problems that I've ever seen on this style of engine have been of a seepage nature (ranging from mild to quite bad) rather than out-and-out failure. A friend with an O series turbo modded his block/head interface to include a drilled dowed in the problem area which completely sorted the issue.
Fitting a T series to a 7 would be an interesting project - I'm pretty sure that several MGBs have been modded for T series power. I'm also pretty sure that the old 2 litre SD1 (and Sherpa) bell housing will fit the T block - you might be able to use the LT77 5-speed (SD1) also.
Lots and lots of T series info on the www.mgcars.org site (look or post under MG montego - as the T series montego transplant is quite a 'popular' conversion !!!)
Pete.
(BTW - IIRC the early vauxhall turbo motors were a piece of c@@k - didn't they get the necessary reduced CR with the aid of a 'spacer plate' under the head ?)
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