Newbie with questions/comments
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi all

I have a standard SPI 1275 and looking at converting it to carbs for the moment and then in about 6 months time, look at turbo’ing it.

Has anyone done this before?

If I do this, can you:

Use the Metro Turbo dizzy for the time being?
Use a Metro Turbo carb for the time being?
What inlet manifold am I looking to get?

Unfortunately I cannot get a donor car as finding a Metro Turbo in the UK is hard but in Jersey, it’s impossible.

I have started make a list of what I need to get for each bit so please let me know if I have missed anything or any shortcuts that I can take:

Carb it now:
Modify the standard wiring loom or fit one from a standard carb mini
Dizzy – Can I use a metro dizzy for the time being?
Fit carb – HIF44 (Unsealed for non-turbo and sealed for turbo) – Can I use a Metro Turbo carb for a non turbo car?
Fit inlet manifold – What type should I be looking for?
Fit fuel pressure regulator
Choke cable

Turbo now (if I don’t have a donor car):
High Pressure Fuel Pump - Do I need one or will the SPI fuel pump do?
Fuel pressure regulator
Air intake pipe
Oil cooler
Turbo bulkhead box
Turbo downpipe
Clamp on type air filter
Decent large bore exhaust system
Decent radiator
Turbo oil feed pipe
Wiring loom for a carb Mini
Change pistons
Dizzy – 42628
Carb
Inlet manifold - What type should I be looking for?

Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary, now that's what'll get ya!

www.turbo-mini.com is a good place to start. The search button is also a valuable tool on this site.
Short cuts = engine failure = money down the drain, its better to do it properly.

The Spec of your engine strongly depends on what you want out of it e.g. if its a full power monster you will need to look at strengthening the internals like the crank, con rods as well as the gearbox. However if your just going to run a small amount of boost then this may be considered unnecessary.
You may consider uprating the valves in your cylinder head, will need a turbo exhaust manifold. There are various turbo's to consider. And an inter-cooler is always a plus.

A turbo metro is not necessary as the engine is practically the same bar the head and manifolds.

Your gearbox is the next thing to look at again if your going for out and out power it will need to be uprated if you want it to last 5 mins but this isn't needed with minimal boost.

That's about all I can think of.
oh and Welcome to the biggest learning curve ever!

http://www.turbo-mini.com/47257/index.html

http://www.turbo-mini.com/62147.html

have a read specifically on those two

ideally you need a turbo inlet and exhaust manifold, a normal hif44 carb can be converted easily, you NEED a plenum to make sure it fuels correctly,
then the fueling side to support the engine
its about that simple but in reality not so simple,

my base engine was an spi unit i would not run the standard spi pistons on much boost

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

Cheers guys.

I have been through turbo-minis website and there is so much useful info on it.

To update you guys, just been offered a Med Straight Cut gearbox with a LSD (second hand) and a Med 1380 head that has been ported and polished.

My plan is to still turbo it so I assume that the head and box will be a good start but else would I need to do to it? I assume that I would have to change the cam and pistons would be a good idea.

Thanks guys

Edited by fasteddie84 on 29th Sep, 2010.

Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary, now that's what'll get ya!

take the head it should have a stamp on it, phone med quoting the number and they can tell you the exact spec, being for a 1380 i would guess it has larger combustion chambers excellent for boost

for the box if it is serviceable its worth it too, have in mind though a rebuild could be 100quid in bearings alone and alot more if other stuff is shot

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

Cheers, I will speak to the guy tomorrow and to Med.

Just going through the turbo-minis site and there's a lot of info to consider.

I am sure that I will have loads of questions soon enough.

Thanks for your help so far

Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary, now that's what'll get ya!

Piston should be changed, con rods strengthened, crank strengthened,
Plus need to decide what cc your going to have the engine at there's a few to choose from

What is it with you and strengthened con rods????

It's debatable if the crank even needs to be tougher. BL obviously felt it didn't.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

i can thing of one maybe two with stronger rods same again on the cranks,
the fastest mini engined minis in the world have worked/ lightened standard parts

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

I would rather be over cautious then risk failure
And that surely depends on what power you want to put through it if your doubling it then the stress on the parts will be more then what BL would have worried about.
And when I say strengthened I should be more clear in saying stress relived and polished, which I know is different, and I ment nitrided which unless I'm mistaken the cooper s had from standard.

Doubling the power via extra pressure on the piston will add almost nothing to the stress on the rods,

It is RPM that causes that stress on the rods, and std A+ rods are ok to 8k, and lightened ones will go to well over 9k.

Wasn't guess work Tom by any stretch of the imagination it was to my own knowledge. However I am under no illusion that the most of TM have the knowledge and experience as you put it that greatly outvasts mine. This is a never-ending learning curve for me and inputs like Joe Cs are what help people like me learn more.
But I should be more clear with my responses and as I have said I ment
Stress relieved and balanced con rods to reduce chance of failure (which until Joe Cs comment I believed to be necessary on and engine producing high amounts of power)
Crank I ment nitrided which again I deemed to be necessary.
Like I said though I'm over cautious here as if I have a failure I wont have the money to fix it :/