Metro turbo engine
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi all, i have got my hands on a metro turbo engine still in the front subframe from the metro, all acounts say it ran nicely b4 it was taken out and it didn't smoke, what i would like to know is what can i do to this engine to give more power with out spending MEGA money? whats the best power for value mod? cyinder head? cam? roll tip rocker? T2 convertion? i know i want to chance the clutch becasue my 1340 stage 3 slips its hi spec clutch so i want somthing even better for this turbo engine what would you say would do the job?? the engine is hopfuly going in to a mini pickup which i am currently looking for, if you know any for sale i would like to know, my budget for the car is about ?1000 im looking for a project not a fineshed one. thanks Alex
sorry to go on and on.

hey alex
u got a turbo now, nice one!
Where was dat from????
shud b kewl the new pickup wen u get it!
lovin it

Edited by t3 wty on 1st Jan, 2004.

Hi t3wty, yeah i found one, Andys Bro has on sitting around from when he scraped metro turbo. just need to think what else i want to do to it, i want to keep it reliable cos i have got soooo fed up of the 1340 not working, but the hope is if i have 2 cars then 1 will be running when the others not. o yeah and i fix my bag of pants metro, got some walls to drive in to.
Alex

Hi Alex,
I hope this'll help in your turbo project,
but b4 it would be interessant to know how many hp you are looking for, and for how much ?? ;
this said, for the less money spent I would rebuild the engine BEFORE THE MODS, with a checked crank, and so certainly a 10 regrind, then make it nitrited and balanced, ( make the last polish on the bearings after the nitriting).
new bearings,
a bore honing,
a set of rings,
a new oil pump
an engine gasket set ( not the cheap ones but rover's one)
cyl head valve lapping,
a new cam ( sw5 or 274 i one) and followers, 1.5 high lift rockers
an adaptator plate to fit a gt turbo rebuilt t2 blowing thru an intercooler
(keep the std 9.4 cr and blow it at 10 psi with premium fuell
it will allow you further mods later on the cyl head side ( lowering the cr and so more psi's)
about the gearbox :
upgraded diff pin, or better tran x ( or so called, or minispares one)
all new bearings ,
a vey well checked primary gears bushs clearance( need new bushs , not cheaps but very important)
a 2.9 dif .
and a rr tune session.......
I think all is there, feel free to remind me what I forgetted.
and broaaaaaaaaaaaaaa psihhhhhhhhh

that all sounds costly, some of that i feel i could do but i worriey about taking a engine all apart. is it tricky to replace piston rings and that kinda job? Why fit the T2 turbo? and is a intercooler really worth it?? what does it do? thanks Alex

Alex,
again what mean costly for you, and what about your hp needs??
the prices are about: rings 80, crank 200, crankbearings 60, oil pump 35, gearbox bearings, 20 each, gaskets 30, these prices are on the high side ,the valve lapping only cost time and effort
if this is costly why talking about st3 heads , pistons etc?

about doing the job yourself, the a serie is very easy to assemble and disassemble, all you need is a good machine shop to check the clearances on the crank and bore if you can't do it,and a lot of patience to reassemble very seriously with a good book ( also advises on the net and minimag or mini world articles on the subject ) to help you, they are plenty,
the lesseasier is the gearbox side, as it need a little practice to sorting well the bearings and shafts,

About the T2 it will give you a lot more respons than the T3 , and it is a better match for the 1275 a serie, also in itwater cooled formit become quasi bullet proof at 10 psi's ( about 100 000 km)

about the intercooler it is cheap and will allow you to run a cooler charge , this will increase your engine life and also will allow you to charge a little more your engine ( 10 psi's) on the std 9.4 c/r which make a noticable improvement over the std 90 hp( about 110/120 with 10 psi's the cam and high lifts)

if you want to make cheaper than this make only the crank and the oil pump, as it is difficult after to find a new one and the only way to run it for ever is to keep it very well oiled, so the oil pump and to keep the oil on it , so the crank clearances.

fab

im think about putting about i want to put the engine in and then add of bits like heads and rockers at a later point. i will probalby have about ?600 to start with and then more later to put in to the engine, i found a t2 turbo for sale from a friend of mine and hes said he will let me have it cheep and its in good nick (he works for a turbo reconditioners).
on how much house power im looking for well im not mega sure 140bhp would be very nice but anything around 120 would be grate i think, i have only been in 1 mini turbo and that just had a standerd metro turbo engine in and that went very nicely. when it comes to the gearbox and drop gears is it best to buy a recondon box? and straght cut drop gears?
Do you know of a good mechining shop around the middlands MED is just down the road from me but i have had mixed reveiws of them?