E5TUS - 2023: Some turbo tinkering & Hillclimbing
Turbo Mini Forums

Hello all,

Been a long serving observer of the forums, and I’d firstly like to thank everyone for all the information on here, it’s been of great help during my project. I finally got round to creating an account and thought I should show my project as it has evolved over the years. I apologise for the bombardment of photo’s…

Bought a sorry looking City E for £30 in 2004 when I was 15. Poured every spare hour/knuckle/penny into her and had it back on the road in time to pass my test in her in 2006.





Blew up the original 998 lump in Sept 2006 at the MiniWorld Action Day at Castle Combe. :(



Luckily between 2004 and 2006 I had become obsessed with building a Turbo, I had acquired a solid shell (£110) and after several attempts on eBay I had finally bought a MG Metro Turbo (£360).

As I couldn't bear to part with my first car I decided she deserved the turbo, and so began working on rebuild MkII. I sold the bodykit, wheels, interior, doors, bonnet and boot from the MG for £310 so the turbo lump and brakes only owed me £50. Asides from an eBay bargain MPI tank, bulkhead box and downpipe the re-build only cost a bit more blood, sweat and tears.







This rebuild was only 'temporary' as I wanted to tart up the engine bay and make it presentable. So after three years I had decided that the temporary engine bay needed it's long needed overhaul… :)













This also seemed to be the perfect time to fit an intercooler… I had a nice little unit from a 1.9tdi Astra van but after all the effort of modifying the plenum and various bits and pieces to make room for the piping I decided I should go a little bigger as plans were always to evolve the standard MG Metro Turbo engine. :)











Everything was coming together nicely, and after nine years the engine bay was in a presentable state. Happy with Rebuild MkIII I took her along to the rolling Road at Slark’s. A quick run up on the rollers and Neil said he wasn’t happy revving it high as it was running far too lean and I quote “detonation was inevitable” not what I was hoping for!

After looking up some different needles and general fiddling he was happy to run her up. 94.5hp corrected at flywheel and 105lbs/ft.



Took her to Castle Combe for the action day in September and was plagued by various issues. Firstly a short in my fan wiring blew the fuse which naturally saw the gauge steadily increase until I pulled over, luckily it was repaired with some duct tape, a new fuse and a couple of litres of Evian (only the best).



The whole way there I was having some ignition issues on boost. This has only happened since the new needle. Clearly my setup is not quite there yet…
…and so to Rebuild MkIV… My old man told me not to bin the electronic ignition from the MG, but as a know-it-all teenager I decided what did he know, he’d only been a mechanic for 30 years!! Who knew he’d be right… guess I’m going to switch to electronic ignition and probably go down the MegaJolt route. Still need to buff up on the subject (but luckily I spy plenty of reading material on here!)

In parallel to sorting out reliable running I’m hoping to slowly build up components for the long awaited bigger/better/boostier engine I’ve been promising myself for ten years!!

First stop is digging out an old 1380 hill-climb engine that been living under my dads workbench for at lest nine years! Only issue is I’ve just moved to Hertfordshire due to my job and the mini is 150 miles away in a garage in Dorset. Still it has given me plenty of time to peruse everyone’s projects and build up plenty of enthusiasm!

Stu

Edited by e5tus on 16th Jan, 2023.

The pics that have loaded look nice

You're just up the road from me and Wintersurfer. You should come along the next time we meet up so we can have a look and natter.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

get yourself over to Garys (above) and have a look at his megajolt, that will sort the ignition issues.

Thanks, I definitely need to have a proper ganders at one that already setup.

I know because the engine is standard at the moment it isn't as impressive as some of the projects that are on here, but the plan was always to do it in stages. I'm getting seriously excited about going bigger and sillier after I've sorted the running issues (although it's going to cost more than a £50 engine, time and effort!!).

Although it was running like a bag of sh!t at Combe I still took her round the track with my girlfriend screaming in the passengers seat. I've been to Combe many times and done bike track days there too but still managed to fall off the track twice. Despite not running well, it still kicked enough power to cause me some issues! Love turbos!

Stu

nice thread mate keep it going

give em hell

nice car love the frame stand

Done now needs redoing lol

Looks like a nice tidy car, good work.

Managed to steal some garage time at the weekend and got the turbo running well again. Rather embarrassingly the issues were solved by checking the basics...

The points and rotor arm were wrecked, put new condensor/points/rotor arm on and it's like a new car. So annoyed I didn't pull my finger out at combe and sort it before track time! Schoolboy error on that one.

I'm still going to convert to electronic ignition but it was nice to go for a spin in the car whilst it was running nicely.

Well this a little embarrassing, I thought it had been a while since any work was done on my mini... Over two years! Had to scroll through 14 pages of build threads to find this! Haha

My six month placement in Hertfordshire turned into 18 months and I've had plenty keeping me busy the last year (new job, new house and wedding). Finally got some free time to get in the garage over the Christmas break, lo and behold the car was just as I had left her!

Luckily I have been collecting bits and bobs since my last post ready for another attempt. Got the stage 4 morspeed booster head from Simon's yellow turbo, a straight cut box, 1.5:1 roller rockers, a couple of camshafts (to be determined what I finally go for), and last but not least I have just got the last bits for the much needed megajolt.

I've had the majority of the bits for a while, but was lacking enthusiasm to pull the car apart when it was working (for once). Some of the build threads on here have been very interesting and certainly food for thought, my enthusism was beginning to creep back and then a knackered water pump finally gave me a reason to begin.

I'm hoping to enter a couple of hillclimb and sprint events this year in a local speed series so not doing everything at once to (hopefully) keep the timescales short.?!

The straight cut box needs some investigation as it used to pop out of third gear in its previous car, need to decide on diff and ratio's so that and the decision on camshaft can wait for now. Going to switch heads and rockers and get the megajolt installed and see how it runs in the speed series.

Alongside the above I've got a handful of jobs to do to meet the requirements and please the scrutineers. Should keep me out of trouble for a while.

Stu

Looks like a nice mini mate.
I'm also in Hertfordshire although I'm yet to turbo mine yet lol

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Like it... like it more the fact that its ur first car from bein 15 and the fact the car n engine cost u 80quid originally!

I wish you could still pickup whole cars for a handful of notes!

Work has really got in the way this week, I'd just got used to all the tinkering time I had over Xmas/new year. The engine bay has some temporary working room with the engine stripped down. Asides from the trigger wheel/sensor and dizzy blank, I really need to wait until the whole lot's back in to see where I can fit stuff. Have to shoehorn in the coil pack and EDIS module before I can start work on the loom.

Also have a catch tank to fit into the already tight space. Then I can mod the rocker cover for timing case in and catch tank out. Strange that all of the time I had everything under the bonnet I didn't do any of these jobs, but now its not there I've decided to do them all!

With regards to requirements for competition I have fitted a more suitable seat for me with a harness (I'm keeping the rest of the interior in and standard for the class I'm aiming for... But that's another discussion all together...) I'm making up an aluminium panel for the parcel shelf, and have tow straps for each end. Asides from competition number backgrounds, I think I'm there (minus the under the bonnet bit).

I managed to sneak the head into the house for painting this week, it was too damn cold in the garage! I have moved away from the go-faster red this time, although it'll obviously cost me a few horses I think I have enough red about!

I will sort some pictures out tomorrow, although you've all seen a megajolt installation before! Haha

Stu

I'm lucky enough to finish work on Friday's at lunchtime, usually a productive afternoon follows but not today apparently. Today I had one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. Firstly I couldn't find my 1" 5/16 socket for the crank pulley bolt, cue a trip out to buy one, then after indulging the engine mount with about forty minutes of buggering about I was ready to fit the trigger wheel. This is when I realise I didn't have a big enough hex head to fit the longer replacement pulley bolt. Another trip out, of course the one I need is only available as part of a set... But the hex head was accessible with the engine mount attached, another session of fart adding about in cramped space ensued. I had seen how the day was panning out and set my expectations low for the remainder.

Trigger wheel on and ability to tighten gained, I fitted the sensor mount, it is shit. First issue is that one of the two bolts identified for mounting is barely longer than the spacer, not the end of the world, but the sensor itself is far longer than the gap between the mount and wheel. I'm more than capable of adding spacers or adapting but correct me if I'm wrong, a "bolt on kit" should just bolt on? Grrr

Rather than make a hash out of mounting the sensor sensibly (ignoring the "pack it out with washers as required" instructions) I spent some time tidying up and swiftly retired to the warm house and a cold beer. Although I only have a loosely fitted trigger wheel to show for today's efforts I'm glad it was a wasted Friday afternoon rather than an entire Saturday or Sunday, I'm hoping for a more productive weekend!

Here's she is as of new years eve:

[/URL]

Bit more room to work, although I keep thinking how much easier a future flip front would make working on the engine...

[/URL]

Like many others I'll aim to mount the coil pack where the coil was and EDIS left of the servo, megajolt will be in the glove box. May rehome the washer bottle to make room for oil catch tank.

My MSA license turned up today, so if nothing else I'll get the last of the bits done to satisfy scrutineering this weekend. Hopefully I'll have an update worth posting at the end of the weekend!

Stu

very nice car !

Luckily the weekend was more productive than Friday afternoon. Fabricated and fitted the ali panel for the parcel shelf, installed spreader plates and eye bolts for the rear harness points and fitted tow straps front and rear.

Finally sorted the trigger sensor and moved onto fitting stuff back on, including the new head and rockers. With most of the gumpf back in the engine bay, I could finally check clearances for the coil pack and EDIS, they fitted as I thought they would, just the loom to make for that before the fun starts with trying to figure the megajolt out!

Had to remove the washer bottle to get the oil catch tank where I wanted it, need a smaller solution now, anyone got any clever ideas?

Have marked up the rocker cover for the breather in/out takeoffs amongst the already busy pipework.

Was planning on using the vac advance takeoff from the carb for the megajolt but did I read correctly that its not suitable? Have a drill and tap on standby if so...

Stu

Pics tomorrow, I'm having issues trying to upload them from my tablet.

Tiny camping flask/bottle/container thing with the standard washer bottle pump on the bottom 👍

And yeah might aswell drill n tap whilst ya at it

OK thanks, will have a look at some options for washer. You're right, I might as well make a proper MAP takeoff while it's accessible.

Pics as promised:

Almost engine like...


There was plenty of space for these...




But not much space for this...


The rocker is ready for the breathers connection to be welded on, need to modify the crankcase breather again for a more suitable angle. Waiting for the last few bits before final assembly.

Loom is next milestone...

Stu

Good progress mate

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Looking good

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

Looks good that!

Thanks guys, although progress has been slower than I'd have liked!

I’ve been out of the country for a couple of weeks, work mostly but a cheeky spot of snowboarding too!

Stole a few hours in the cold garage last night, made a solid investment in a heater! Getting close to finishing up the wiring, didn’t have enough shielded twin core to finish but will pick some up today and complete the loom. Whilst removing all the old stereo wiring and associated gumpf I also removed my fuel pump wiring by mistake, very frustrating! I’ve now reinstated it and finally sorted out a long required aux fuse box.

Rocker cover has been modded for breather pipes and made a bracket for the oil catch tank. Annoyingly I can’t get a drill to the inner wing to mount it as the servo is blocking me, need to get inventive later... Made a timing strut and generally finished a load of small jobs.

List left to do before I can attempt to start:
- EDIS to ECU wiring
- Drill & Tap MAP takeoff
- Select and load a base Megajolt map
- Fit dash
- Weld up ‘modified’ crank case breather
- Mount oil catch tank
- Adjust rockers

List left until I can drive/MOT:
- Steering column mount
- Washer bottle replacement
- Relocate horn
- Fit bonnet

List left for hillclimb/sprint:
- Solid mount seat subframe
- Comp number background
- Throttle return spring
- Find a replacement bolt for the one missing on my steering wheel boss!
- Helmet and gloves

First event is 19th April, but I'm away for three weeks before that, need to get it running and setup on the rolling road in March. I know we’re only just in February but I can see the weeks disappearing!

To my delight the clutch gave up on my ‘reliable’ Mondeo, so tomorrow will be spent fitting clutch/dual mass flywheel and slave on that. Joy!

Looking forward to when you start doing your events

It's coming together nicely.

In the 13's at last!.. Just