But all the above are expensive and competition related. Get your hands on the complete Triumph factory workshop software. 1979 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MK IV. And is actually a spelling mistake, made the first time I used it. Make sure each time you do this you rotate the engine counter-clockwise approximately .100 and then start back in the normal rotation of the enginethis will make sure there is no timing chain slack that could skew your readings. Move to zero and then around and stop at .005 past zero. Manganese bronze guides expand with heat at a different rate than your cylinder head and require more clearance than cast iron guides. Pat Garity. If you are using a copper gasket then use a copper gasket spray coating. If you have a single row chain I suggest you upgrade to a double row chain if available. If you are reusing your existing camshaft your lifters can be reused if they are in good condition. Another way to look at it is to work out how much the piston weighs in use. Pay close attention to your workshop manual for tips like this. We carry a wide-ranging catalog of used Triumph engines for all applications including gas and diesel engines. Maybe Moss Motoring can find a engine builder that specializes in these engines to do article on them, I know I would read it with great interest. Oil pump whether you replace with new or reuse your current oil pump you will need to disassemble it and check the clearances. Bare J-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1399. Paul Tegler's Triumph Spitfire 1500 Mega Site Once all of the pistons are in you can rotate the engine to the access the bottom side. Triumph Spitfire Restoration Parts and Accessories - Moss Motors Check the straightness of the top of the blocks deck where the cylinder head attaches. To avoid offsetting the soon-to-be-realized power gains, make sure the new system is not too restrictive. TR6 four speed gearbox with J-type OD base rebuild pricing is $2999. 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. Rotate the engine by hand; I like to do this from the rear of the engine as to not disturb the degree wheels setting. 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 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. Spitfire/GT6 TS Imported Automotive, 108 South Jefferson St., Pandora, Ohio, 45877, USA Tel 800.543.6648 (USA & Canada only) 419.384.3022 (Tech / General Information) 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. Just because your cylinder bores or crankshaft journals look good, never assume they dont have any wear or issues. These are both good solutions, but we went with an even easier fix on our1973Spitfire. Then rotate the crank til it stops, note the reading on your wheel then rotate it backwards. If the gap is too big you are going to have to shim the camshaft or remove material from the back side of the cam gear. Purchase a good quality assembly lube. All rights reserved. Surfacing them smooth will result in more material being removed than needed. The Triumph Spitfire is a small British two-seat sports car, introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962. 1973 Triumph Spitfire 1500 - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle Set your dial indicator on the top side of that push rod. My best friend has a Fiat with a DCV on it that responded VERY well to it. If you are using a performance camshaft you may have to advance the cam timing per the cam manufacturers instructions. If all checks out take the car for a short drive (dont stray far from home, just in case) varying the rpm from 2,000 to 4,000. Now stop at .005 before the indicator reaches zero, or maximum lift, record your readings at the degree wheel. Make sure to clean and lubricate your throttle linkage, too. I think Ford later made a knock-off of the carb that was used on 4 cylinder mustangs and later US made Mercury Capris (1980s). Never, ever fire up an engine without confirming you have oil pressure. 1296cc, 1493cc) . Triumph Spitfire Market - CLASSIC.COM By TR3B-TR6 four speed gearbox with A-type OD base rebuild pricing $3250. I'm just curious where this little motor might go if tuned and built properly. Position it toward #1 piston and then bring the piston toward the top of the block. All engines are run and broken in prior to installation or shipping to the customer. And the engine was a huge part of that. I used to do it your way but a lecture by Dimitri Elgin pointed out that using a dial indicator can lead to errors. item 3 Triumph Spitfire 1500, MG Midget 1500 Rebuilt 4-Speed Transmission, Original, !! Paddocks) sell. If you can catch a fingernail on the surface of the flywheel where the clutch disc rides, you will need to resurface your flywheel. Yeah, except for Mazda, Ford, GM, Toyota, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda, etc. Do both methods and you will see the dial indicator method can lead you astray by a couple degrees. 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. Be sure to use engine oil with 1200 ppm of ZDDP to insure long engine life. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. A short engine is the middle section of the engine assembly, namely the cylinder block. 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. 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. Triumph Quantum Mechanics, Ltd. from a 1300? Spitfire/GT6 site suggests E for engine, to avoid confusion with commission number. Sign up for a new account in our community. The exhaust manifold goes on first, underneath the intake manifold. This is really useful and clearly written. The 1300 Spitfire and MG motors shared quite a lot; iron block, 3 main bearing crankshaft, similar bore & stroke, similar cylinder heads, similar carbs, similar power. Move the crankshaft the normal operating rotation (clockwise when facing the front of the engine) until you see the needle reach maximum camshaft lift. MG Midget Triumph Spitfire Rebuilt 1500 Engine - eBay I recommend replacing valves and valve springs. Given that MG and Triumph were both owned and built by BLMC, choosing the Spitfire motor for both was a no brainer. Classic Triumph Spitfire Cars for Sale | CCFS If the gap is too big, have the cylinders bored and new oversize pistons fitted. Make sure you use assembly lube on every main cap and your thrust washers as well. Once MPS goes up to 20 metres/second, you can expect reduced reliability and early failure, unless the engine has been speciallydesigned and built and/or made from exotic materials. Come on fellas, Mike can't be the only one to reply??? 4-SPEED, DISC WHEELS. http://triumphspitfire.com/enginenumbers.html, Ok, given that I'm going to drop the sump to replace the oil pump, I have decided to also change all the bolts on the bearing caps - gives me the opportunity to inspect the journals and shells and re-oil prior to start-up (its been on an engine stand for about 3 or 4 years). 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. Rebuilding A Triumph Spitfire Engine Reading time: about 1 minute | Written by Ben Branch | August 25th 2013 11 Months, 3000 pictures and a lot of coffee. Hap Waldrop. Handy Tip: If using an adjustable cam gear, torque the cam retaining nut to manual specs before making your adjustments. Having trouble posting or changing forum settings? 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. Triumph Spitfire 1500 engine and gearbox rebuild - CCK Historic Some enthusiasts opt for a WeberDGVdown-draft or single side-draft 40DCOEsetup. Lifters (tappets) are always replaced with a new camshaft. Install the camshaft, front engine plate and cam thrust plate Drivetrain A window into racing in the 1960s | Sebring Special MGBs: How an MG TC gave way to a worldwide British car enterprise. DIY Engine Rebuild Kits - My website - Acme Speed Shop Many British engines have cam bearings in the block. CARMINE RED WITH TAN TRIM, TAN TOP BOOT. Once you torque it to spec turn the crankshaft by hand, you should feel a nice fluid motion without any binding. Quickview. and you mention getting new sleeves and piston sets. 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! Body & Chassis Brakes Clutch, Gearbox & Axle Cooling System Electrical Engine Exhaust Exterior Fuel System & Induction General Accessories Heating & Ventilation Interior Bare A-type OD base rebuild pricing is $1650. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. Camshaft if needed/desired. 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. Sold my spit last year and it was one ofthe few cars I never regretted selling. Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. After this simple swap, our Spitfire was transformed. There is nothing inherently wrong with a properly designed 3 main bearing engine. Because these parts are designed by Triumph to fit the cars, the swap is a snap and the results are nothing shortofremarkable. Mean piston speed (MPS) is a simple calculation using the revs and thestroke. As much as I would like to say you can leave it all in their hands, you cant. This is a good time to consider a performance cam. 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. How do we feel about con rod lock tabs? It's the 1500cc variant, however, its had some cylinder head work and a fast road camshaft. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I have only ever torqued up to the factory spec, and never had any issues. 3 times until he put the Vandervells in and were find after 6 events. item 1 MG MIDGET (late model) TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 MOTOR ENGINE REBUILD SERVICE, item 2 MG MIDGET TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 FP ENGINE BLOCK. NICELY RESTORED CAR WITH REBUILT ENGINE. Purpose manufactured components designed to replace faulty original designs - for increased reliability and durability. This is a six-cylinder engine, displacing 2 liters. The first step is buying the right parts. It set the record on 60% nitromethane, naturally aspirated. Services - J Austin Healey, MG or Triumph we can build it better than original and to any performance level. Triumph Spitfire - Engine rebuild - YouTube Restoration of my Triumph Spitfire showing the newly rebuilt engine by Prather Racing - Kent Prather and myself. Set up the magnetic base and dial indicator on the front side of the cam, or cam gear, and moving the camshaft front to rear reading the movement on the indicator. You dont want anything to be bent or stuck, as this will affect your cars operation. $20.74. Triumph TR engines. Keep your manual close at hand for the assembly stage. ft/9.5 kgm) at 2500 rpm respectively. Because our carburetors didnt exhibit any throttle shaft wear, we didnt need to have them rebuilt. That is not true but often repeated. For example, most modern black composite material head gaskets require no coating or sealer. .0015 to .002 is acceptable. 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. Fortify Your 1500: Improving 1500 Spitfire and Midget Engines Need oversized lifter / tappet bores? bolts. and have never used new bolts for any bearing caps. Bottom end I might just get it balanced and reground if needed and look at different pistons and rods but also look at budgets. 6000 15.20 17.50 I am looking for some specific engine modifications, specific cam recommendations, specific machining insight from the Spit crowd who have been tuning these engines longer and harder than we MG owners. With the degree wheel and pointer installed, put the magnetic base on the top of the engine block surface or deck. Crankshaft replace your pilot bushing. Now loosen the crank nut and rotate the degree wheel to reflect TDC on it. Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Engine Blocks. At some point in the nearish future, I will be stripping and rebuilding my Spitfire's engine. triumph spitfire 1500 engine for sale | eBay This is very important, because if you are not on TDC, all your readings will be wrong. Click & Collect. If you build a 1500 properly and respect it then this much maligned engine can be as dependable as any other Spitfire engine. 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! I wont cover every little detail that a manual will tell you about engine assembly. But no proof or paperwork so Im assuming it wasnt. A Speedi-Sleeve can be used to renew the surface. 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. We can rebuild or repair your engine to factory specifications, and in most cases to much better than factory specifications. 5500 13.93 16.04 Hap owns and operates Acme Speed Shop out of Greenville, SC, where his specialty is rebuilding MG engines ranging from stock to full out race prepared. 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. Differential Mount Set Poly Front Spitfire GT6 . The biggest problem with these engines, however, had to be the single, emissions-era Zenith StrombergCVcarburetor. Whilst I don't have a bottomless budget, I would rather spend a few quid more now and not regret it later! 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. TR6 and GT6 Engine. The CNCblock machining center is a major contributor to the high level of quality and performance on our engines. I'll be making sure that my new one is as good as it can get to the "best" end of the specs. It has transformed the Midget into a nice little cruiser. But now you will know what degree of offset key to order. If using a performance aftermarket cam, it may be different than what is listed in the manual. Sign in to ask questions, share photos, and access all website features. A 439 inch small block that put out 739HP on pump gas. I like to start with the center cap. Includes engine/driveline, suspension, brakes, Classic Triumph Restoration | Triumph Restoration Shop | Spitfire You can get a reaction between different paints causing wrinkling. The three-main-bearing design did not lend itself well to hard use. Fill the engine with all fluids. So I always set timing by ear, drive the car and try to get it to pink. A nifty-looking, dual-inlet air cleaner wrapped in a black crackle finish was part of the package. A complete rebuild includes the following: EVALUATION As an engine is torn down, each part is checked for excessive wear, damage and failure. He said he'd had problems with soft lock tabs on other engines messing uptorque readings. And as my current engine seems to be doing about 28mpg, I'd hate to think what a low efficiency engine is like, i cant find any data readily availablethat explains the last suffix 'E'. The factory paired these preferred carburetors with a free-flowing, cast-iron exhaust manifold that emptied into twin pipes. My spit was a 79, and when I compare it to the other tech available at the time it just looks sad. Third, install the main bearings in the main capsbut dont install the caps yet. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 9.99 Download now. As always, once we test fitted the manifold, we sent it to Swain Tech Coatings to be coated. Powered by Invision Community, http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/OilPump.htm, https://www.canleyclassics.com/triumph-spitfire-mki/ii-crankshaft-and-camshaft. 5000 rpm may be a conservative limit even for a 1500, but it's easy to see that thelonger stroke engine approaches the 20mps limit far sooner than the earlier engines. None of these points will do you any good though, in reality youll have either turned to alcoholism or been committed to a lunatic asylum long before the task is completed. I use .003 clearance on my manganese bronze guides. 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. First, scrape off old gaskets as much as you can, then move on to degreasing. For most, dropping off the cylinder head complete to a machine shop is the best idea. 2,000 rpm. The 123 ignition(distributor) is a modification that employs spark balancing, like used in formula race cars. Well we offer that as well. 5.00 postage. 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. Install your newly rebuilt engine in your car. Planning for Rebuilding the Engine on the Spitfire | Triumph Spitfire Mk3 Restoration Project: Bruce's Triumph Therapy, [] http://mossmotorsltd.wpengine.com/restoring-british-engine/ [], January 13, 2018 @ 5:01 pm This number could vary, as long as it is the same exact point before, and after maximum lift. When you check the shells, if it hasbeen built with cheap bi-metalones (you can tell by colour and the markings on the rear) then replace them with lead/copper. Your connecting rod will almost always warrant big end resizing, and considered a must if you replace the connecting rod bolts. as perspicacity of this Triumph Spitfire 1500 Engine can be taken as skillfully as picked to act. 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.