What is better A series or A+ for 1. performance and 2. reliability

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Morgs

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter. A+ basically means built after 1980something. If the engine is completely rebuilt, it shouldn't make a difference.

I've heard the A+ blocks are thinner but as Harley said if its built/rebuilt properly it won't make much difference at all.

Gee thats a curly question.

Lets look at it logically. The A-series has been around for a long long time and at one stage or another a car powered by an A series engine has won virtually every motoring performace and relaibility prize.

Every engine has its archilles heel and the A-series is no exception. For a seventy year old engine it has been developed and developed until it produces up to 160 bhp but with very few re-engineering refinements.

The A plus engine was delevoped when Leyland/Rover found itself competing against hightech european and asian manufactures and losing sales becausing of it.

The re-engineering was an attempt to rectify some of the archiles heel but it was done under the watcher eye of cost accountants and you know what that means.

It is a smoother motor with less distortion of the block at higher revs. It is a much newer blcok in term of manufacture therefore less wear stress and crystalisation of the metal.

Is it better ??? Well IMO - yes but not so you would notice.

gear changes in an A+ Engine are Much smoother.. and the engines tend to run a bit quieter

The A+ is a complete re-manufacture from the original A Series design. It incororates a few later technologies.

I find that the A+ is a little rougher running - ie more vibrations and noisey back into the cabin, but I've found that they are a lot more reliable.

admitedly my Cooper is an SPi, but its done over 250,000 kms without having the head off and still doesn't require any topups between 3 out of 4 oil changes (at 10,000km intervals)

IMO it depends solely on what you can get, at what price and in what condition.

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It the end not much difference. Thanks for the info.

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Morgs