1275 A+ Engine Build

Started by MiniDave, January 31, 2016, 03:05:42 PM

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MiniDave

Starting this thread to document the build of a friend's 1275 A+, we haven't discussed exactly what we want out of this engine, so for now I'm looking at building it back stock as economically as possible.

Today I did a test fit of the block on my engine stand, I wanted to see if I could mount it from the side without having to build an adaptor, and it seems to fit just fine. I've mounted them from the flywheel end before but that restricts how much assembly you can do on the stand - this way will work better. The stand is mounted to the block with four bolts, two in the alternator bracket mount and two in the oil filter adaptor mount....I've seen adaptors that mount like this but with only two bolts, I believe in overkill!  ;D

Next, send it out to be hot tanked. We have a block cleaner at school so I'll try that first, if it doesn't come out good enough I have a friend with an engine building shop - in fact he'll do all the machine work for me - so I'll have him dip it.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

What is the intended use - strictly normal street/highway, some potential track/autocross, etc.?

If just street (with some "spirited" country drives" and you are considering a cam change, I can recommend this one from 7Ent.  I used it in the rebuild of the engine in the yellow 1961 Mini I had a few years ago.

http://www.7ent.com/products/elgin-244-264-camshaft-mild-road-elg001.html


MiniDave

#2
We haven't discussed the build yet, so for now I'm just cleaning it up to see what it needs - I'm sure the cost of repairs will dictate how crazy he gets with it......I know it's going to need to be bored and a complete valve job with hardened seats....other than that I'll know more after I mic the crank. The cam that came with looks OK from a cursory once-over look.

I don't know anything about the motor, how many miles it's run, why it was torn down etc but it sat torn down for a long time and the bores are rusty, so at a minimum..

Pistons/rings
Rod and main bearings
cam bearings
gaskets and seals all around
water pump
oil pump
valves, rockers, rocker shaft, clutch, timing chain - probably, as these are usual wear items.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Dmulder

This might be crazy and your friend might not like it so maybe ask him but could you post a parts and price list of what you end up replacing, repairing, fixing.  I know things like dipping and boring will vary by region but it might be nice to get an idea or baseline for others to use
"In like a lamb, Out like a lion."

MiniDave

#4
Sure, once we know what we're going to do.....

Edit - Looks like we're gonna hot rod it up a bit - more as it happens!   77.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

LilDrunkenSmurf

I'd love to see a list as well. I've been considering a VTEC swap, but the other route would be building an SPi replacement for DD/AutoX duty. Since it's an "import" classing is already broken for me.

MiniDave

#6
That's one of the things I've been thinking too, I could see this engine costing $3K easy, parts, labor and machine work.

I have a couple of friends who have D series Vtec conversions, one has done well over 20K miles, the other one has close to that mileage. However, a Vtec does involve some compromises......

This is my buddy's P'up - he's done close to 25K now, but he bought his already built, and the only reason he still has it is that I've fixed a lot of the engineering compromises and made it work.....he's not mechanically inclined.

The only way it makes economic sense tho is if you can do it yourself, and not a lot of people have the wherewithal to do their own conversion.......

It's not quite as hard if you buy one of Mini-Tecs kits, but then you really increase the cost.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MtyMous

Yeah. Post the prices and parts list. I wanna see how much money I've  wasted. I've kept a spreadsheet of my whole build for the most part. I know I've missed some things, but the list and $$$ scares me. Haha.

Interested to see what you guys decide to do.

stan360

#8
I think the V-tec is much more than I would need, but it might be a lot if  fun to put an Eaton supercharger on an 1275 A series.   Looking forward to watching the build progress Dave .  4.gif

LilDrunkenSmurf

I'd go B series for sure. I'd have to get the vtec kit, as I don't have the knowledge to make my own subframe (or welding experience).

MiniDave

B series Honda? I think those are just too much HP, plus you have to extend the nose (or is that for the K series?) I think the D series gives plenty of power in a smaller package that fits well in the front of a Mini.

I was going to put a supercharger on Buzz, but ran out of money......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

LilDrunkenSmurf

The D and B use the same mounting points (I used to own a B-swapped civic hatchback).

The K needs an extended nose.

Personally, I'd run a B16A2. 180HP/110ft-lb. Much better than the 105hp D16Y8.

MPlayle

From most of what I have read regarding the VTec swaps, the D-series and "some" B-series do not need the extended nose.  Other B-series and the K-series need the nose extension.

I tend to agree with MiniDave about most of the B-series conversions being too much power for the Mini.

From reading many of the follow-up postings about various conversions, the D-series owners seem happiest - the least follow-up discussions.  The basic B-series owners also seem to post little either way after completing the conversion.  The more HP involved in the conversion (modified B-series and K-series), the less thrilled with the conversion and more problems seem to be posted in follow-up discussions.


LilDrunkenSmurf

There's someone local to my who's installing a K-series into their '78 Mini 1000. They got the extended nose so they could fit a supercharger on the K-series as well down the road. They opted for the K24, which is the big 2.4L out of the accord.

MiniDave

After a quick bath in the solvent tank the head looks really good. It's a 12G940 and it looks like it already has the hardened seats installed, and a recent valve job.

I need to try and clean up the worst of the rusted cylinders and see what it mics out to, I'll run the block up to school where we have all the fancy inside mics to do that, and I'll put it in the block washing machine while I'm there - then I'll know more..

Edit: a quick clean up of one cyl  - it looks like this thing might hone out OK to stock size, so we could just put some new rings and bearings in and call it good.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

BTW, some D series engines made 130hp.....

the D15B used in JDM civics from 92-2000

the D15Z7 made 128 used in 96-99 euro Civics

D16A9 made 129hp

D16Y2 made 126

D16Y8 made 129

and so on.

Most people buy the D16Y8 JDM motor......

My friend's P'up is a D16Y8 and Mini-Tec "tunes" the ECU to get it to about 135 - or so they say.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#16
Today I took the block up to school to use the washing machine on it - I'd never used this so it was a learning experience for me. It heats up the citrus based cleaner to about 175°, and then the block sits or a rotating platen while a 10hp pump sprays the cleaner as the block turns. The results were pretty good, but as soon as you go to dry it off it flash rusts. I sprayed some WD40 on it to stop the rust and blew it dry with compressed air.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Very cool.  Are you thinking a hone and reuse the pistons?

MiniDave

I've got to measure the cylinders first, they may be too worn to hone.....first I had to clean everything up so I could get accurate measurements.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

Those spray cabinets are great I have a storm vulcan at the shop way better than a plain old hot tank in my opinion I've used both. I think ours has like 40 moving nozzles blasting 60 psi 180 degree hot water based cleaning solution at the parts the parts table also rotates.

Are you rinsing with clean water? helps with the flash rusting and you can flow it through all the oil passages.

Thanks for posting I always enjoy reading.

Jeff

MiniDave

Yep - 15 min wash cycle followed by 5 min rinse cycle with clean water - also heated to 175°  - rotating platen, but the nozzles in this one are fixed - they shoot from all directions tho.

I don't know tho, when I had my block done in the hot tank it came out CLEAN - no paint or anything left on it. Charged me $100 to do it tho, this is free!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

cool you have a rinse cycle we do it with the garden hose lol. They will strip paint like crazy with the caustic iron only solution (most hot tanks use), I have alum. safe solution in ours it will take most paint in about 40 min. of run time. The machine shop hot tanked my classic mini block in the iron stuff and it ruined the number tag  need to get a new one made. But yea it was dam clean.

Jeff

MiniDave

So.....this came today.....so now I can pop the valves out and measure the seats and check the guides...

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring


MiniDave

I don't know if the scale shows well in the pic, but it's tiny!   ;D  But then, so are the valves!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad