Anyone else get fed up with lack of power

[Jon Brown]

Been annoying me for a while now, my slightly tuned 998 isnt powerful enough.

Cause I live in a very hilly area the lack of torque really shows and end up having to thrash it up the hills to get it to go anywhere.

Current spec:

998cc block
12g295 head
Swiftune fast road cam
K&N Cone Filter and
Play mini full system inc manifolds
Standard diff

Anyway my question, do I bother trying to anything else or do I just go down the 1293/1380 route or even sell the car?

This is my daily driver as well!

[mad4amanda]

No substitute for cubes !
Go 1293 route as a start then dump it for a 1600 vtec!!

[Jon Brown]

To be honest Id prefer to keep it as an a series, otherwise its cheating

[Steve_T]

Dave Vizard's A series tuning book would be where I'd look for inspiration.

[Jon Brown]

Would that be the how to modify your mini book?

[Steve_T]

For just engine stuff, this one (but the other book is no doubt a good choice too):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuning-Engine-Definitive-P...

[GingerWizard]

Steve_T said:

For just engine stuff, this one (but the other book is no doubt a good choice too):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuning-Engine-Definitive-P...

I have a copy and i can catogorically say it is immense. I have read it cover to cover (thats every single word, which considering its depth and word count is a lot by my standards). I would personally go for a 1330 with the option to go 1380 when the engine is worn out, the blocks are a finite item now...

Spec would be,

1330
276 cam
40dcoe webber
1.5 roller rockers
stage 1/2 head
play mini exhaust/ 3-2-1 manifold


I had a 1293 with a 286 cam, a well sorted engine but I always felt I should have gone the 1330 route for the extra torque.

Buy the book, makes you see things differently. I personally like the "cool-can" fuel line , running a coiled fuel line through a box filled with dry ice, so you super cool the fuel before induction, aiding over all induction temps. Its a race thing only but ingenious too.

Gwiz

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Get yourself over to Swiftune for a 1380. I had one in my Mini Clubman which I used for track days and daily use for years.

[Cooperman]

Mrs Muttleysnoop said:

Get yourself over to Swiftune for a 1380. I had one in my Mini Clubman which I used for track days and daily use for years.

The only problem with a 1380 is that when it is worn, you may have no-where to go as boring further may not work. Then you willl need a new block, in addition to the abortive boring of the 1380. I've seen this and it's expensive. They will not make any more A-series blocks and when we all run out, it'll be a sad day.
At 1330 cc you won't lose much over a 1380 as most 1380 engines are not set-up well in terms of head, manifold, exhaust, carbs, etc., and 5 bhp is neither here nor there unless you are chasing half-a-second per lap on the track. I've even seen 1380's with twin pipe final exit pipes which loses the few bhp then may have gained by going bigger, which makes no real sense.
Remember, you can't sleeve an offset-bored 1380 as you can a normal bore-centre 1330.

[Chuggaboom]

Yes, never overbore a block until it needs it is a fair policy these days....possibly easy to say for some I'll concede as there a few on the shelf....I just pretty much mixed and matched with the last few builds.

Current spec:

1310, 296 cam, 45DCOE, Maniflow In, Janspeed Ex, My own head with flat back valves (can't remember the sizes), JK drops, 4 synchro, 3.44 semi hel, Sals LSD.

Its about time I had it on the road again....been distracted with other things

[Jon Brown]

I shall have to get the book I think and I will have a look at swiftunes site.

Im in no rush and was thinking of early to mid next year (warmer times) if i can wait that long.

[GingerWizard]

Jon Brown said:

I shall have to get the book I think and I will have a look at swiftunes site.

Im in no rush and was thinking of early to mid next year (warmer times) if i can wait that long.

It might be worth spending some time on ebay looking for a 1275 engine, most places want one in excahnge or charge 150-250 if you don't have one.

The best tuneable engine out there is the 1000cc, its peak rev point and power distribution is probably the best, but not the best at peak power or producing torques...... (clarksonism)

Personally i would buy a old 1275, send that for exchange, then if you are building the new engine your self or having it delivered built you can do the engine swap in a day or so, minimising the inconvience of taking the car off the road. This goes the same for a garage refit.



I have been in the process of an engine build in my 3rd floor flat for sometime now, the canny buyer can get many many things cheap if you keep an eye out.....

for instance i bought some brand new full roller rockers (double bearing) 1.5.1 for the princly sum of £58.00 I think they are 300-450 from the shops......

en40b super trick (wedged,balanced,nitrited etc etc) long tail crank...... brand new £750-£1000..... local free ads, £125, unused still in packaging....from MED or KAD i believe (its in the other room...)

Gwiz

[Jon Brown]

Thanks g-wiz

My local mini guy has quite a few engines knocking around so ill see what hes got.

What gearbox are you going to be running with your new engine?

[TVR Sagaris]

Did you gradually upgrade the engine yourself, Jon?

If you started off with a standard 998, I'd be interested in knowing how different it felt with your mods.

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Cooperman said:

Mrs Muttleysnoop said:

Get yourself over to Swiftune for a 1380. I had one in my Mini Clubman which I used for track days and daily use for years.

The only problem with a 1380 is that when it is worn, you may have no-where to go as boring further may not work. Then you willl need a new block, in addition to the abortive boring of the 1380. I've seen this and it's expensive. They will not make any more A-series blocks and when we all run out, it'll be a sad day.
At 1330 cc you won't lose much over a 1380 as most 1380 engines are not set-up well in terms of head, manifold, exhaust, carbs, etc., and 5 bhp is neither here nor there unless you are chasing half-a-second per lap on the track. I've even seen 1380's with twin pipe final exit pipes which loses the few bhp then may have gained by going bigger, which makes no real sense.
Remember, you can't sleeve an offset-bored 1380 as you can a normal bore-centre 1330.

I was very lucky with my 1380 Swiftune. It was fitted in the mid 1990s and was
still going strong when I sold it last year. My car was prep'd as a track day car and was very well looked after and driven very hard on track days. Patrick Watts (ex BTCC driver) drove it on a track day as did Harvey Death. I was very lucky in the mid 1990s as Nick Swift trained me on the GP circuit at Brands.

Edited by Mrs Muttleysnoop on Tuesday 7th December 16:34

[Jon Brown]

TVR Sagaris said:

Did you gradually upgrade the engine yourself, Jon?

If you started off with a standard 998, I'd be interested in knowing how different it felt with your mods.

I certainly did, at least with a little help. The only problem was it was off the road for a few months as I had a couple of new panels put on and had the car resprayed. So it wasn't like one day it was slow the next day much better.

Saying that the car feels much revier and you can feel the car going 'on cam' slightly. I would say that it is definetly quicker but it would be much better with smaller wheels 10s or 12s (currently on 13's)and a taller/shorter (can't remember which)diff.

The car should also benefit from a rolling road tune when I get round to it.

Do you have a mini and a tvr? if so it must be a common combo as I have a TVR too (chimaera)

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Mine was on 10 inch wheels. When you want it on the rollers Peter Baldwin is the ONLY person to go to. He is based at Wilshers Garage, 18 Cambridge Road, Wimpole, Royston, Cambs SG8 5QE. If you want the best then you are just going to travel there, as I had to many times.

[TVR Sagaris]

Jon Brown said:

I certainly did, at least with a little help. The only problem was it was off the road for a few months as I had a couple of new panels put on and had the car resprayed. So it wasn't like one day it was slow the next day much better.

Saying that the car feels much revier and you can feel the car going 'on cam' slightly. I would say that it is definetly quicker but it would be much better with smaller wheels 10s or 12s (currently on 13's)and a taller/shorter (can't remember which)diff.

The car should also benefit from a rolling road tune when I get round to it.

Do you have a mini and a tvr? if so it must be a common combo as I have a TVR too (chimaera)

Just a Mini

Do you mind me asking how much you spent on the engine mods?

[Cooperman]

Mrs Muttleysnoop said:

Mine was on 10 inch wheels. When you want it on the rollers Peter Baldwin is the ONLY person to go to. He is based at Wilshers Garage, 18 Cambridge Road, Wimpole, Royston, Cambs SG8 5QE. If you want the best then you are just going to travel there, as I had to many times.

Agree 100%. That's where I always go.

[Jon Brown]

TVR Sagaris said:

Just a Mini

Do you mind me asking how much you spent on the engine mods?

Not at all, the exhaust, air filter and inlet manifold was circa £200? I did this a couple of years ago so I cant remember exactly.

The 12G295 head was a bargain £100 plus another £200 to convert it to unleaded and generally get it up to scratch.

The cam kit (swiftune SW5 Duplex Kit) was £250 as below
http://www.swiftune.com/Product/448/sw507-duplex-k...

I also changed the clutch and various gaskets and new bolts etc so probally about £900 all in.

This how she looks these days, there are still quite a few bits that need tidying when it gets warmer