New member - about to embark on Turbo conversion
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi,

Just though I should introduce myself, before I start asking all sorts of questions on here!

I've recently bought myself a Metro Turbo on eBay which has quite a few engine mods already, and have removed the engine with the intention of putting it into my Mini which has been off the road for the last 3 years awaiting restoration.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=4606979338

Ben.

Welcome, Ben :)

You're at the right place. There are a lot of knowlegable people on here.

welcome you wont be disapointed

love that straight cut scream!!!
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Hello Fella

Team Racing

Welcome Ben

Add your location in the world to your profile, there may be members on here local to you.

Hello and welcome

-MINI CLUBMAN 1380 TURBO-

Welcome!

First thing I'd do after getting that metro is whip the head off and check that it is what it says it is

That's what I intend to be doing at the weekend. We (myself and a friend) took the engine out of the Metro last weekend (dropped the subframe and lifted the body over). I managed to get it running before we took it out which is a promising sign, and there was good compression on all cylinders (about 175psi - is this too high for a turbo?).

I assume it'll be fairly obvious if the head's been modified as he says it has, but is there anything in particular I should look for?

Ben

well, the 1.5 rockers would be VERY easy to spot just by lifting the oil cap...

It's been a while since I looked at my mini engine, and it's not here at the moment for me to compare it with. I've just been outside (it's very dark and cold out there!) and taken the rocker cover off to have a peek. The rockers have got Avonbar written on them, so that's convincing enough for me that they're not standard. :)

Couple of pictures here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ben....ni/DSC00164.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/ben....ni/DSC00165.jpg

Edited by ben.harris on 22nd Feb, 2006.

Indeed!

Despite the grubby exterior - it clearly looks very clean inside. Head has certainly had something done to it looking at the machining.

yes it looks like it sports niamonic Ex valves as well

its all pointing to a turbo engine

at a guess! its an early avonbar engine some ten years ago

The engine was supposedly built by a guy called "Mike Jennings", who (according to the guy I bought it from) has an article in one of David Vizard's books. I would also guess it was built just under 10 years ago - The previous owner has had the car for the since 1997, and it's been off the road for the last 4 years (It's now in pieces on my parent's drive! ).

I thought it looked like quite a lot of engine for not a lot money (considering what it'd had done to it), and was well worth bidding on! I know that turbo engines are getting a bit harder to find than they used to be (well, for a reasonable price, anyway).

Hi Ben,
Like you im embarking on fitting a turbo lump to a mini and found this forum to be excellent.good luck.Dave.