Budget turbo mini
Turbo Mini Forums

Hello,

Joined the forum a few weeks ago so I could find out more and ask questions relating to everything I need to know about a metro turbo engine. I have been working on na minis for around 7 years.

Bought this project as a bare shell about 2 years ago for 50 quid.  Best of it is I split the bill with my brother so 25 each.  I won't show a picture cos you will just laugh. Kind of hoping to use it for welding practise and then fingers crossed end up with a fast road / track day car that I don't care too much for and can properly abuse.

Bought a front subframe for £30 (which had metro disks and calipers to my surprise, non vented ones though). Rear subframe for 50 which we are going to make into a beam axel.  And finally a pair of doors for 35. 

And our most expensive and recent purchase was an mg metro turbo engine. 150 on eBay and just half an hour away to collect.

Here are some pics from the eBay add.







They guy who sold it bought it from a totalled metro 20 years ago. It's a gold seal so has been refurbished at some point.

Thanks to the "metro turbo myths" thread I was able to identify exactly what I had. Head has the larger exhaust valve stems. And once stripped I found it has the CAM6581 hardened crank. The bores all seem in very good nic.

Plan is to check and rebuild the engine in standard form but changing the cam for a MED HT cam I have. Possibly some head work as advised when I asked about the cam spec on here. Any suggestions on budget friendly head mods would be welcome. Maybe 1.5 rockers if they are advisable.

Turbo staying a t3 with a rebuild and some mods to increase boost. Novice in this field so any advice appreciated.

Looking to go somewhere near 150bhp for track days.

Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Dave

looks good to me, get on to benross about the head mods ect, he will give you the best advice on how to get to your power target.

That's a bargain going by what they usually go for. You need to make sure you get an intercooler in there, it's pretty much free power.

nice one mate all looking good and a bargain price

give em hell

Bargain that engine with a 6581, don't let it go.

Audi s4 b5 - 470bhp & 486ft lbs

On 30th Apr, 2012 Brett said:
yeah stick the bit in and give it a wobble

That's a bargain for a standard unit, never mind a turbo!

Turbo phil will also advise on your head work

good start mate

Small update:

with the block stripped down we are looking at doing any mods and then rebuilding.

with fast road and track days in mind (with high boost) we have decided to go for under crown cooling jets, and here they are:



Just a note on the budget side of things. We went with new ford zetec ones (part number 1053936) with prices quoted of £7-8 each. i appreciate these might have been bought a few years back.

They are now 11.61 ex vat. Total £55.78.

I guess you could get them for buttons second hand from a breakers but then you have all the trouble of removing them.

Will update when we attempt to fit them using the guide on TurboDave's website.

Thanks,
David

Back on this after a few months doing other stuff.

After stripping the engine I found this.



Piston out, it doesn't look too bad.



The top ring in piston 2 and bottom ring in piston 3 were broken on top of that.

But the bores don't look too bad. No scoring. Just a little surface rust on cylinder 1 where the oil control ring was sitting.



Good news is the crank looks in good nick. You will notice in the photo there are some notches machine out on 2 of the webs. Is this how the crank has been balanced?



Can I have some opinion on what I should do with the piston and cylinder situation. Will hone and new rings do? Or should I get a 20 thou rebore. If so what pistons would you recommend? Bearing in mind I am looking to build a strong reliable turbo motor for track days "on a budget".

Thanks
David

Hi Dave, well the news is the pistons goosed caused by detonation, too much boost incorrect fueling. And or incorrect. Timing too much maximum. Advance, low octain fuel, Wikipedia detonation,

Anyways new piston and a plus 20'rebore required
the crank you have is a 6581 the super hard good Guy crank, thats why it's. Not worn,

The notches. Out of the crank is a rough factory ballance that's all better to have the whole rotating assembly fully dynamically. Ballanced, cock on the engine will run so smooth. Like a Swiss. Watch, worth ever penny IMO

Edit. Undercrown cooling jets are definitely. Not needed, but if you want to spend your time fitting them, with a possibility. Of fooking the block if its yourn first time especially if you are a novice, then go for it.

I carry out work on machining blocks full engine builds, rebuilds, dogboxes modified. Heads to run more boost from fast road to race, whatever you need but they don't come with a 3 pound price tag,
Pm. If your interested dave

Edited by BENROSS on 15th Dec, 2012.

Thanks benross,

Any advice on pistons for this application?

Thanks,
David

Edited by dave_39 on 16th Dec, 2012.

Omega cast race pistons, these are well proven
+ 0.020" 10 CC dish

Thanks for the advice.

I will be sending the block to get all the necessary machine done and then will complete the assembly myself.

As for the under crown cooling jets. I being new to the site at the time I got the impression they were thought of as a good investment of time and money. Obviously you don't endorse that modification. I can understand that and having considered the risk may do a u turn myself. Welcome anyone's opinion on this modification. Is it worth it? Benross - I take it you have never had problems with overheating on modified turbo engines that you would see this mod as required?

Thanks in advance.

David

I agree with Steve on the oil jets, not needed unless the gearbox is fitted with a windage tray. Pistons should be cooled sufficiently from the oil sprayed up from the gears whizzing around.