triumph spitfire 1500 engine rebuild triumph spitfire 1500 engine rebuild

This information does not touch on replacing the Piston sleeves(Liners) and the figure 8 gaskets. I use .003 clearance on my manganese bronze guides. | Posted in Quickview. I did the SU conversion source from Quantum Mechanics along with a 5 speed transmission also sourced from Quantum. But improper clearance can result in a seized exhaust valve. They look 10X better in the engine bay on a 1300 or a 1500 than a ZS or Weber and have been around forever. Question is, should ILoctite the bolts and if so which spec should I use. I was always much more partial to the 1296cc Spitfire engine than the 1500. The big end of the connecting rods that clamp around the crankshaft need to be checked for sizing. Thanks Richard. Add to Wish List. To truly rebuild SU carbs, you must send them to an expert; replacing those throttle shaft bushings requires specialized equipment. Listen out for rattling and blue. As a rule of thumb, its best to replace the rod bolts. It's easy! The leaning and surging had vanished. One day. Is a lighter flywheel right for your classic? Triumph removed the lock tabs quite early on in production and never reinstated them despite loads increasing considerably (e.g. Both BC (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. Once all of the pistons are in you can rotate the engine to the access the bottom side. What have you done to upgrade your 1500's? 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. All in all, even though there are more desirable sports cars out there the 1500 Midget has been a fun car to have owned for the past 18 years. Never, ever fire up an engine without confirming you have oil pressure. To save money and meet the ever-stricterU.S.emissions standards, American-market versions of this 1500 were fed by just one carb, not the dualSUsetup found onearlierSpitfires. Search (123\Tune+) For perfect timing. During break-in, check for leaks. 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. A bead blast cabinet is ideal for this job; however a wire brush on a drill, or bench grinder with a wire brush will get the job done. The std stamped on the shells should mean std size. The key here is getting the entire setup, including the linkages. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. For about $400, we sourced a set of these carbs, the proper intake manifold, a factory European exhaust manifold and a downpipe from Quantum Mechanics. And is actually a spelling mistake, made the first time I used it. I used new bolts and tabs, but this was 1980s so bolts would be from the good bucket. Record your reading. Engine Machining & Assembly Photo Gallery. On some crankshafts the area where the seals ride can wear over time and new seals alone may not insure you wont have leak. Given that MG and Triumph were both owned and built by BLMC, choosing the Spitfire motor for both was a no brainer. Install the camshaft, front engine plate and cam thrust plate This engine is almost a direct bolt-in. 4.20 postage . How do we feel about con rod lock tabs? Crankshaft bearings for the connecting rods and main bearings. Camshaft if needed/desired. More torque, as we know, helps produce betteraccelerationnumbers. Vandervell do come up on eBay from time to time, but most are showing their age from long term storage. 2,000 rpm. If you feel any resistance, make sure the ring compressor is tamped square against the block deck, and if you still feel resistance, you may want to look in the bottom of the block and make sure your connecting rod is not interfering with the crankshaft. Differential Mount Set Poly Front Spitfire GT6 . Quickview. 5.00 postage. 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. I always use bearings supplied by Jigsaw Racing, and with the above, they are long lasting, even inhigh revving engines. (To replace my old engine, which had suffered catastrophic failure). do make sure you stick to 97+ or better fuel, **95 ul was for side valves and mowers when these cars were born. Dont let this step scare you. Carefully remove the main cap and use the graph on the paper slip the plastigauge comes with to determine the clearance. Its rated horsepower was 104 hp in its final year of production, which was 1973. When you achieve the same degrees BTDC and ATDC your wheel will show TRUE TDC. Really?). 2L & Spits Mk1-4 1500 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. That is as good as you are likely to get it, though DD can of course alter advance curves to suit your engine spec, or go for a mapped ignition! Bolting Dual DCOEs on a stock engine would would hurt driveability. My apologies. Has anyone done anything to deck the block to remove the recesses between the cylinders and run a diff head gasket, i.e. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. For instance,the 2014 Renault F1 engine has a stroke of only 53mm but is limited to 15,000rpm! The Triumph SC (small car) engines were never derived fromtractors. ALL THE PARTS YOU NEED FOR DIY BOTTOM END ENGINE REBUILD INCLUDING PISTON AND RING SET ,BEARINGS, OIL SEALS,OIL PUMP,CAM FOLLOWERS ,TIMIMG CHAIN AND TENSIONER, HEAD AND SUMP GASKET SET. Buy your used Triumph Spitfire motors/engines from us and save time and money. While often lamented, Triumphs 1500cc, four-cylinder engine is still owned and loved by thousands of enthusiasts. You dont want anything to be bent or stuck, as this will affect your cars operation. The best currently available bearings are King Tri-metal which most suppliers (e.g. CARMINE RED WITH TAN TRIM, TAN TOP BOOT. Line boring is not needed in most street engine rebuilds. AVAILABLE IN STANDARD OR ALL REGULAR OVERSIZES [ E-MAIL OR TEL. Make sure all stud and bolt threads are oiled. Cylinder Head Position it toward #1 piston and then bring the piston toward the top of the block. The Kent fast road grind has a lot of lift but not a lot of duration which keeps the power band from being pushed too high. With the degree wheel and pointer installed, put the magnetic base on the top of the engine block surface or deck. I highly recommend Moss uprated valve seals. Triumph Spitfire 1500 LHD Completely body off restored Triumph Spitfire 1500 LHD. Purpose manufactured components designed to replace faulty original designs - for increased reliability and durability. Bare A-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1650. Thanks Pete and Clive - as I say, I'm not after a racing engine or even upping the power particularly. And it's easier/cheaper than replacing the crank and rebuilding the engine! Piston-to-cylinder wall clearance must be checked. A nifty-looking, dual-inlet air cleaner wrapped in a black crackle finish was part of the package. Finally the machinist will use a special tool to chamfer (angle) the tops of the bores. As JohnD mentioned, you can optimise the pump to minimise clearances between the body and rotor, see:http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/OilPump.htm. 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. Line up the dots on the two timing gears when installing the chain. 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. They can handle the disassembly, cleaning, checking for cracks, machining and assembly for you. and he didn't use eBay parts, just Canley Classics, Rimmers or Moss. Add to Cart. Also worth making sure the crank end float is correct (oversize thrust washers usually required, get them the right way round too). Scott Sewell. Click & Collect. The American exhaust system from the downpipe back will need to be replaced, however, as it wont mate to the European-spec downpipe. Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. For the earlier 4 cylinder engines we always fit upgraded rear oil seals, an . Clutch kit. A parts washer makes this job a lot easier, but if you dont have one you can make a temporary parts washer out a 5-gallon bucket and waterbased degreasers. I think that they are 3.67 to 1. 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 WHAT YOU CAN CLEAN YOURSELF Yeah, except for Mazda, Ford, GM, Toyota, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda, etc. Have your timing light ready to set the timing. Refer to your workshop manual for the proper spec but it will likely be .002-.005. bolts. Yes I know it was built from parts in the 50s and the design never changed. You will do this similarly to your crankshaft end float. In England, Triumph Spitfire 1500s were sold with dualSUcarbs. Many British engines have cam bearings in the block. Triumph Spitfire 1969-1980 Owners Workshop Manual: Glovebox Edition (Practical Classics & Car Restorer) $2000. I would like to fit a sports exhaust at the same time too. 1979 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MK IV. The results were that the downdraft Weber gave essentially the same performance as HS4s. 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. Click to reveal Triumph - Spitfire - Sales Brochure - (2015) (German) Brochure 4 Pages. | It is extremely important that the filet radius (the edges of the journal where it joins back into the crankshaft body) is restored when the crank is reground. Because these parts are designed by Triumph to fit the cars, the swap is a snap and the results are nothing shortofremarkable. Ray, July 19, 2015 @ 6:14 am 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. The Spitfires exhaust system is epically simple, and any competent shop can build you a nice system. Quantum Mechanics, Ltd. Rocker Assembly The carb is a two stage design, so it's essentially a one barrel with a secondary that comes on at full throttle. 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. Other Areas of your Engine Our initial zero-to-60 testing was just as depressing. 9.99 Download now. We carry a wide-ranging catalog of used Triumph engines for all applications including gas and diesel engines. FUEL PETROL PUMP (**See Engine No**) (1970- 74) 20.50. Some connecting rods will be a press fit type, and not need servicing other than pressing the old piston off and the new pistons on. Watch on There's nothing quite like the process of pulling apart, fixing and rebuilding a vintage engine. 4>2>1 manifolds easy to source, and the canley single sports box would be my choice. A larger motor was needed. You get extra points for completing this task if the engine in question is British or Italian of course, along with a tidy little bonus point if the engine is pre-1980. Stroke(mm) = 76 Stroke(mm) = 87.5 We can rebuild or repair your engine to factory specifications, and in most cases to much better than factory specifications. Install the valve cover. 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. Install your newly rebuilt engine in your car. 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. Cylinders are bored to the next oversize Crankshaft is turned to the next undersize I've googled and it seems to be questionable! Fill the engine with all fluids. Launched in October 1962, the Spitfire featured sleek styling by famed Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. It might be suitable for some situations but the Spitfire (MG Midget) configuration is not one of them. In our case, Quantum Mechanics sold us a brand-new downpipe to match the European exhaust manifold. Thanks for the article though it just reinforces my decision. This measured sprint took us an alarming 14.7 seconds to completenot very sporting for a sports car. Regrinding the original cast iron exhaust seat is a short term answer, as valve seal will be lost in a short period of time. Protection by optimising the oil supply is another option. It was beautifully designed by the legendary Italian car designer Giovanni Michelotti, and it also surprisingly sold in greater numbers than any of its rivals between 1962 to 1980. Copyright 2018 Wishbone Classics. Surfacing them smooth will result in more material being removed than needed. There is nothing inherently wrong with a properly designed 3 main bearing engine. I use .005 before and after maximum camshaft lift. 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. Useful article on the oil pump too. Its a good idea to replace the rocker shaft. Cam bearings I prefer the full circle type In this way, conrods can be made 15% lighter and stronger than the OE ones. There is no need to hurry; time is your friend when degreasing. Mathew Members 4.2k Posted March 30, 2021 Sold my spit last year and it was one ofthe few cars I never regretted selling. Current car: 1980 Triumph Spitfire Past cars: 1975 Triumph Spitfire, 1973 Austin Mini, Because this CNCengine center also bundles multiple machining operations into one piece of equipment, we no longer have to worry about different individual machines introducing any deviations in tolerances between machining steps. Then I realised itd be quite cool to make it an animation. Timing is set by ear - to be honest one reason for the rebuild/replacement is that the timing is all over the place when I use a timing light - which is either due to a crap dizzy or the pulley moving (Which is not as tight as I'd like - but the bolt is very much tight! The car was an instant hit. 21.49. (203) 463-8299 Strengthening the bottom end isn't an option, unless you go for a steel billet crank and conrods. Paddocks) sell. Piston-to-cylinder wall clearance must be checked. Set your dial indicator on the top side of that push rod. The Webers are 1 step up from the stock ZS carb, but suffer from a lack of tuning experience and info on this side of the pond. Install a lubed lifter on #1 cylinder intake and then install a push rod into #1 intake lifter. But Kas Kastner, the US race engineer who led Triumphs competition effort there, fond that flow to the mains could be optimised by external lines, instead of the internal oil gallery, in the "Kastner Octopus". Check for oil pressure before cranking. View cart for details. For about $200, we had a local muffler shop fabricate a new system. Sometimes honing is necessary to get the proper fit. I discussed addinglock tabs with the engineer when I did my Herald engine, but he warned against it. Description Triumph Spitfire - Classic Car Fuel Injection Conversion Based on our Premium Vehicle Kit for 2 SU carburettor upto 125 BHP This kit contains all the parts needed for our Classic Fuel Injection system (you do not need to order anything else from our range ) Save around 200 when buying as complete kit Get your hands on the complete Triumph factory workshop software. Dealer 12,500 Triumph spitfire Triumph spitfire SOLD 1973 not sure of mileage last owner se. You may have seen them at county fairs the vertical velodromes were originally built from old grain silos, leading to the name "silo-drome.". Lifters (tappets) are always replaced with a new camshaft. This may seem like a lot of clearance to your machinist who is not used to working with our engines. Intake valves Consider oversize for better flow It's the 1500cc variant, however, its had some cylinder head work and a fast road camshaft. Take the connecting rod, with the cap removed, and the rod bearings installed and insert the connecting rod in the bore. Bare J-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1399. Rpm 5000 12.67 14.58 Some connecting rods have floating piston pins, the bushings will need to be checked for play and wear as well. 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. Chances are your cam timing is probably not where it needs to be. Installing new piston pins and pistons require a rod heater, where the rod is heated to about 1200 degrees and then the piston and pin is installed on that rod quickly before it cools. 3 times until he put the Vandervells in and were find after 6 events. In England, Triumph Spitfire 1500s were sold with dual SU carbs. Install lifters, pushrods and cylinder head. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The 1500 long stroke is not the best for reliability and can suffer serious big end and con rod failures ifnused in a hurried life It does age quite quickly, upping the power wont help much in reliability Clives the best on this Pete clive Members 5.5k Posted October 1, 2017 For a road engine there are a few simple things. All engines are run and broken in prior to installation or shipping to the customer. Deck H $3,341.18 New ---- Used Dart SBF SHP Iron Block 4.125 Bore 9.500 DH - 31375235 $2,999.00 New ---- Used Articles that Ben has written have been covered onCNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine,Road & Track Magazine,the official Pinterest blog, theofficialeBay Motorsblog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more. I recommend replacing valves and valve springs. If the gap is too big, have the cylinders bored and new oversize pistons fitted. Thrust washers needed to be maintained, or crank walk would destroy themaswell. The piston should now slip into the bore. Rocker arm bushings, if needed, Gaskets and the final touches As you'd expect Vesseys are the specialists in the repair and reconditioning of the Triumph 4 and 6 cylinder engines. After boring, your block will be honed to get the proper finish on the cylinder wall. Once the engine starts you want to set the idle at approx. Sort By Price AnglefireSeptember 30, 2017 in Engine. Carburetor Rebuild Kit, Weber DGV Downdraft . Motor runs excellent, no issues with state inspection and everything works as it is supposed to. Perhaps our biggest issue was simply the original setups drivability. 100bhp should be achievable fairly easily. It will be your main point of reference. "Blueprinting" the crank, making absolutely sure that it is built to precise spec, with best quality parts, is what you have been discussing with Pete and Clive. No problem. Ideally, youd also get carburetors that arent worn out. Select your Triumph Spitfire PDF Download from the list below: Triumph - Spitfire - Parts Catalogue - (1962) Other Manuals 295 Pages. ASSEMBLY Triumph produced the fun and affordable Spitfire for 18 years, during which time over 314,000 were built. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Use a wooden, or plastic hammer handle, to tap the top of the piston down into the bore. Fuel pump work good (tested). Once you torque it to spec turn the crankshaft by hand, you should feel a nice fluid motion without any binding. By the time you factor in a driveline loss of 15 to 20 percent, our low horsepower reading looks pretty accuratemaybe even a bit impressive. Its important that this be accounted for because too much clearance would cause a loss of oil pressure and too little clearance could cause damage to the bearings and crankshaft. I remember reading a brief article in Road & Track back in the 70s that with the two SU setup, there's a problem that at higher RPM the mechanical fuel pump doesn't deliver enough gas, causing fuel starvation. Then rotate the crank til it stops, note the reading on your wheel then rotate it backwards. You will need a piston ring compressor. MG, In addition there are no springs or weights to fool with. Make sure the engine does not overheat. Hap, Great article but I must disagree with method for finding TDC. BLACK SOFT TOP. Personally, I'd just check the originals for signs of stretch and reuse them. I own a suitable license for this piece of music, supplied by Chris Worth Productions. You need to plastigauge the bearing clearances. 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 It's currently (As far as I know) standard - though is from a Dolly 1500! Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items . Hadone on the street will all the competition Cooper S parts. Whether stock, performance or race, only the highest quality components and workmanship go into our engines. Triumph Spitfire Restoration Parts and Accessories | Moss Motors 2023 Events New & Featured Moss Motors 75th Anniversary Coin 010-915 $6.00 Products You Might Like Air Filter Element Midget, Spitfire 1975-80 950-805 BACK ORDER - We are temporarily out of stock on this item. Next, install the cylinder head. Water pump Apply 30W motor oil to the cylinder walls and the piston skirts. Maybe because its the one I raced back in the day, but it always just seemed better balanced than the 1500 for some reason. This should make for a more spritely drive. Lube should be used any place one part makes contact with another that could cause frictionthe exception being the piston and cylinder walls. I built a 1500 engine for my '72 Spit back in the day. For most, dropping off the cylinder head complete to a machine shop is the best idea. The spitfre mk3 profile cam is very good, or even the TR5 profile. 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! At some point in the nearish future, I will be stripping and rebuilding my Spitfire's engine. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2e7dcb8a2dc2cd While adding main bearings and redesigning thrust washers is not an easy feat, at least one of the engines problems can be addressed: without much headachebettercarburetion. A fair amount of work, but nothing too technical, and it saves the engine. A frind ran a Ginetta G4 with a 3 main Ford MAE - 3 main, 9500 rpm red line (albeit with a short stroke). Handy Tip: Use a Sharpie to put markings on parts you have already torqued or checked clearance to know where you are in the process. Like so many other emissions-era carburetors, ours caused the car to surge and run leanespecially at highway speeds. Blueprinted engines are achieved when a builder dictates these sizes to get the exact clearance they need. Im only really in the planning stages as when I do pull the engine, Id like to do things like make sure the head is lead free - Im told it was done by the guy who rebuilt it before the last guy who I bought it from. Read More 1978 Triumph Spitfire with a Mid-Engine Turbo 1.8 L Inline-Four. All rights reserved. You will want to ask around for the shop that has the best reputation for crankshaft work. Rocker shaft They are still relatively cheap, but are usually in need of new throttle shafts and waxstat to fixed jet modification. This number could vary, as long as it is the same exact point before, and after maximum lift. Sidedraft carbs are the best alternative, especially twin Weber DCOEs. We've endeavored to have our machine work carried out on the finest, most accurate equipment available. Valve springs, Rocker arms assembly www.mossmotoring.com/disassembling-british-engine, Planning for Rebuilding the Engine on the Spitfire | Triumph Spitfire Mk3 Restoration Project: Bruce's Triumph Therapy, http://mossmotorsltd.wpengine.com/restoring-british-engine/. Remove the crankshaft. NEW PARTS After your 20-minute break-in, do your final tuning. 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.