MGB engine swap

[AJRH]

Evening all.

My '69 BGT has a significant oil thirst. By significant, I mean a more than a litre every 100 miles. Before you ask, it is not leaking! It's been doing this for sometime but a recent stint abroad has meant I have ignored it and continued sticking in oil when required.

However, the time has come to fix it- I'm of the opinion that a straight engine swap will be the easiest, this usually requires donation of the old engine which I'm happy with. I think dealing with the rebuild of my own engine will lead to more problems than it is worth.

I'd like your opinions/recommendations on how/where to go about this, and the purchase / fitting costs involved. I'm looking for a straight 1800 replacement - not too worried about extra power etc unless costs involved are marginal. My everyday car is fast enough, and the B will have limited cruising miles.

Whilst I'm an enthusiastic amateur spanner-ist, I'd prefer to give this job to someone else!

[v8250]

OP, take a look at the standard engine replacements readily available from MOSS, MGOC, MGB Hive et al. £1300.00-£1600.00 will have you a new engine on part exchange or £2000.00 for a balanced 1860 [all with unleaded heads from Ivor Searle etc]. You may like to think about your fuel/induction and extraction at this stage...just to make the new engine breath better; this will improve your fuel consumption at the same time. Look at buying complete with a balanced flywheel + clutch...will make life a little easier on changeover and a smoother engine; good luck.

PS consider a 123 Distributor too for a much improved ignition timing.

http://www.mgbhive.co.uk/engines.html
http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.asp...
http://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_SPARES_U...MGB4.html

[Richie Howard]

keep your eyes peeled on ebay, if you're looking to keep the costs down. they often pop up.

see this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180799753974?ssPageName=...

[v8250]

Richie, that's a very good price...

[Richie Howard]

yeah, if i wasn't at the brakes/suspension stage, i'd have seriously considered that engine. although, i am quite looking forward to doing the engine rebuild myself (hopefully not until next year...)

op - it might be worth firing the seller an email.

[wildoliver]

B series are so tough just buy a couple of used motors off ebay, they sell for anywhere from a tenner to £200 depending how pretty they look. Chuck them in and as long as it's not knocking like a good un or smoking like yours you've won.

In 13 years of running Bs as dailies I've had one engine burn oil badly, one blow a hole in a piston (with good reason) and that's it. Hundreds of thousands of miles across allsorts of often neglected by the PO cars.

A bad B series is unusual you stand I reckon a 90% chance of buying a decent used motor.

[AJRH]

Thanks for the input chaps, some useful points. Does anyone have an opinion as to the likely labour cost of a swap?

[wildoliver]

With a hoist you can easily do an engine swap in a b in around 4 hours or less.

[chormy]

Try having new guides fitted on the head thats the usual problem , heads comes off easy and a garage will put back if ur unsure, bit of spanner work and a couple of hundred will sort it i'm sure