Is a lighter flywheel right for your classic? Mainly as we now run unleaded fuel, not old 4 star! Watch on There's nothing quite like the process of pulling apart, fixing and rebuilding a vintage engine. I recommend replacing valves and valve springs. Dial indicator on a magnetic base. This is due to the manifolds available for that adaptation. I discussed addinglock tabs with the engineer when I did my Herald engine, but he warned against it. TRIUMPH SPITFIRE MkI,II,III,IV & 1500 (1959-80) FUEL PUMP REPAIR KIT. The engine number is FM91xxxHE - which I know is Spitfire and High compression - E for engine? and have never used new bolts for any bearing caps. Ideally, youd also get carburetors that arent worn out. If the surface isnt flat, have the deck resurfaced. FM Spitfire 1500. A nifty-looking, dual-inlet air cleaner wrapped in a black crackle finish was part of the package. Otherwise, enjoy the car, collect the stuff you need and don't put yourself under pressure! and he didn't use eBay parts, just Canley Classics, Rimmers or Moss. The engine rebuild kits can be anything from stock, to mild, to wild street performance, to a even a full out race engine. I've read that a Newmans mildroad cam is a good option, and payan gaskets are the best, but what bearings and rings? The std stamped on the shells should mean std size. Rotate the engine by hand; I like to do this from the rear of the engine as to not disturb the degree wheels setting. Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Engine Blocks. Rotate the engine by hand at the front crank bolt and adjust all your valves to the recommended lash for the camshaft you are using. The crankshaft needs to be measured for wear and sizing. If you have just set it to the "book" spec there is every chance it will not be ideal. Very nice condition 50 year old car. Rod bolts I recommend replacement. The chap who created this stop motion film is one of the few chosen ones who successfully completed a full engine rebuild without throwing in the towel and marching down to the pub, the engine in the film is a 1500 4 pot from a Triumph Spitfire one of those cars Ive always sworn Ill buy. More torque, as we know, helps produce betteraccelerationnumbers. So, if not Vandervell, what other makes are recommended? Tim mentions the Weber DGV as a suitable alternative carb. This is a six-cylinder engine, displacing 2 liters. Yes I know it was built from parts in the 50s and the design never changed. Differential Mount Set Poly Front Spitfire GT6 . Once the crankshaft is installed, be sure to check your crankshaft end float as I first discussed in the disassembly article, and make sure it is in spec per the manual. You have to have a good idea of your expectations and an understanding of the steps required to get what you want. (TR6 engine block in the process of being CNCmachined, cylinders being bored). I spoke to the distributor doctor today - after looking at the website - and have ordered a standard replacement dizzy for mine as a starting point because I replaced mine with one from ebay after getting issues (Which I suspect were really down to the carbs) and I am getting some issues with pinking and the like, that could be caused by a cheap chinese one - of course it could be something else, but I decided to start from a good place! It set the record on 60% nitromethane, naturally aspirated. Never assume a new oil pump should not be taken apart and checked. Triumph Spitfire, 1962-1981 (Haynes Manuals) $2995. Good information. At least the MG stayed 'all British'. Yeah, except for Mazda, Ford, GM, Toyota, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda, etc. I was not aware of the header from the UK. A heat shield is highly recommended for these as well. I think that they are 3.67 to 1. | Never miss an article, [Editor's Note: This article originally ran in the March 2013 issue of Classic Motorsports. A piece of angle iron drilled and tapped with a small bolt installed across the bore is easy to make. Car. British Engine Rebuilder 217-232-7303 Specializing in MG/Triumph 1500 Engines " I will not let you run one of my rebuilt engines in your car if I would not run it in mine. But there were some problems. The rule with engine building is clean, clean, and then clean some more. Then I realised itd be quite cool to make it an animation. Timing assembly always replace the chain, timing gear and timing chain tensioner. Vandervell do come up on eBay from time to time, but most are showing their age from long term storage. Mount the rear engine plate, flywheel and clutch. Opening out the oilways in the block, cross drilling and ovalising the orifices are all possible, as is optimising the oil pump. The 123 ignition(distributor) is a modification that employs spark balancing, like used in formula race cars. In others, these cars are too old to require routine inspections. New rocker arms are not expensive and in many cases less than the cost of having your originals rebushed and refaced. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. TR6 and GT6 Engine. Larger and the vital internal parts should be cleaned by professionals in an industrial parts washer. On the bench, apiston and gudgeon pin weighs 346gms, but this is under 1g, the acceleration due to Earth's gravity, In the 2.5L, at 6000rpm the piston reaches more than 2000g, andweighs nearly a tonne! Payen gaskets where possible, use the best crank bearings you can find (vandervell but you will have to be VERY lucky) and you WILL need a thermostatic oil cooler, and millers CSS20/60 oil a good idea. But no proof or paperwork so Im assuming it wasnt. If you can catch a fingernail on the surface of the flywheel where the clutch disc rides, you will need to resurface your flywheel. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. The following is a list of new parts I typically include in an engine rebuild. What makes a Wishbone Classics engine better? Handy Tip: If using an adjustable cam gear, torque the cam retaining nut to manual specs before making your adjustments. The solution is an electric fuel pump in the trunk, and bypass the mechanical pump. Fill the engine with all fluids. This item: Triumph Spitfire 1500: Repair Operation Manual. Protecting it by reducing the stress. NICELY RESTORED CAR WITH REBUILT ENGINE. Every time we use this miraculous product, were impressed with how it knocks down exhaust temperature and holds up for years, looking like new for a long, long time. 5500 13.93 16.04 Add to Cart. (Not for racing, just to bring them into the 21st Century and to get my little Midget screaming down the road). Includes engine/driveline, suspension, brakes, Check the wiper section of the rocker arm where it makes contact with the valve stem. Triumph Spitfire 1500 engine and gearbox rebuild We've just finished the rebuild of this fast road engine for a locally owned Triumph Spitfire. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Contact Us, Rare American Sports Car: The Fiberfab Jamaican II V8, Full Documentary: The History Of Land Rover, For Sale: The Triumph Scrambler Stunt Motorcycle From James Bonds No Time To Die, Street-Legal Historic Race Car: A 1962 Semi-Lightweight E-Type, Unusual Project Car: A Brazilian Volkswagen SP2, For Sale: Ferrari F40 Wire Frame Sculpture. Both BMC (B series engines) and Triumph (the Vanguard/TR wet liner engine) also used the engines in all sorts of different applications - main vans, boats and tractors, but they weren't designed for agricultural use in the first place. PS just noticed - you DO call yourself "Anglefire"! 13 33,950 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 6383 MANUAL RHD Refcode: 07AD6F7A-7C71-6CF9-9CAF-66E10EE97FDA Pristine Triumph Spitfire 1500 with just 3,999 miles on the clock! I start with the #1 piston. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. A new set isnt expensive. Another way to look at it is to work out how much the piston weighs in use. AVAILABLE IN STANDARD OR ALL REGULAR OVERSIZES [ E-MAIL OR TEL. Has anyone done anything to deck the block to remove the recesses between the cylinders and run a diff head gasket, i.e. anglefire is my forum name across all forums I use. Bare A-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1650. I have 3 1500 Triumph engines in RB Midgets I'd like to rebuild and upgrade for greater performance and reliability, to take advantage of modern engine components, the years of tuning and development on this engine since the 70's, and the wealth of engine building experience that has amassed since the engines were introduced. No problem. Guess 3 mains and a thrust bearing that falls out were state of the art back then. After this simple swap, our Spitfire was transformed. Cut a small piece of plastigauge and place on the #1 journal. I own a suitable license for this piece of music, supplied by Chris Worth Productions. Single DCOEs on the 8 port heads suffer from uneven fuel distribution between the inside two cylinders and the outside two owing to the unequal runner lengths of the available intake manifolds. Can't find a shop that offers a crankshaft nitriding service? Took the car out for a ride and have a small backfire after shifting. Bolting on the new carburetors is easy, and since this is a factory setup, the throttle cable will perfectly join the existing system. Read More 1978 Triumph Spitfire with a Mid-Engine Turbo 1.8 L Inline-Four. This full engine rebuild kit includes the minimum of parts required when rebuilding an engine (less crank & cam); and assumes that your cylinder block, head, crankshaft & camshaft are all serviceable. You can get a reaction between different paints causing wrinkling. It will be your main point of reference. I wont cover every little detail that a manual will tell you about engine assembly. $118.99. A word of caution about decking the block too much: Some engines, such as the Spitfire and Midget 1500 and the later TR6, have necessary recesses around the cylinder bores. It might be suitable for some situations but the Spitfire (MG Midget) configuration is not one of them. Follow the same process with the rod bearings as we did with the crankshaft and plastigauge each journal one at a time. Features Add to Cart. Then rotate the crank til it stops, note the reading on your wheel then rotate it backwards. But not just any pump--SU carb float valves will allow gas by if it's under too much pressure, so you need a low-pressure pump or pressure restrictor in the system. 21.49. Crank bearings are supplied standard size and pistons are supplied +0.020" oversize. The big issue with Spit motors was not wear onTW, it was preventing them from dropping. The shop will most likely resurface the cylinder head to insure flatness, and provide for a good sealing surface for the head gasket. A 439 inch small block that put out 739HP on pump gas. The goal is to find maximum camshaft lift on the indicator. But the US emissions regs sucked away both torque and power. The Spitfires exhaust system is epically simple, and any competent shop can build you a nice system. If your engine has a harmonic balancer, it will have a rubber insulator between the inner and outer rings. Theyve even won countlessSCCAchampionships. By Tim Suddard Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. For the earlier 4 cylinder engines we always fit upgraded rear oil seals, an . Which is a big part of a rebuild, So I always set timing by ear, drive the car and try to get it to pink. Set your dial indicator on the top side of that push rod. I can then, at my leisure,rebuild the one in my car now and either sell it on or do another swap. The CNCblock machining center is a major contributor to the high level of quality and performance on our engines. For about $200, we had a local muffler shop fabricate a new system. Freshening a carburetor is not as scary as it sounds, and companies like Quantum Mechanics supply the necessary kits. I've googled and it seems to be questionable! Some information and prices may be differenttoday. My engine is very user friendly around town and on the highway. Minimum engine rebuild service price is $10,000 USD for a fully rebuilt dyno tested engine package (fully assembled engine, carbs, ignition, exhaust manifold, etc) All engines being rebuilt are torque plate honed for superior cylinder bore geometry and improved piston ring seal These used to be cheap,but only Burton power (SC248)seems to have them now (7.61 ea). Triumph produced the fun and affordable Spitfire for 18 years, during which time over 314,000 were built. Crankshaft replace your pilot bushing. Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. A bit too obvious for me that! I raced both 3 and 5 main bearing MG engines and the 3 mains were dealing with slightly less drag and seemed a bit stronger and quicker revving, but bearing life when run to high rpm was better on the 5 main engines - they didn't get around to making 5 main versions until 1965 and Triumph never did go with 5 mains for their 4 cylinder sports car engines. Hardened exhaust seat inserts are a must for the hotter burning unleaded fuels used today. Add to Wish List. The, The traditional Silodrome was a carnival sideshow attraction also called the Wall of Death." This is very important, because if you are not on TDC, all your readings will be wrong. I'm just curious where this little motor might go if tuned and built properly. Once the studs are installed (if applicable) then install the head gasket. These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. What you are looking for is the point the dial indictor needle quits moving as the piston comes to the top of the block. Sometimes honing is necessary to get the proper fit. Sort By Price In this way, conrods can be made 15% lighter and stronger than the OE ones. Remove no more than .010 so that the head gasket will seal properly. Carburetor Rebuild Kit, Weber DGV Downdraft . Thanks Richard. I replaced the original exhaust header with a Pacesetter which increased the pipe diameter to about 2"but have learned there are better ones available. Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2023. all rights reserved. You may have seen them at county fairs the vertical velodromes were originally built from old grain silos, leading to the name "silo-drome.". 3 main engines were definitelymore common but Triumph had a lock on using only half the thrust washers other manufacturers (like MG) did in that period - a definite shortcoming. I don't have a clue what else is in there yet but I intend to pull it down and find out before I run it hard. Quantum Mechanics offers these as used sets with manifold pulled from old Spits in England. Engine gasket sets I prefer Payen brand gasket sets when I can get them. Apologies, confusion re std. Crankshaft grinding is a very skilled part of the machine shop phase. Custom options available from electronic fuel injection. Spitfire/GT6 site suggests E for engine, to avoid confusion with commission number. Need oversized lifter / tappet bores? June 30, 2021 June 30, 2021; GT6; Fanatik Builds started their 1971 Triumph GT6 project as a simple restoration. Rocker Assembly The downdraft sends the mixture down to a flat surface in the intake manifold where it splatters and pools rather than smoothly reaching the head. Lots of fun to drive.. Body & Chassis Brakes Clutch, Gearbox & Axle Cooling System Electrical Engine Exhaust Exterior Fuel System & Induction General Accessories Heating & Ventilation Interior If you have a single row chain I suggest you upgrade to a double row chain if available. My best friend has a Fiat with a DCV on it that responded VERY well to it. You will want to ask around for the shop that has the best reputation for crankshaft work. 2023 Motorsport Marketing. 2,000 rpm. In England, Triumph Spitfire 1500s were sold with dual SU carbs. Once you have finished the plastigauge procedure, and cleaned it all up, make sure to use assembly lube on your rod bearings and install your rod caps. Make sure your crankshaft is at BDC (bottom dead center) meaning the crankshaft journal is closest to bottom of the engine. It's the 1500cc variant, however, its had some cylinder head work and a fast road camshaft. This is where most cracks occur, so the proper filet radius is important for the overall strength of the crankshaft. All rights reserved. Make sure you use assembly lube on every main cap and your thrust washers as well. I have seen someone fitting an extra thrust bearing by machining the cap to suit - but keep some material for retaining the extra and existing bearings. And is actually a spelling mistake, made the first time I used it. Intake valves Consider oversize for better flow The problem with the thrust bearing is serious, and every Spitfire (or GT-6, or TR-6) owner should know how to check crank end play. A short engine is the middle section of the engine assembly, namely the cylinder block. Quantum Mechanics, Ltd. If it is worn, have it replaced as well. Dealer 3,695 Triumph Spitfire 1500 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500cc in yellow, has been dry stored. This engine is almost a direct bolt-in. If you are using a performance camshaft you may have to advance the cam timing per the cam manufacturers instructions. Vandervell were the bearing of choice when a friend of mine built a 2ltr pinto for rallying as alternative bearings failed after about 3 events (Spectacularly the first time!) You will need some headwork, and a skim o achieve a higher compression ratio (depends on the cam). Please contact us for further details concerning . The engine needing the least work to retrofit is the Triumph GT6, or the Triumph TR6. Purpose manufactured components designed to replace faulty original designs - for increased reliability and durability. The music is In The Hall Of The Mountain King from Edvard Griegs Peer Gynt Suite Valve seals Started out as just a collection of snaps as I stripped down an engine bought off ebay. 4.20 postage . At the end of the day if it needs a rebuild every 40/50k its notthe end of the world as that is plenty of years use! Now loosen the crank nut and rotate the degree wheel to reflect TDC on it. Once you torque it to spec turn the crankshaft by hand, you should feel a nice fluid motion without any binding. The cars are to enjoy, not be a burden. If you build a 1500 properly and respect it then this much maligned engine can be as dependable as any other Spitfire engine. Manganese bronze guides expand with heat at a different rate than your cylinder head and require more clearance than cast iron guides. Your connecting rod will almost always warrant big end resizing, and considered a must if you replace the connecting rod bolts. After boring, your block will be honed to get the proper finish on the cylinder wall. And its fine until it gets to temperature and then driven some more so is really hot - and given I found the other day that the overflow pipe was too short into the expansion bottle so was drawing air back in rather than water when the engine cools - so I suspect the engine was then getting a bit too hot at the top occasionally. Triumph Spitfire Engine Rebuild #8 - Distributor Fitting - YouTube After a long hiatus in production, I'm back on my engine rebuild videos, though there aren't many left. I'll be making sure that my new one is as good as it can get to the "best" end of the specs. and you mention getting new sleeves and piston sets. Make sure the piston is marked front and that you are installing it in the proper direction. The Triumph SC (small car) engines were never derived fromtractors. Cam bearings I prefer the full circle type Copyright 2018 Wishbone Classics. swaintech.com, Driving the short-lived MGA Twin Cam is magical, Classic Roadster Showdown: Alfa Romeo Spider vs. the Triumph TR6, An MGC Coupe that recalls the glory days of motorsport. These engines were known to be delicate, especially if over-revved. Is your favorite classic car properly insured? Seals should come in your gasket set but double check. MACHINE SHOP WORK Each engine I take to the machine shop is: Magnafluxed for cracks in the block, head and crankshaft. Select your Triumph Spitfire PDF Download from the list below: Triumph - Spitfire - Parts Catalogue - (1962) Other Manuals 295 Pages. My GT has them and Rimmers show them on TR2 -4a, but not GTs or Spitfires. We carry a wide-ranging catalog of used Triumph engines for all applications including gas and diesel engines. If you find excessive wear your machine shop can reface them. Crankshaft wear: the 1493cc engine fitted to the Spitfire 1500 has problems of its own, as the crankshaft can wear badly, along with the pistons and rings. Deck H $3,341.18 New ---- Used Dart SBF SHP Iron Block 4.125 Bore 9.500 DH - 31375235 $2,999.00 New ---- Used Refer to your workshop manual for the proper spec but it will likely be .002-.005. To truly rebuild SU carbs, you must send them to an expert; replacing those throttle shaft bushings requires specialized equipment. Triumph Spitfire 1969-1980 Owners Workshop Manual: Glovebox Edition (Practical Classics & Car Restorer) $2000. We've endeavored to have our machine work carried out on the finest, most accurate equipment available. If you are using an adjustable cam gear then you can do all of this without removing the timing gears again unlike a offset key which can have +/- 1-2 degree tolerance range. The magnaflux chemicals help the machinist detect cracks. Valve springs, Rocker arms assembly Items that dont move, like valve covers, front and rear engine plates, lifter covers, timing covers, distributor bases, etc., you can clean yourself. I have rebuilt a dozen or so engines (probably double!) $20.74. But now you will know what degree of offset key to order. Triumph had a lock on using only half the thrust washers July 19, 2014 @ 4:35 am Install a lubed lifter on #1 cylinder intake and then install a push rod into #1 intake lifter. 57,315 M Kurt Tanner Motorcars (866) 461-3172 Santa Ana, CA 92705 (934 miles away) 40 1970 Triumph Spitfire 76,029 mi 1300cc $ 19,700 or $324/mo Other Areas of your Engine Anyone know anything about the downdraft Weber carb and aluminum intake kit being offered by englishparts.com? Harlow Private 4,500 TRIUMPH Spitfire Spitfire Triumph - Spitfire - Sales Brochure - (2015) (German) Brochure 4 Pages. This is really useful and clearly written. Before the swapand with the original single-carb unit properly tunedour Spitfire produced 49 horsepower and 66 lb.-ft. of torque at the rear wheels, as measured on a chassis dyno. This may take several minutes. I use .005 before and after maximum camshaft lift. MPS(m/s) MPS(m/s) MG MIDGET (late model) TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MOTOR ENGINE REBUILD SERVICE Refurbished $2,695.00 timwhomi5 (2,345) 99.6% or Best Offer Freight 39 watchers Sponsored New Complete Engine Seal and Gasket Set Triumph Spitfire 1500 MG Midget 1500 (For: Triumph Spitfire) Brand New $59.94 sportscarpartsltd (55,071) 99.7% Buy It Now Free 3 day shipping In recent years we have become especially well known for ourperformance Triumph TR6 engines, which put out incredible power while improving durability and eliminating faults with the original design. Our zero-to-60 times dropped by more than 2 seconds. Triumphs and Jags back in 1972 (58k scanned image of an official price sheet) Building an engine test stand Assorted first hand tech rebuilds Rebuilding Seats Windshield chrome Trim Oil Cooler Installation New Pistons and rings Grinding Rings New Dashboard Front Spring lowering Stainless Steel Brake Lines Rear axle tricks Interior Trim Personally, I'd just check the originals for signs of stretch and reuse them. | The MG motor was incapable of being enlarged, just getting itto 1275 had required engineering handsprings (offset conrods? Thanks Pete - as it happens I picked up a "new" engine today - has been largely rebuilt - needs a new oil pump as it wasn't changed, but does seem to be well done overall. The machine shop should magnaflux your crankshaft to rule out any cracks. For a reliable road-going engine, careful building, in clean conditions will get you one tha is long-lasting! Triumph