MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Engine Number Guru's ?


On the paperwork with an MGA I've just purchased it quotes an engine number of:

RK3499

The block itself has no tag attached, so perhaps the two don't match.

1600 is cast into the block behind the engine mount.

From here this looks like a Riley block perhaps but I don’t see any 1600 cc Riley’s listed, only 1500 or 1622

http://home.zonnet.nl/carclub.ij-v5/MG_&_Morris_Enginecode.pdf


It also has “15” cast into the rear of the head but looking at Barney's site, early 1600 blocks still have the "15" type head’s

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/ch100.htm


The car once has a twin cam engine fitted but also reportedly has a Wolseley or Riley engine later.

Any ideas ?

Thanks
Mark


Mark Hester

Hanomag F35 or even early Nissan/Datsun?
Willem van der Veer

Almost certainly a rebuilt engine - possibly by Oselli.

Pictures of the block would help identify it.
Chris at Octarine Services



Many thanks Chris.

Would this mean Oselli may have retained the original engine number on their records?

I don't follow what Willem said.

Thanks
Mark


Mark Hester

Hanomag used Mowog engines. Very early datsuns are a b series built under licence fom bmc
dominic clancy


Hi Chris,

Oselli say RK3499 is not their engine number

Any other ideas ?

Cheers
Mark
Mark Hester

Could be an old XRN engine - now built by CMES (Classic & Modern Engine Services) www.classic-and-modern-engine-services.co.uk
Chris at Octarine Services

Mark

Where has the car spent its recent years? If you Google RK engine rebuilders you come up with German and US companies.

Just a thought.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Sounds like an MGA 1588 but the oiriginal serial number has been lost. Not uncommon when they tank them.

You won't see the 1588 engine in any of the other Austin cars, just the MGA. A '15' head is normal. The large chamber head to suit flat top pistons didn't come out until the 1622 engine in the MGA and even some of them were stamped '15'.
Bill Spohn

This thread was discussed between 20/06/2013 and 26/06/2013

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.