The snaps were so that I remembered how everything went, so I could put it back together again. I replaced the original exhaust header with a Pacesetter which increased the pipe diameter to about 2"but have learned there are better ones available. You may have seen them at county fairs the vertical velodromes were originally built from old grain silos, leading to the name "silo-drome.". The piston should now slip into the bore. Also worth making sure the crank end float is correct (oversize thrust washers usually required, get them the right way round too). Piston-to-cylinder wall clearance must be checked. It might be suitable for some situations but the Spitfire (MG Midget) configuration is not one of them. WishboneClassics is able to perform certain machining operations on your engine that you cannot have done elsewhere. Guess 3 mains and a thrust bearing that falls out were state of the art back then. Both BC (B series engines) and Triumph (the Vanguard/TR wet liner engine) also used the engines in all sorts of different applications - main vans, boats and tractors, but they weren't designed for agricultural use in the first place. Dial indicator on a magnetic base. Quickview. Items that dont move, like valve covers, front and rear engine plates, lifter covers, timing covers, distributor bases, etc., you can clean yourself. Triumph produced the fun and affordable Spitfire for 18 years, during which time over 314,000 were built. Install the crankshaft and bearing $118.99. Rocker shaft - I think there is some end float issues amongst others!). Once you have confirmed oil pressure you are ready to fire the engine for the first time. All rights reserved. MG, Engine Machining & Assembly Photo Gallery. Spitfire/GT6 site suggests E for engine, to avoid confusion with commission number. Wishbone Classics is a specialist in rebuilding standard and performance British sports car engines. Make sure you watching this film right to the end, I guarantee youll get a laugh out of it. Differential Mount Set Poly Front Spitfire GT6 . Oil pump whether you replace with new or reuse your current oil pump you will need to disassemble it and check the clearances. The, The traditional Silodrome was a carnival sideshow attraction also called the Wall of Death." It set the record on 60% nitromethane, naturally aspirated. I'm also probably going to get another engine and after a bit of general inspection (The one I'm going to look at has already been largely rebuilt) and replacing the oil and water pumps - which haven't been done and then swap engines over - it also has a twin exhaust and a 4-2-1 header which is almost new. Follow the advice of the head gasket manufacturer in regards to coating. If the surface isnt flat, have the deck resurfaced. I was always much more partial to the 1296cc Spitfire engine than the 1500. TRIUMPH SPITFIRE MkI,II,III,IV & 1500 (1959-80) FUEL PUMP REPAIR KIT. This full engine rebuild kit includes the minimum of parts required when rebuilding an engine (less crank & cam); and assumes that your cylinder block, head, crankshaft & camshaft are all serviceable. Cylinder Head And here's the reason why. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Thanks Pete and Clive - as I say, I'm not after a racing engine or even upping the power particularly. ], Story by Tim SuddardPhotography asCredited. Because this CNCengine center also bundles multiple machining operations into one piece of equipment, we no longer have to worry about different individual machines introducing any deviations in tolerances between machining steps. https://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-105313. Triumph Spitfire - Engine rebuild - YouTube Restoration of my Triumph Spitfire showing the newly rebuilt engine by Prather Racing - Kent Prather and myself. Yes I know it was built from parts in the 50s and the design never changed. Detractors complained of durability anddrivabilityissues. I used new bolts and tabs, but this was 1980s so bolts would be from the good bucket. A better solution is to use this as an excuse to use larger intake valves and enjoy improved performance. Body & Chassis Brakes Clutch, Gearbox & Axle Cooling System Electrical Engine Exhaust Exterior Fuel System & Induction General Accessories Heating & Ventilation Interior Blueprinted engines are achieved when a builder dictates these sizes to get the exact clearance they need. The 123 ignition(distributor) is a modification that employs spark balancing, like used in formula race cars. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. Rocker arm bushings, if needed, Gaskets and the final touches Protection by optimising the oil supply is another option. Has anyone done anything to deck the block to remove the recesses between the cylinders and run a diff head gasket, i.e. Having trouble posting or changing forum settings? Always seemed like a sacrilege putting a Spitfire engine into a Midget. Its rated horsepower was 104 hp in its final year of production, which was 1973. The solution is an electric fuel pump in the trunk, and bypass the mechanical pump. I really like the improved proformance. sorry real name is Mark - Ill update my signature when I get 5 ! Check the wiper section of the rocker arm where it makes contact with the valve stem. Make sure the piston is marked front and that you are installing it in the proper direction. The process is mostly a function of carefully cleaning, disassembling and reassembling each carburetor while installing new gaskets. Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. How have you set the timing?? Shifts well, stops well. Degree wheel We can rebuild or repair your engine to factory specifications, and in most cases to much better than factory specifications. If you have a single row chain I suggest you upgrade to a double row chain if available. Crankshaft wear: the 1493cc engine fitted to the Spitfire 1500 has problems of its own, as the crankshaft can wear badly, along with the pistons and rings. Triumph Spitfire Engine Rebuild #8 - Distributor Fitting - YouTube After a long hiatus in production, I'm back on my engine rebuild videos, though there aren't many left. Add to Cart. Anyway even with the taller gears the engine isn't so high strung that it lugs at all. WHAT A MACHINE SHOP SHOULD DO Is there a howitzer story there? They can be rebuilt/modified by anyone who knows SU's. If your engine has press fit piston pins, like MG 1275, or the later MGBs, this is not something you can do yourself; it requires special tools. My engine is very user friendly around town and on the highway. Move to zero and then around and stop at .005 past zero. I own a suitable license for this piece of music, supplied by Chris Worth Productions. We've endeavored to have our machine work carried out on the finest, most accurate equipment available. Once you have finished the plastigauge procedure, and cleaned it all up, make sure to use assembly lube on your rod bearings and install your rod caps. You get extra points for completing this task if the engine in question is British or Italian of course, along with a tidy little bonus point if the engine is pre-1980. These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. For example, most modern black composite material head gaskets require no coating or sealer. I've read that a Newmans mildroad cam is a good option, and payan gaskets are the best, but what bearings and rings? AVAILABLE IN STANDARD OR ALL REGULAR OVERSIZES [ E-MAIL OR TEL. I raced both 3 and 5 main bearing MG engines and the 3 mains were dealing with slightly less drag and seemed a bit stronger and quicker revving, but bearing life when run to high rpm was better on the 5 main engines - they didn't get around to making 5 main versions until 1965 and Triumph never did go with 5 mains for their 4 cylinder sports car engines. No problem. This guy does a good job of outliningthe issues with the 1500: http://triumphspitfire.rickbaines.com/weaknesses-of-triumphs-1500-engine/. Carefully remove the main cap and use the graph on the paper slip the plastigauge comes with to determine the clearance. Shop Work The exhaust manifold goes on first, underneath the intake manifold. Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2023. all rights reserved. and you mention getting new sleeves and piston sets. TR6 four speed gearbox with J-type OD base rebuild pricing is $2999. In others, these cars are too old to require routine inspections. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. I wont cover every little detail that a manual will tell you about engine assembly. I used to do it your way but a lecture by Dimitri Elgin pointed out that using a dial indicator can lead to errors. Make sure to clean and lubricate your throttle linkage, too. AnglefireSeptember 30, 2017 in Engine. I have only ever torqued up to the factory spec, and never had any issues. Crankshaft grinding is a very skilled part of the machine shop phase. That is as good as you are likely to get it, though DD can of course alter advance curves to suit your engine spec, or go for a mapped ignition! Remove the crankshaft. Install the main bearings in the block with just a thin coat of non-synthetic 30WT motor oil, then install the crankshaft and coat the exposed journal with oil. Be sure to use engine oil with 1200 ppm of ZDDP to insure long engine life. Harlow Private 4,500 TRIUMPH Spitfire Spitfire Add those two numbers together and divide by twothat is your cam timing. Install your newly rebuilt engine in your car. Add to Wish List. If your crankshaft is out of spec and has to be reground, there are several under-sizes of crankshaft bearings available. I discussed addinglock tabs with the engineer when I did my Herald engine, but he warned against it. This information does not touch on replacing the Piston sleeves(Liners) and the figure 8 gaskets. Larger and the vital internal parts should be cleaned by professionals in an industrial parts washer. Rocker Assembly Quantum Mechanics, Ltd. But Ive stuck with it for reasons long since forgotten! Thanks Richard. Make sure to lube all points of contact. As of March 2007, all of our engine block work is carried out to the extremes of perfection on a CNCengine machining center. I was not aware of the header from the UK. This may take several minutes. I have 3 1500 Triumph engines in RB Midgets I'd like to rebuild and upgrade for greater performance and reliability, to take advantage of modern engine components, the years of tuning and development on this engine since the 70's, and the wealth of engine building experience that has amassed since the engines were introduced. A window into racing in the 1960s | Sebring Special MGBs: How an MG TC gave way to a worldwide British car enterprise. Check your camshaft end float The big issue with Spit motors was not wear onTW, it was preventing them from dropping. Inspect your valve guides next. Hap owns and operates Acme Speed Shop out of Greenville, SC, where his specialty is rebuilding MG engines ranging from stock to full out race prepared. The magnaflux chemicals help the machinist detect cracks. Intake valves Consider oversize for better flow If the gap is too big you are going to have to shim the camshaft or remove material from the back side of the cam gear. Instead, Ill tell you about steps the manual may not cover, and about the engine assembly sequence that can be helpful to you. The three-main-bearing design did not lend itself well to hard use. Most machine shops have a special tool that can cut all three angles at the same time. Oil pump The big end of the connecting rods that clamp around the crankshaft need to be checked for sizing. But this is for high revving engines, not road use. Blueprint clearance is mostly done by more advanced engine builders, but your machinist can measure and machine everything to spec. A complete rebuild includes the following: EVALUATION As an engine is torn down, each part is checked for excessive wear, damage and failure. I can then, at my leisure,rebuild the one in my car now and either sell it on or do another swap. The strut towers have also been chrome plated and fitted. I would like to strengthen the bottom end - if that is actually possible? Use a wooden, or plastic hammer handle, to tap the top of the piston down into the bore. (585) 889-2786 The '78 spit I just bought has this and a 4 tube header on it. I have 3 1500 Triumph engines in RB Midgets I'd like to rebuild and upgrade for greater performance and reliability, to take advantage of modern engine components, the years of tuning and development on this engine since the 70's, and the wealth of engine building experience that has amassed since the engines were introduced. Theory is great, but how much does this swap really help performance? Mainly as we now run unleaded fuel, not old 4 star! A short engine is the middle section of the engine assembly, namely the cylinder block. The mean piston speed will be 26.5m/sec. This is very important, because if you are not on TDC, all your readings will be wrong. Those upgrades transformed my previously 1300 powered car, and it did well at club autocrosses. All engine parts are cleaned, prepped and machined or new. A heat shield is highly recommended for these as well. The idea is to remove all the accumulated junk, especially from critical areas like the float bowl and jets. During break-in, check for leaks. When you check the shells, if it hasbeen built with cheap bi-metalones (you can tell by colour and the markings on the rear) then replace them with lead/copper. Fill the engine with all fluids. Lighter pistons and lighter conrods, by reducing their mass. I think these carbs were also stock on 70's era Fiat 124 sedans and roadsters, but I may be wrong. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. I tell my customers to go where the racers go. Listen out for rattling and blue. Regrinding the original cast iron exhaust seat is a short term answer, as valve seal will be lost in a short period of time. Your IP: Pinning them with a couple of 4-40 flathead brass machine screws is a simple effective solution. Short stroke Vs long stroke: The 1147 & 1300s can all rev much higher than a 1500, the 1500 due to its bigger capacity has more low down pulling Torque. I recommend replacing valves and valve springs. Scott Sewell. I suggest you guys go read the same thread over on the MGExperience board. All rights reserved. Engine Rebuild Kit Major Spitfire 73 to 80 Part number MEK7380 Availability: In stock Triumph Spitfire 1973 to 1980 Email Question $726.52 $920.47 Share this product Engine Rebuild Kit Major Spitfire 73 to 80 Go back to product details Piston Set 1500 (Choose Size) Piston Set STD 1500 9-1 + $233.99 Piston Set 020 1500 9-1 + $193.99 It's the 1500cc variant, however, its had some cylinder head work and a fast road camshaft. item 4 New Valve Cover Gasket for Triumph Spitfire and MG Midget 1500 Cork, item 5 New Cylinder Head Gasket for Triumph Spitfire 1500 and MG Midget 1500 w/ Tab, item 6 NEW TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MG MIDGET 1500 WATER PUMP, item 7 Triumph TR6, GT6, Spitfire, MG Midget 1500 fuel pump to engine gasket 138791, item 8 Triumph Spitfire - TR250 - TR6 & GT6 & MG Midget 1500 - Rear Main Crank Seal, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 9 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 5 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 4 product ratings, 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 2 product ratings. Bottom end Triumph - Spitfire - Sales Brochure - (2015) (German) Brochure 4 Pages. They can handle the disassembly, cleaning, checking for cracks, machining and assembly for you. The carb is a two stage design, so it's essentially a one barrel with a secondary that comes on at full throttle. Weight is mass times acceleration, andI've done this for a TR6, the worst possible case. Now that you have found TDC, move the dial indictors outside bezel to reflect zero at the needle point.