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MG MGA - HRG engine finally goes into car

Hi

Finally got the engine into the car, things always seem to take longer than you want. I’m wondering if anyone else has done something similar. As you can see from the photo I’ve fitted a HRG head from Moss. The engine’s a 1950cc 5 bearing MGB engine, running a Piper 285 Cam. Lots of internal works done to make the lump run as well as you can, steel crank and conrods etc. I also sinned by fitting a programmed EFI system, but it makes the motor a lot smoother under load. According to the dyno its putting out close to 140bhp at 6000rpm, I can’t wait to hear what it sounds like and how it drives on the track. I realise the engine won’t comply with historic race rule, but I don’t care. Now to find where I can save some weight, maybe I should go on a diet !!!

Tim
Tim Sullivan

how do i upload a photo ?
Tim Sullivan

Tim

You can't on this BBS. You have to post it on your own site or similar and give us a link.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Thanks Steve

i think if you click on this it will take you to the picture

http://img91.imageshack.us/img_viewer_framed.php?loc=img91&image=img2400fd5.jpg&gal=img91/8376/img2400fd5.jpg

but who knows ?

Thanks again

Tim
Tim

Tim,

What type of EFI system have you fitted?


Mick
Mick Anderson

Mick
I used the autronic computer from melbourne as there is more adjustment in the box, with individual throttle bodies matched to two weber manifolds. i was told this would give more torque and mean i could keep up with modern traffic
Tim
Tim

Tim,

I've got a 1950cc engine with a genuine HRG head in my MGB. The build proces is here: http://www.octarine-services.co.uk/alex1950.htm . Chris Betson from Octarine Services built the engine, Peter Burgess modified the head. It's got 44mm/34mm valves, a Piper 285 cam, CR of around 11:1, Dell'Orto 40 DHLA carbs and an Aldon modified dizzy, amongst other mods.
The engine produces 124 bhp at the wheels at around 5.5k rpm.
Do you happen to have a plot of the power and torque?

Alex
Alexander M

Alex

Terrific sequence of pictures and text. Worth putting on an archive.

Fun playing with the distributor under those carbs!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hi Tim, I'm building a sprint engine - 1950cc, JE pistons, BP300 cam, steel crank and rods, crossflow head, twin 45's etc. What compression are you running? What ignition are you using? Is the head standard or modified? Re - the weight loss, I'll send you a photo of my coupe body and chassis. Have you weighed any of the MGA components, rack, suspension etc are all overbuilt, I'm hoping to get the total weight down to 725/750kgs.

Alex - I seen your engine on the Octarine website, very impressed, does it pink with that compression? What fuel do you use?



Regards

Terry
Terry Drinkwater

Hi Alex
What you have done sounds very similar to the mods in my engine. How is the car to drive with the new engine, especially compared to to the old motor which only had 80bhp when new. i hope the things spins a lot better i remember my old MGB hated revs.
Thanks
Tim
Tim

Hi Terry
The head needed a heaps of work, to be honest it was very poor to start with. the head has much wider ports which have been flowed the ports were originally almost at right angles. I was told not to go for the 300 piper cam unless its going to be a pure track car as you lose a lot of low down torque, but you do make about another 10bhp or so but only above 3500 rpm. How are you going to get the car down to 750kgs, i will be interested to see what my car does end up weighing but I can't see a saving of 200kgs even though I've taken a lot of weight out of it.
Tim
Tim

Terry,

No pinking at all. The final set up was done at Peter Burgess' dyno and I only use 98 octane fuel.

Tim,

The car is completely different to drive. It's very very flexible despite having a 285 cam yet it just keeps on pulling.
When the engine's at temperature, it's very tractable from 1.5k rpm, 1st gear can be omitted actually if I feel like it. One of the largest differences with the standard engine can be noticed when driving at around 2k rpm in 3rd gear and then flooring it, as the car reacts more briskly now. (when it's cold on the other hand, you need to be quite gentle with it or it stumbles and sputters, but that's because of the lovely carbs)
When you're really 'going for it' (on private roads of course), it's like the acceleration will not stop. I can assure you that this induces a serious grin on one's face :-)
The noise it makes is totally different from the original. The combination of the intake noises that are made by the Dell'Ortos (quite similar to those of a Weber) combined with the rather loud exhaust note (full DoubleS stainless 2" system) tends to make people look rather frightened from time to time...

(I tried to keep it short, but can elaborate when asked)

Alex
Alexander M

Hi Terry
sounds like you are going down the same route. i was told to avoid the piper 300 cam unless you want a pure track car. the 300 gives about an extra 10-15bhp or so, but you lose a lot of low down torque and need to always be above 3500 rpm. how are you going to lose the weight, i've tried to get rid as much as i can but dont think i will lose 200kg, but i wont know until i weigh the car when its finished
Tim
Tim

Alex
sounds like your car is fun to drive. im yet to drive mine so your comments on the cam etc are appreciated. i understand thats the problem with weber type cards, thats one reason i went efi, i dont care its not 100% original i wanted a classic car without a nissan engine that could keep up with modern traffic and surprise a few people on club track days. the engines been designed to run on 98ulp and puts develops 130lb/ft in torque
Tim
tim

This thread was discussed between 12/12/2006 and 14/12/2006

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