The Plan
Turbo Mini Forums

Ok so after studying MANY topics on this sight and getting some input on various parts i decided it may be easyer to post my idea here and get it all reviewed in one go by all.
For those that don't know this is a build on a budget by a student as its my project car that i plan to have for some time after :)
SO the plan

A+ 1275 block with a +.20 overbore
Ported and polished head
Valves?
Bronze valve guides
MED fast road valve springs
Avonbar phase 2 cam
1.5 rockers
18cc Omega Pistons (owned)
balanced con rods (will this hold)
balanced and nitrated crank
ARP bolts for all :)


GT17 turbo (12 or 14 psi)
Audi small type intercooler
Metro Rad
R5 GT Turbo Carb (owned)
A little oil cooler (braided hoses)

Manifolds i will design on CAD and get made up

Full straight cut box (gears and drops)
4 pin diff
Clutch?
lightened flywheel (necessary)

MegaJolt Ignition timing set up on college rolling road

So whats everyone think

Edited by Gaball on 14th Oct, 2009.

Bog standard fast mini turbo engine build TBH, you'll be fine with all of that lot. The only thing I would suggest is using the available manifolds rather than going to the grief of making some.

I wont be making them myself, ill use my CAD time to design it (and use it as my project) then get them made up by the college

Ah obviously I know fuck all then, I'll shut up.

I wasn't being funny i was just thinking I can do it for my qualification or buy one and the qualification
but the input was nice maybe you can shine some light on my con rod discusion i have had with my class

will the standard ones hold when balanced or will H beams have to be used?

I've not seen an R5 carb on a mini (but that doesn't mean they won't go).

me neither just something a friend at college suggested trying and for £20 off ebay worth a try haha

i always understood it that conrods were less stressed on turbo engines compared to na, but quite a few people have the opposite view.

in your case, i would think std con rods would be fine, i think lots of other people used them and have no issues?

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

std ones will be fine, Tom uses std ones to over 9K rpm.

just get some arp rod bolts for peice of mind. (just saw you've aready put that)

I'd ad that you don't really need the 1.5:1 rockers, also I'd use the bigest intercooler you can get in and still get air through it,

also dont bother with the R5 carb, just use an SU, better suited IMO.

Standard rods are more than capable. Don't go for big name parts, plenty of home grown mods that are more than capable

saw a thread on here and the TT one was cooling the air well and i was taught (could be wrong) that the efficiency goes down if you start putting big intercoolers on and makes you lose boost.

So the TT seemed like an obvious choice but any other suggestions?

Well thats one of my questions answered

so what valves are recommended?

and what clutch?

Also who makes good straight cut gear sets for a good price?

for valves minispares and MED ones are good, probably form the same supplier,

clutch wise, youll probably want to go for a grey pressure plate, and a rally plate,

gears wise most people on here usee the minispares clubman kit, seems pretty robust!

loosing boost due to too big an intercooler is tosh, whe you raise the boost pressure you'll get heat, this puts the engine nearer to det, so you wan to get rid of as much heat as is practical, as intercoolers are pretty cheap to source IMO it pays to go for somthing oversize incase you want to go furthur boost wise in the future.

of course though some intercoolers are better than others for a given size, i've not used one personally bit it could be that the TT ine is particuarly good.

i would suspect in the case of bigger cars where people wack a massive intercooler on the front this can be the case (makes sense if you think about it as the very best of intercoolers are only every 80% effiecent) but the confounds of the mini stops you putting something to big on really haha

thanks for the help with where and what to buy ill be toting that all up soon and then finding what i can buy from where

Also anyone with a similar car, what BHP can i be looking at here, i want to set myself a realistic target

140wp....

Edited by rubicon on 15th Oct, 2009.

Team Racing

Gayball, where abouts are you in Somerset?

Just up the road from you, i live just outside of South Petherton

I have the TT intercooler install, works perfect with 15 psi, the temp after IC around 30 degrees with outside temp of 25 degrees. I have even tried 18 psi, but not for a long time yet..

It is a really efficient intercooler and fits well under the standard bonnet of a Mini and is in the air stream as well. You will need a distributorless ignition though. And if you want to fit an oil cooler (which i recommend when running anything over 12 psi for a longer period of time) you need to weld an angeled oil takeoff.

thanks MrTurbo

well chaps i better get craking on the saving and buying haha

Good luck!