Triumph Whilst I don't have a bottomless budget, I would rather spend a few quid more now and not regret it later! I thought for 30-40 I'd just change the bolts - more for piece of mind rather than anything else - not going ARP as the engine will be pretty much standard. 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. I like to get parts down to bare metal, because painting over old paint is a mixed bag of nuts. Many British engines have cam bearings in the block. Remove the crankshaft. Sort By Price The cost for this setup is only about $400 to $500, depending on the source and condition of the parts. 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! Click & Collect. Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Engine Blocks. Planning for Rebuilding the Engine on the Spitfire | Triumph Spitfire Mk3 Restoration Project: Bruce's Triumph Therapy, [] http://mossmotorsltd.wpengine.com/restoring-british-engine/ [], January 13, 2018 @ 5:01 pm Because these parts are designed by Triumph to fit the cars, the swap is a snap and the results are nothing shortofremarkable. There are some things I liked about the spit but not enough to keep it around. Like so many other emissions-era carburetors, ours caused the car to surge and run leanespecially at highway speeds. After refreshing the carburetors, the next step is simply to replace the intake and exhaust manifolds with the European-spec pieces. By the time you factor in a driveline loss of 15 to 20 percent, our low horsepower reading looks pretty accuratemaybe even a bit impressive. The CNCblock machining center is a major contributor to the high level of quality and performance on our engines. Stroke(mm) = 76 Stroke(mm) = 87.5 I used new bolts and tabs, but this was 1980s so bolts would be from the good bucket. Sometimes honing is necessary to get the proper fit. Austin Healey, MG or Triumph we can build it better than original and to any performance level. Well we offer that as well. Its okay if areas around the water jacket do not completely clean up. Move to zero and then around and stop at .005 past zero. Come on fellas, Mike can't be the only one to reply??? For the earlier 4 cylinder engines we always fit upgraded rear oil seals, an . Oil pump whether you replace with new or reuse your current oil pump you will need to disassemble it and check the clearances. Search (123\Tune+) For perfect timing. In some states, this kind of modification is a no-no. This number could vary, as long as it is the same exact point before, and after maximum lift. The carb is a two stage design, so it's essentially a one barrel with a secondary that comes on at full throttle. Items that dont move, like valve covers, front and rear engine plates, lifter covers, timing covers, distributor bases, etc., you can clean yourself. Hardened exhaust seat inserts are a must for the hotter burning unleaded fuels used today. Install the oil pan and gasket. I hope this far into the game you already have a good manual. Opening out the oilways in the block, cross drilling and ovalising the orifices are all possible, as is optimising the oil pump. I wouldn't bother changing the main bolts either, and I don't think loctite is a good idea. Exhaust valves 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!) Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. I use .005 before and after maximum camshaft lift. MPS(m/s) MPS(m/s) They don't appear on any of the Canley GT6 diagrams, but they were certainly there the first time I took the sump off in 1979, or there abouts. FUEL PETROL PUMP (**See Engine No**) (1970- 74) 20.50. It was beautifully designed by the legendary Italian car designer Giovanni Michelotti, and it also surprisingly sold in greater numbers than any of its rivals between 1962 to 1980. TheseSUcarburetors may be older technology, but they have served many owners very well through the decades. Many parts are available for this engine from aftermarket suppliers. Thank you very much! Copyright 2018 Wishbone Classics. Anyway even with the taller gears the engine isn't so high strung that it lugs at all. Finally the machinist will use a special tool to chamfer (angle) the tops of the bores. In my post above I was referring to "quality"! 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. A heat shield is highly recommended for these as well. as perspicacity of this Triumph Spitfire 1500 Engine can be taken as skillfully as picked to act. It has transformed the Midget into a nice little cruiser. Install the cylinder head and rocker arm assembly. In England, Triumph Spitfire 1500s were sold with dual SU carbs. an improvement of nearly 25 percent. Mount the rear engine plate, flywheel and clutch. from a 1300? 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. Oil pressure regulator parts They are inexpensive, so replace them. This is a six-cylinder engine, displacing 2 liters. 100bhp should be achievable fairly easily. It might be suitable for some situations but the Spitfire (MG Midget) configuration is not one of them. Can't find a shop that offers a crankshaft nitriding service? This is a good time to consider a performance cam. The MG motor was incapable of being enlarged, just getting itto 1275 had required engineering handsprings (offset conrods? 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. Southern Rebore Services carried out the machining work. I always use bearings supplied by Jigsaw Racing, and with the above, they are long lasting, even inhigh revving engines. Install the piston and connecting rods 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. My spit was a 79, and when I compare it to the other tech available at the time it just looks sad. 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. It's easy! Please contact us for further details concerning . 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. AVAILABLE IN STANDARD OR ALL REGULAR OVERSIZES [ E-MAIL OR TEL. Make sure each time you do this you rotate the engine counter-clockwise approximately .100 and then start back in the normal rotation of the enginethis will make sure there is no timing chain slack that could skew your readings. Bring in the camshaft you are using to insure it fits with the new cam bearings. In England, Triumph Spitfire 1500s were sold with dualSUcarbs. Perhaps our biggest issue was simply the original setups drivability. 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. The Triumph Sports Six Club If your crankshaft is out of spec and has to be reground, there are several under-sizes of crankshaft bearings available. Dont let this step scare you. BLACK SOFT TOP. TRIUMPH SPITFIRE MkI,II,III,IV & 1500 (1959-80) FUEL PUMP REPAIR KIT. 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 If you are using a copper gasket then use a copper gasket spray coating. But now you will know what degree of offset key to order. 10 watching. Piston-to-cylinder wall clearance must be checked. And real-world performance? Surfacing them smooth will result in more material being removed than needed. Its rated horsepower was 104 hp in its final year of production, which was 1973. TR6 and GT6 Engine. Have your timing light ready to set the timing. Fuel pump work good (tested). You will want to ask around for the shop that has the best reputation for crankshaft work. Third, install the main bearings in the main capsbut dont install the caps yet. Custom options available from electronic fuel injection. The project is really starting to come together now, with the engine soon to go back in. A piece of angle iron drilled and tapped with a small bolt installed across the bore is easy to make. I think Ford later made a knock-off of the carb that was used on 4 cylinder mustangs and later US made Mercury Capris (1980s). Cylinders are bored to the next oversize Crankshaft is turned to the next undersize This item: Triumph Spitfire 1500: Repair Operation Manual. Cylinder Head If you are reusing your existing camshaft your lifters can be reused if they are in good condition. The process is mostly a function of carefully cleaning, disassembling and reassembling each carburetor while installing new gaskets. As JohnD mentioned, you can optimise the pump to minimise clearances between the body and rotor, see:http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/OilPump.htm. Did mean I had to buy an engine hoist, load leveller and engine stand this week too. $118.99. DO NOT be tempted by an external oil line to the cylinder head. 21.49. Wishbone Classics is a specialist in rebuilding standard and performance British sports car engines. | I would like to fit a sports exhaust at the same time too. Full Engine Rebuild Kit - 1500 - RL1001RBK 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. Motor runs excellent, no issues with state inspection and everything works as it is supposed to. But all the above are expensive and competition related. 6500 16.47 18.96 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). I have seen someone fitting an extra thrust bearing by machining the cap to suit - but keep some material for retaining the extra and existing bearings. Triumph removed the lock tabs quite early on in production and never reinstated them despite loads increasing considerably (e.g. You dont want anything to be bent or stuck, as this will affect your cars operation. The Triumph Spitfire is a small British two-seat sports car, introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962. He has a 2 liter OHC compared with the spit's little push rod 1500. Bolting on the new carburetors is easy, and since this is a factory setup, the throttle cable will perfectly join the existing system. 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. I use .003 clearance on my manganese bronze guides. 4-SPEED, DISC WHEELS. As of March 2007, all of our engine block work is carried out to the extremes of perfection on a CNCengine machining center. I've googled and it seems to be questionable! I remember reading a brief article in Road & Track back in the 70s that with the two SU setup, there's a problem that at higher RPM the mechanical fuel pump doesn't deliver enough gas, causing fuel starvation. For a reliable road-going engine, careful building, in clean conditions will get you one tha is long-lasting! Intake valves Consider oversize for better flow The idea is to remove all the accumulated junk, especially from critical areas like the float bowl and jets. 5500 13.93 16.04 The shop will most likely resurface the cylinder head to insure flatness, and provide for a good sealing surface for the head gasket. While often lamented, Triumphs 1500cc, four-cylinder engine is still owned and loved by thousands of enthusiasts. Manganese bronze guides are also available and I almost always use them because they are very long wearing. Really?). " Create your own unique website with customizable templates. If you want to uprate the big end bolts but don't feel like splashing out on ARP, you can also use Cosworth (YB?) I have a lot of experience in building engines, I even put together a current class record holding engine at Bonneville. Includes engine/driveline, suspension, brakes, Carefully remove the main cap and use the graph on the paper slip the plastigauge comes with to determine the clearance. I prefer tri-metal bearings; they are what the factory originally supplied for many cars. What have you done to upgrade your 1500's? Do this one main cap at time working from front to back being careful to not rotate the crankshaft. theres no dirt inclusions ,or scuffing , look very good to me 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. Install your newly rebuilt engine in your car. If you are using a performance camshaft you may have to advance the cam timing per the cam manufacturers instructions. Grinding off unnecessary mass from conrods, should be followed by polishing and shot peening, which does increase the strength. This information does not touch on replacing the Piston sleeves(Liners) and the figure 8 gaskets. I know I was able to replace the thrust bearing in my TR-6 by dropping the pan and removing the rear main bearing cap, but can't remember if it the same on the Spitfire. The last GT6s had a lot of differences from earlier mk3s, I wonder if Triumph went back to tabs? Its a good idea to replace the rocker shaft. Some connecting rods will be a press fit type, and not need servicing other than pressing the old piston off and the new pistons on. Follow the same process with the rod bearings as we did with the crankshaft and plastigauge each journal one at a time. Connecting Rods New rocker arms are not expensive and in many cases less than the cost of having your originals rebushed and refaced. Add to Cart. If the surface isnt flat, have the deck resurfaced. If you build a 1500 properly and respect it then this much maligned engine can be as dependable as any other Spitfire engine. Have them measured by your machinist. Has Weber carb. Car. With your choice of advance curves or a tunable unit. Never, ever fire up an engine without confirming you have oil pressure. 142.132.219.252 Mathew Members 4.2k Posted March 30, 2021 The intake will have receded. The mean piston speed will be 26.5m/sec. As always, once we test fitted the manifold, we sent it to Swain Tech Coatings to be coated. Launched in October 1962, the Spitfire featured sleek styling by famed Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. The American exhaust system from the downpipe back will need to be replaced, however, as it wont mate to the European-spec downpipe. They will weigh the valve springs and use shims as needed to insure the correct valve spring height and seated pressure of the valves and springs. If you have just set it to the "book" spec there is every chance it will not be ideal. Once you torque it to spec turn the crankshaft by hand, you should feel a nice fluid motion without any binding. If you can catch a fingernail on the surface of the flywheel where the clutch disc rides, you will need to resurface your flywheel. A parts washer makes this job a lot easier, but if you dont have one you can make a temporary parts washer out a 5-gallon bucket and waterbased degreasers. At least the MG stayed 'all British'. Watch on There's nothing quite like the process of pulling apart, fixing and rebuilding a vintage engine. Check for oil pressure before cranking. 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. They look 10X better in the engine bay on a 1300 or a 1500 than a ZS or Weber and have been around forever. So I always set timing by ear, drive the car and try to get it to pink. Harlow Private 4,500 TRIUMPH Spitfire Spitfire Make sure the piston is marked front and that you are installing it in the proper direction. As a rule of thumb, its best to replace the rod bolts. This may take several minutes. The first step is buying the right parts. 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 really like the improved proformance. This is done to prevent a piston ring from getting caught and breaking during installation. 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. ASSEMBLY The spitfre mk3 profile cam is very good, or even the TR5 profile. Body & Chassis Brakes Clutch, Gearbox & Axle Cooling System Electrical Engine Exhaust Exterior Fuel System & Induction General Accessories Heating & Ventilation Interior Ray, that is a good point, the wet sleeve motors like the Triumph TR3/$ engines are not a engine I work with. I like to start with the center cap. Re the pinking. 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. The best currently available bearings are King Tri-metal which most suppliers (e.g. Bare A-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1650. Install a lubed lifter on #1 cylinder intake and then install a push rod into #1 intake lifter. On the bench, apiston and gudgeon pin weighs 346gms, but this is under 1g, the acceleration due to Earth's gravity, In the 2.5L, at 6000rpm the piston reaches more than 2000g, andweighs nearly a tonne! We can rebuild or repair your engine to factory specifications, and in most cases to much better than factory specifications. Use rubber gloves, even water-based chemicals can be harsh on skin. Flywheel Our reconditioned full engines have one of the highest rebuild specifications available on the market. You will need some headwork, and a skim o achieve a higher compression ratio (depends on the cam). The big end of the connecting rods that clamp around the crankshaft need to be checked for sizing. The 1500 is a stroked 1300 and like all stroker engines, they make torque down low, but do not like higher RPMS. (different torques given by ARpdepending on what lube you use on the threads, more torque needed if you use 30weight oil..), I agree you can re use our spec of bolt a number of times , what you cant reuse is more modern specs where the torque has been, Tightend to its yeild point these are dangerously likely to fail if re used, More moderns are often spec'd as up to a target torque followed by accurate angular rotation, In stages on production these results are devised from watching the toqure climb and rotation, The meters that measure this carefully stop as soon as the torque rise flattens and rotation is about to continue, Ive got one in the cupboard gathering dust never use it these days, Usefull on troublesome fitting to find the ultimate torque. ENGINE REBUILD KIT FOR MG MIDGET 1500 [ THE TRIUMPH ENGINE ] 1975 - 1980 . I am looking for some specific engine modifications, specific cam recommendations, specific machining insight from the Spit crowd who have been tuning these engines longer and harder than we MG owners. Read the Forum Help (FAQ) or contact the webmaster. I think that they are 3.67 to 1. REBUILT ENGINE UNITS The Roadster Factory offers its own factory rebuilt engines and cylinder heads (see p. 6), and we believe that these units are the best solution available to most enthusiasts who need an engine overhaul. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Buy used Triumph Spitfire motors/engines from our network that offers up to a two-year warranty on qualified units! Handy Tip: Use a Sharpie to put markings on parts you have already torqued or checked clearance to know where you are in the process. Other Areas of your Engine Just because your cylinder bores or crankshaft journals look good, never assume they dont have any wear or issues. Select your Triumph Spitfire PDF Download from the list below: Triumph - Spitfire - Parts Catalogue - (1962) Other Manuals 295 Pages. Almost 100,000 of these engines were used in the 1973-80 Spitfires, and nearly as many were used inMGMidgets sold from 1975andlater. The key here is getting the entire setup, including the linkages. If your engine has a harmonic balancer, it will have a rubber insulator between the inner and outer rings. (TR6 engine block in the process of being CNCmachined, cylinders being bored). And, once you have the engine block on the engine stand, youre ready to dive in. Oil Pump and Exterior Assembly Newman a decent supplier so may have variations worth exploring. The Triumph SC (small car) engines were never derived fromtractors. Bottom end Then rotate the crank til it stops, note the reading on your wheel then rotate it backwards. Spitfire/GT6 site suggests E for engine, to avoid confusion with commission number. Chances are your cam timing is probably not where it needs to be. 7000 17.73 20.42