In recent years we have become especially well known for ourperformance Triumph TR6 engines, which put out incredible power while improving durability and eliminating faults with the original design. Intake valves Consider oversize for better flow Pushing out the old pins is normally done by cold pressing. The Spitfire has headed over to the garage where the brakes and suspension components have been stripped, sandblasted and painted and have started to be fitted. NEW PARTS Most cylinder head parts are inexpensive. Vandervell were the bearing of choice when a friend of mine built a 2ltr pinto for rallying as alternative bearings failed after about 3 events (Spectacularly the first time!) Ray Ciccarelli, Hello Its important that this be accounted for because too much clearance would cause a loss of oil pressure and too little clearance could cause damage to the bearings and crankshaft. As for the MG Midget, I preferred the 1275. I also experienced the thrust washer failure which ruined the crank so my advice is to keep your foot off the clutch as much as possible. The intake will have receded. Buy your used Triumph Spitfire motors/engines from us and save time and money. In addition there are no springs or weights to fool with. $29.77. Cylinders are bored to the next oversize Crankshaft is turned to the next undersize Mount the rear engine plate, flywheel and clutch. Make sure to clean and lubricate your throttle linkage, too. Check the wiper section of the rocker arm where it makes contact with the valve stem. Its a good idea to replace the rocker shaft. I tried the Weber DGV for a while but the SU's are more responsive plus I get better gas mileage ( the 5 speed helps). NICELY RESTORED CAR WITH REBUILT ENGINE. Add those two numbers together and divide by twothat is your cam timing. Come on fellas, Mike can't be the only one to reply??? I'll be making sure that my new one is as good as it can get to the "best" end of the specs. 3 main engines were definitelymore common but Triumph had a lock on using only half the thrust washers other manufacturers (like MG) did in that period - a definite shortcoming. Almost 100,000 of these engines were used in the 1973-80 Spitfires, and nearly as many were used inMGMidgets sold from 1975andlater. I'm more than happy with 5000rpm - my currently daily is diesel so tends to live at less than 3000 - actually a lot less unless booting it (its a 3tr BMW so has lots of power and torque!). 5000 rpm may be a conservative limit even for a 1500, but it's easy to see that thelonger stroke engine approaches the 20mps limit far sooner than the earlier engines. In our case, Quantum Mechanics sold us a brand-new downpipe to match the European exhaust manifold. MG Midget Triumph Spitfire Rebuilt 1500 Engine About this product About this product Best Selling in Engine Blocks Speedmaster Pce286.1049 Aluminum Engine Block Ford 351w Windsor 9.500 In. Many British engines have cam bearings in the block. 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. At the end of the day if it needs a rebuild every 40/50k its notthe end of the world as that is plenty of years use! Many parts are available for this engine from aftermarket suppliers. It might be suitable for some situations but the Spitfire (MG Midget) configuration is not one of them. I think that they are 3.67 to 1. You will need some headwork, and a skim o achieve a higher compression ratio (depends on the cam). And is actually a spelling mistake, made the first time I used it. The last GT6s had a lot of differences from earlier mk3s, I wonder if Triumph went back to tabs? Cutting the valve seats: The most common is a three angle seat for better performance and sealing. The std stamped on the shells should mean std size. As you'd expect Vesseys are the specialists in the repair and reconditioning of the Triumph 4 and 6 cylinder engines. New rocker arms are not expensive and in many cases less than the cost of having your originals rebushed and refaced. Degree wheel The goal is to find maximum camshaft lift on the indicator. Shop Work Thanks Pete - as it happens I picked up a "new" engine today - has been largely rebuilt - needs a new oil pump as it wasn't changed, but does seem to be well done overall. Install lifters, pushrods and cylinder head. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. Its really more simple than people make it out to be. If you can catch a fingernail on the surface of the flywheel where the clutch disc rides, you will need to resurface your flywheel. " Create your own unique website with customizable templates. If you have a single row chain I suggest you upgrade to a double row chain if available. The shop will most likely resurface the cylinder head to insure flatness, and provide for a good sealing surface for the head gasket. But there were some problems. Copyright 2018 Wishbone Classics. Install all bolts on the exterior of the block, for example, threaded plugs, oil pressure regulator, distributor drive and base, water pump, timing cover, crank pulley, motor mount brackets and seals (always put grease on seal lips to avoid damage during installation). To read Haps previous article on engine disassembly and inspection, visit www.mossmotoring.com/disassembling-british-engine, October 16, 2013 @ 2:20 pm It will be your main point of reference. Altering the factory cam timing can be done in one of two wayseither by using offset camshaft keys or with an adjustable camshaft gear. The Kent fast road grind has a lot of lift but not a lot of duration which keeps the power band from being pushed too high. bolts. if you look under the rocker shaft face if its stamped TKC1155 its could alreadybe an unleaded head there's some disparity over these numbers depends on. Personally, I'd just check the originals for signs of stretch and reuse them. The OEM guides are cast iron. A balancer can be rebuilt or you can purchase a new one and in some cases a high performance harmonic balancer is available. Triumph TR engines. 100bhp should be achievable fairly easily. Restoration of my Triumph. anglefire is my forum name across all forums I use. Fill the engine with all fluids. On some crankshafts the area where the seals ride can wear over time and new seals alone may not insure you wont have leak. (To replace my old engine, which had suffered catastrophic failure). Has anyone done anything to deck the block to remove the recesses between the cylinders and run a diff head gasket, i.e. A Speedi-Sleeve can be used to renew the surface. Magnafluxing typically involves applying a fluid, or powder to the crankshaft, then viewing it under a black light. http://triumphspitfire.com/enginenumbers.html, Ok, given that I'm going to drop the sump to replace the oil pump, I have decided to also change all the bolts on the bearing caps - gives me the opportunity to inspect the journals and shells and re-oil prior to start-up (its been on an engine stand for about 3 or 4 years). Lube the rod bolt threads with motor oil or fastener assembly lube, like the one ARP makes, and torque your rod bolts to manual spec. Follow the same process with the rod bearings as we did with the crankshaft and plastigauge each journal one at a time. I prefer the fullcircle cam bearings and not the split type, and the machine shop has the special tools and knowledge to do it right. And here's the reason why. So I always set timing by ear, drive the car and try to get it to pink. This should make for a more spritely drive. Once MPS goes up to 20 metres/second, you can expect reduced reliability and early failure, unless the engine has been speciallydesigned and built and/or made from exotic materials. By Tim Suddard The chap who created this stop motion film is one of the few chosen ones who successfully completed a full engine rebuild without throwing in the towel and marching down to the pub, the engine in the film is a 1500 4 pot from a Triumph Spitfire one of those cars Ive always sworn Ill buy. But the Spitfire could be easily stroked to 1493 ccto regain some performance. Get notified when we add a new Triumph Spitfire Manual. Quantum Mechanics offers these as used sets with manifold pulled from old Spits in England. Mean piston speed (MPS) is a simple calculation using the revs and thestroke. Get the distributor modified to match the cam (the Distributor Doctor) and find somebody to set the carbs up on a rolling road. In England, Triumph Spitfire 1500s were sold with dual SU carbs. Spitfire/GT6 TS Imported Automotive, 108 South Jefferson St., Pandora, Ohio, 45877, USA Tel 800.543.6648 (USA & Canada only) 419.384.3022 (Tech / General Information) Some information and prices may be differenttoday. If all checks out take the car for a short drive (dont stray far from home, just in case) varying the rpm from 2,000 to 4,000. Ideally, youd also get carburetors that arent worn out. In this video,. Initial start up The American exhaust system from the downpipe back will need to be replaced, however, as it wont mate to the European-spec downpipe. They can handle the disassembly, cleaning, checking for cracks, machining and assembly for you. The spitfre mk3 profile cam is very good, or even the TR5 profile. Rebuilding A Triumph Spitfire Engine Reading time: about 1 minute | Written by Ben Branch | August 25th 2013 11 Months, 3000 pictures and a lot of coffee. This is very important, because if you are not on TDC, all your readings will be wrong. Zero out the indicator and double check to make sure you are correct. Dealer 3,695 Triumph Spitfire 1500 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500cc in yellow, has been dry stored. Install the valve cover. Theres nothing quite like the process of pulling apart, fixing and rebuilding a vintage engine. The solution is an electric fuel pump in the trunk, and bypass the mechanical pump. This engine is almost a direct bolt-in. You dont want anything to be bent or stuck, as this will affect your cars operation. I recommend replacing valves and valve springs. Finally the machinist will use a special tool to chamfer (angle) the tops of the bores. But not just any pump--SU carb float valves will allow gas by if it's under too much pressure, so you need a low-pressure pump or pressure restrictor in the system. Watch on There's nothing quite like the process of pulling apart, fixing and rebuilding a vintage engine. The engine rebuild kits can be anything from stock, to mild, to wild street performance, to a even a full out race engine. The idea is to remove all the accumulated junk, especially from critical areas like the float bowl and jets. Connecting Rod Bolt Set HD Triumph Spitfire, Midget 1500 . Bottom end For instance,the 2014 Renault F1 engine has a stroke of only 53mm but is limited to 15,000rpm! 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. We carry a wide-ranging catalog of used Triumph engines for all applications including gas and diesel engines. This should enable even 'inferior' bearings to be long lasting. Cylinder Head Articles that Ben has written have been covered onCNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine,Road & Track Magazine,the official Pinterest blog, theofficialeBay Motorsblog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more. Install the cylinder head and rocker arm assembly. Make sure the engine does not overheat. It includes the crankshaft, bearings, pistons; it excludes the sump, oil pump, camshaft, cylinder head. A 439 inch small block that put out 739HP on pump gas. quantumechanics.com, Swain Tech Coatings Inc. Crank bearings are supplied standard size and pistons are supplied +0.020" oversize. I've seen talk of 100HP from some out there, but I have to admit that the 3 main bearing crank arrangement scares me pretty badly. Install the piston and connecting rods 1979 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MK IV. Install the oil pan and gasket. If your engine has a harmonic balancer, it will have a rubber insulator between the inner and outer rings. 5500 13.93 16.04 It's currently (As far as I know) standard - though is from a Dolly 1500! Do both methods and you will see the dial indicator method can lead you astray by a couple degrees. Use rubber gloves, even water-based chemicals can be harsh on skin. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. I had a re-used bolt shear, causing catastrophic damage, my first rebuild. The exhaust manifold goes on first, underneath the intake manifold. As always, once we test fitted the manifold, we sent it to Swain Tech Coatings to be coated. Feb 2016: We are currently only rebuilding Triumph TR3B (four synchro) through TR6 transmissions and A and J type . The best currently available bearings are King Tri-metal which most suppliers (e.g. Degreeing a camshaft Because these parts are designed by Triumph to fit the cars, the swap is a snap and the results are nothing shortofremarkable. MACHINE SHOP WORK Each engine I take to the machine shop is: Magnafluxed for cracks in the block, head and crankshaft. ENGINE REBUILD KIT FOR MG MIDGET 1500 [ THE TRIUMPH ENGINE ] 1975 - 1980 . Keep your manual close at hand for the assembly stage. Quickview. Thrust bearing in the proper size. and you mention getting new sleeves and piston sets. I discussed addinglock tabs with the engineer when I did my Herald engine, but he warned against it. Set up the magnetic base and dial indicator on the front side of the cam, or cam gear, and moving the camshaft front to rear reading the movement on the indicator. Apply 30W motor oil to the cylinder walls and the piston skirts. Please comment on anything from main studs to cams to roller rockers to engine machining procedures, to compression ratios, to carbs, etc..Please post any good links on this topic as well. | Our carbs did need to be freshened, though, and we did that ourselves. If you find excessive wear your machine shop can reface them. Re the pinking. 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. 5.00 postage. Thanks Richard. This is done to prevent a piston ring from getting caught and breaking during installation. Right off the bat, this larger engine delivered more torque than its predecessor. 6000 15.20 17.50 I start with the #1 piston. (TR6 engine block in the process of being CNCmachined, cylinders being bored). From the the tight budget, to the all-out approach, I've done it all, and can help you with your project Did mean I had to buy an engine hoist, load leveller and engine stand this week too. The first step is buying the right parts. Double and triple check this to make sure you are at TDC. Need oversized lifter / tappet bores? Started out as just a collection of snaps as I stripped down an engine bought off ebay. DO NOT be tempted by an external oil line to the cylinder head. July 19, 2014 @ 4:35 am 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. A fair amount of work, but nothing too technical, and it saves the engine. Move to zero and then around and stop at .005 past zero. - I think there is some end float issues amongst others!). | From the March 2013 issue 10 watching. Tim mentions the Weber DGV as a suitable alternative carb. They could save you a big hassle later. Once the crankshaft is installed, be sure to check your crankshaft end float as I first discussed in the disassembly article, and make sure it is in spec per the manual. August 25, 2016 @ 9:30 am Description Triumph Spitfire - Classic Car Fuel Injection Conversion Based on our Premium Vehicle Kit for 2 SU carburettor upto 125 BHP This kit contains all the parts needed for our Classic Fuel Injection system (you do not need to order anything else from our range ) Save around 200 when buying as complete kit The problem with the thrust bearing is serious, and every Spitfire (or GT-6, or TR-6) owner should know how to check crank end play. That is not true but often repeated. If your crankshaft is being reground and your connecting rods resized, this is time to use the size spec range to get the proper rod bearing clearance. TRIUMPH SPITFIRE MkI,II,III,IV & 1500 (1959-80) FUEL PUMP REPAIR KIT. Scott Sewell. I have a lot of experience in building engines, I even put together a current class record holding engine at Bonneville. For about $400, we sourced a set of these carbs, the proper intake manifold, a factory European exhaust manifold and a downpipe from Quantum Mechanics. 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 have never used new bolts for any bearing caps. How do we feel about con rod lock tabs? Always seemed like a sacrilege putting a Spitfire engine into a Midget. Installing new piston pins and pistons require a rod heater, where the rod is heated to about 1200 degrees and then the piston and pin is installed on that rod quickly before it cools. Crankshaft grinding is a very skilled part of the machine shop phase. The 123 ignition(distributor) is a modification that employs spark balancing, like used in formula race cars. I did the SU conversion source from Quantum Mechanics along with a 5 speed transmission also sourced from Quantum. We will cover that later. The Webers are 1 step up from the stock ZS carb, but suffer from a lack of tuning experience and info on this side of the pond. How have you set the timing?? The rubber insulator can crack and wear out over time. WishboneClassics is able to perform certain machining operations on your engine that you cannot have done elsewhere. 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. Proper clearance is required in many areas of your enginepiston to cylinder wall, crankshaft end float, camshaft end float, connecting rod side clearance, and then also things like spring valve lash. Rod bolts I recommend replacement. But Kas Kastner, the US race engineer who led Triumphs competition effort there, fond that flow to the mains could be optimised by external lines, instead of the internal oil gallery, in the "Kastner Octopus". Something went wrong. What makes a Wishbone Classics engine better? Record your reading. We're able to bore Triumphblocks to accept cam bearings, we've even produced specialized tooling to shorten the duration of this procedure - which saves you money, because we can do it quicker. With the degree wheel and pointer installed, put the magnetic base on the top of the engine block surface or deck. Once you have confirmed oil pressure you are ready to fire the engine for the first time. All pricing, component availability, and terms of business are subject to change without notice. Because our carburetors didnt exhibit any throttle shaft wear, we didnt need to have them rebuilt. Power is supplied to the wheels via a 4 speed manual with overdrive gearbox. Opening out the oilways in the block, cross drilling and ovalising the orifices are all possible, as is optimising the oil pump. Instead, Ill tell you about steps the manual may not cover, and about the engine assembly sequence that can be helpful to you. MPS(m/s) MPS(m/s) Similar upgrades but I milled .125" off the head, sourced a pair of SU's from a '67 Spit, and installeda header from Victoria British. 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. Quantum Mechanics, Ltd. Click to reveal Motor runs excellent, no issues with state inspection and everything works as it is supposed to. You'd hopethey'd have put them back for the sake of a few pence if they reduced engine failure rates That's interesting, I wonder why they are on my late GT6 mk3? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Position it toward #1 piston and then bring the piston toward the top of the block. Purchase a good quality assembly lube. Sign up for a new account in our community. Your IP: However bad previous repairs, rust, and a desire for more power, resulted in Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Contact Us, Rare American Sports Car: The Fiberfab Jamaican II V8, Full Documentary: The History Of Land Rover, For Sale: The Triumph Scrambler Stunt Motorcycle From James Bonds No Time To Die, Street-Legal Historic Race Car: A 1962 Semi-Lightweight E-Type, Unusual Project Car: A Brazilian Volkswagen SP2, For Sale: Ferrari F40 Wire Frame Sculpture. There is no need to hurry; time is your friend when degreasing. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. 57,315 M Kurt Tanner Motorcars (866) 461-3172 Santa Ana, CA 92705 (934 miles away) 40 1970 Triumph Spitfire 76,029 mi 1300cc $ 19,700 or $324/mo The CNCblock machining center is a major contributor to the high level of quality and performance on our engines. And as my current engine seems to be doing about 28mpg, I'd hate to think what a low efficiency engine is like, i cant find any data readily availablethat explains the last suffix 'E'. Frequently bought together. British Engine Rebuilder 217-232-7303 Specializing in MG/Triumph 1500 Engines " I will not let you run one of my rebuilt engines in your car if I would not run it in mine. (203) 463-8299 The MG motor was incapable of being enlarged, just getting itto 1275 had required engineering handsprings (offset conrods? If the gap is too big, have the cylinders bored and new oversize pistons fitted. But yes, I do enjoy it and try and go out in it as much as possible - I bought it to drive and not be a show car. This may seem like a lot of clearance to your machinist who is not used to working with our engines. Dont let any steps get overlooked. Your machine shop can easily do this for you. Let the engine run 20 minutes at 2,000 rpm to break in your cam and lifters. I dont like refacing valves. Both BMC (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. Just because your cylinder bores or crankshaft journals look good, never assume they dont have any wear or issues.