Turbo Build 2k is it possible?
Turbo Mini Forums

Hello

I just wondered whether a turbo build is possible for circa 2k all in? After I have sold my old 998 engine and then 12g295 head etc.. so say £2,200/£2,300 all in?

I would only want something circa 120/130bhp is this achievable for this sort of budget?

Also would I be better going used and just buying an engine from here for that sort of money with a box? Not sure what they go for...

BTW this is for next year as need to get some use out of the car first as I have just rebuilt it!

120bhp would give 60 in circa 7 seconds and late 15s on the quarter I presume? Ideally I would say 140/150 but know the strain on all the other components would become a lot more and costs could soon amount up!

Thanks

Greg

I wish I could contemplate spending that much on a turbo A series.

None of my engines have cost me more than £7/800, including purchase of the original engine.

Admittedly I bought them all some while ago, but even so I would not expect to spend more than £1k now.

If you also want a professionally modified head then you must add the cost of that, but I used second hand pistons and cam with all new rings bearings and gaskets and got 110hp from my first engine, on a distributor too.

Start with the premise that throwing money at it does not guarantee horsepower - careful building does.

Depends on what you are including in that 2k?

If you mean engine, gearbox, turbo, manifolds, carb etc etc etc

Then maybe if you're careful and lucky.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

With a bit of good luck and shopping around you can build a good engine for not too much money.

I think the metro van's 200+ bhp engine ended up owing us about £1200.

Lucky buggers, I reckon mine is going to exceed 3k easily :/

anything is possible, as said before finding good deals is essential and time is a bonus too.

What the mind can conceive the mini can achieve
MITP 2012 17.01 seconds 1/4 mile against "The Don"
MITP 2013 16.83 seconds 1/4 mile

John got a cracking deal on the gear box. Essentially a free s/c gear set and donor casing. There was a lot of buying and selling to keep costs down too.

I forgot that with a mini the transmission can be an issue but a standard transmission, possibly used, will be adequate for 110 hp, surely ?

And I did include a T3 and manifolds etc in my original build cost

Standard box with cross pin diff will stand 120 easily.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

Wintersurfers was a proper budget build. As above, you need a bit of luck and to be patient and wait for bargains to turn up. He was very lucky with some stuff...

Rebuilt turbo short engine - £90
Phase 2 cam - £50
NA sg 3 cylinder head - £80
Bit of work on above head - £100
Clubman GT box - already had
Side mount Turbo, manifold, down pipe - £250
X-pin diff - £150
Intercooler - £90
Radiator - £50
Timing gear - £50

Total - £910

The above setup is producing more than 150 bananas at 10psi too.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Thanks for the above it certainly sounds like I have a chance

Could someone spec me a sort of engine for say the 120 - 140bhp that will be reliable ish...

Also gearbox wise will drop gear and a x pin be sufficient?

This is a picture of my car currently it is a 998 so all show and no go...



I would say with 130/140 ish bhp 0-60 would be around 7 seconds is this correct?

greg ,
you don't need straight cut drops .a cross pin diff and a stock a plus box will be fine to 150 ish . (if in good condition and you don't do a lot of wheelspinning over man hole covers etc).

a home porting job on the head copied from the vizard book , with a low comp engine ,stock ,and a intercooler ,with 10 psi will be fine . if you have a higher comp ratio , then you can open out the chambers in the head to lower it .this costs you nothing .

if you want to , you can go to the mg metro cam ,for more power/money.

you can use fixed timing at 20 to 24 degrees ,and then get the needle set .

this will make a good compromise over bhp gained over money spent.

Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM