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When to Give Up On the A Series
https://ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7891		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  Chris [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:04 am ]
Post subject:  When to Give Up On the A Series
I was wondering at what point modifying an NA mini motor ceases to become viable and it would be better to consider either forced induction or an engine swap. I have had to make a decision recently whether to build a 1430 or perhaps supercharge my motor and am interested at what point others would say enough is enough. Would you for instance lay out the money for a different cylinder head and then inject it (for instance)? That would be the thick end of $10,000 I guess. I am not looking for advice as my decision has been made, just interested in other peoples views.
Author:  Spaceboy [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 1:37 am ]
Post subject: 
i'd modify the engine to a point where its still driveable every day and in traffic..
then if i want more power i'd go forced induction.
more power again, hybrid motor
then boosted hybrid motor

i think those 8 port heads etc are only for racing where you need to keep the A series, and are not good bang for buck
Author:  drmini in aust [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:20 am ]
Post subject: 
I agree with Spaceboy. A 1430 with a decent 5 port head, cam and Weber etc goes pretty hard- and doesn't cost a bomb to build. As long as you don't go overboard on cam choice, they are good in traffic too.

My 1430 stroker will be getting a GR 282 cam... his newest `streeter'. 8)

More power = blow it, or hang a hairdryer on... :shock:
Author:  TheMiniMan [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:42 am ]
Post subject: 
Never Give up on the A series mate,,,if you`re after road drive-ability "WITH" huge grunt,,,then BMW K1 16v twin cam motor bike cyl head with Turbo & engine management system all the way :-)

Image

easy-peasy :-)
Author:  cush [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:13 am ]
Post subject: 
But, how long has that taken you to get running, matt? :)
Author:  Boostedmini [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:34 am ]
Post subject: 
in my eyes a mini is a mini with an A series engine only, yeah there are some great conversions been done that go ****** great but to me a mini is a mini with an A series.

we are all different and have different amounts of money so the 8 port inject turbo is still in the future for me.
Author:  dansedgli [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:14 am ]
Post subject: 
I gave up on the A series long ago.

I say stop when driveline gear becomes too expensive and it becomes cheaper to do a transplant.

Im going with a CB70, 105hp stock, DOHC, EFI, turbo. It returns 100kms to 6 litres of fuel, has a 5 speed box and should be up around the $2500 mark to have it all fitted up and running doing a lot of it myself.

What does it cost to get 105 hp out of an A series? How reliable would it be?
Author:  Chris [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:51 am ]
Post subject: 
Since I started to think about the van and what use it is going to get I have been looking extensively at the motor options. Hondas, Suzukis, blown, stroked everything has been given the once over. Then practicality steps in and I found I couldn't insure a blown car, the Hondas look like a nightmare to fit and they give body problems, the Suzuki looks good but like everything has hidden problems. Then I thought of how long it would take me though I have the workshop and all the gear and decided I would rather have it on the road with a 1430 in it, driving around. The fifth gear and injection is what I will miss so I have another van body here which could be a spare time project later on for a Jap motor. The problem with some small Jap motors is the lack of torque. I drive a one litre Jap car every day and it has zip torque but on the face of it would make a great motor for a Mini if it was just used around town and performance wasn't a huge criteria. In the end what stopped me putting a conversion in was I didn't want to cut up a brand new body, and now I have the second car I will do that. So all sorts of things have led to my decision and I was just wondering what other people thought.
Author:  dansedgli [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
There wouldnt be much point in a conversion unless your acheiving something the A series cant.

For me its a dollar thing and I prefer turbo's over NA. I refuse to convert something to turbo that wasnt originally after the hassles I have already been through and the power turbo A series engines are pulling doesnt impress me. I dont want to spend thousands on sorting a strong bottom end where I could buy a complete package good for 150hp for much less.
Author:  1380 yellow devil [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
TheMiniMan wrote:
Never Give up on the A series mate,,,if you`re after road drive-ability "WITH" huge grunt,,,then BMW K1 16v twin cam motor bike cyl head with Turbo & engine management system all the way :-)

Image

easy-peasy :-)


Have you got the V8 Mini Going yet
Author:  Besser [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:16 pm ]
Post subject:  really it's a $$$$$$$$ question
Who wouldnt want a smooth idle to redline 300HP mini A series but it aint going to happen. In the last 50 years the biggest improvements to engines have been electronics and the run on.

Always you need to set a budjet and work the best you can to it!

Have a final goal or you never are satisfied.

Listen to the pros and experienced guys as there aint much thats going to be drastically new in the A series mods.

PS An A series is just an engine and can have many characters. Shut the hood and it could be a suzuki, honda,diahatsu......

$$$$$
Author:  TheMiniMan [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
yeah,,,well,,,no,,,not quite ,,,the V8 is all apart again :-( i don`t get much time to my own projects you see,,,allways building other stuff for other people instead,,,it`s called making a living, dam customers , allways in the way :-)

Image

More fiddly fart arsed stuff to do before the final fit out & it`s away :-)

& Besser,,,a smooth idle to redline & over 400hp is quite possible with the turbo alloy V8 conversion,,,just not really road regiserable,,,not being picky, just allowing the thoughts to run free :-)
Author:  min13k [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
how much will the bmw conversion be in bolt on state ????
makka
Author:  TheMiniMan [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
havn`t priced it all up properly yet,,,

one of the issues of it is that it does lend itself to forced induction a bit better than Normally Aspirated form, because the BMW combustion chambers are allready 28cc,,,so to fit high, flat tops or domey tops for N/A will mean fly cuts in piston crowns for valve clearance etc

& , the 2 turbo ones that i`m doing are pretty dam cheap as i`m doing them myself,,,when they`re both tested for a year or so, then i`ll look at pricing up kits to be avaliable for sale by then buying & machining all items needed in volume & see how all that pans out.

here it is in a nut shell----->Buy a head, ,,,,Might cost about $1K (ish)

mods to block,???? not much really,,,bung a few holes then drill & thread a few others,,,easy for any machine shop & really shouldn`t cost more than $100-200(ish) depending on where you go & who you see

slight mods to cyl head pertaining to oil drains & oil feed,,,again, another easy peasy item the machine shop can do in a few mins. & then punch out a few extra holes in a BK450 1275cc mini head gskt... simple hey?

Now,,,the front of the donk,,,dri\ving the cams etc,,,this is where i come in with all the goodies :-),,,this is pretty costly, but i`ll be trying to buy a whole heap of whats needed in the parts dept, & then doing maybe a run of 10x of all the plates, flanges & bosses needed & other bits & bobs machined on the CNC,,,3 of these plates need to be dowelled & mounted to the cyl head & machined in situ to make sure all the oil don`t piss out where it shouldn`t :-) we also machine all the pulleys & spacers & idlers run true & line up where they should to...that sort of thing really helps if you want the timing belt to actually stay on there :-)

then it`s up to you as to whether you want forced induction/injection etc
----or just N/A & Carbs/injection etc,,,it`s all your call there , up to you,,,,& then sort pistons & comp ratios to suit in the engine build.

exhaust can be done at any exhaust shop that knows what they`re doing.

i can do the whole dam thing for you if you like, but then you`re paying me a Be-Squillion dollars in engine build labour cause i`m not a cheap mini punk,,,,i`m a very expensive mini punk :-)

But,,, a very good expensive mini punk :-) modest too :-)

& i`ve also got a very BIG DONK :-)

ok,,,i`ll stop now :-)
Author:  willy [ Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
Awesome topic, guys.

I say one should NEVER give up on the trusty A-series (isn't that contradictory... trusty A-series?) :lol:

The A-series is a great, and reliable, motor, but needs special attention.
As does any thirty+ year old motor.

The hybrid motors are just a different gravy on ya meat.
Maybe those people just wanted something different.
Doesn't necessarily mean theyre more reliable (well, yeah maybe it does).

My c, c.
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