To go in to all the possible permutations would take a few chapters on it’s own. Suffice to say that the Metro had a few weirdo fitments such as cable operation, an in-line ‘damper’ (some got fitted to Minis too - eek),

Terminology -
BBU - Big Bore Units
SBU - Small Bore Units

NOTE: This information is largely concerned with transplanting a large-bore engine into a small-bore engined Mini. For further information on clutch and flywheel assemblies in particular, refer to relevant separate article.

To go in to all the possible permutations would take a few chapters on it’s own. Suffice to say that the Metro had a few weirdo fitments such as cable operation, an in-line ‘damper’ (some got fitted to Minis too - eek), and ‘top-hat’ plunger and rod bearing operation. Read more

What they don’t tell you in the manual! Terminology - FD - Final Drive (diff ratio) What they don’t tell you in the manual! If you’ve decided the FD fitted isn’t what you want, changing the FD is possible without separating the engine from the gearbox. Removing the diff case will allow you access to the diff assembly to change the crown-wheel, and access to the gear-change linkage. Use a manual for crown-wheel replacement. While you’re in there it would be just as well to replace the thrust washers and diff-pin as these are the source of many a gearbox problem. Particularly for up-rated engines where fitment for the competition diff-pin is highly recommended. Once again, follow the manual here. Now the bit they don’t tell you how to do... Rod-change types - Removal of the speedo drive housing gives access to the pinion retaining nut (1.5”AF socket needed and a long bar). To be able to undo the pinion nut (torqued up to 150lb ft !!) you need to engage two gears - 2nd and 4th - to lock the transmission. Read more

Install engine. It is absolutely imperative that the cooling system is more than sufficient to deal with any temperatures likely to be produced by the engine. More power means more heat to be dissipated. A standard radiator is very unlikely to be able to cope with a reasonable power increase over standard.

Do not fill cooling system yet. Set clutch throw-out and free-play take up. Double-check all connections electrical, oil, fuel and cooling system. Put in engine oil – use a cheap multi-grade mineral oil. DO NOT use either semi or full synthetic oils. They will stop the rings from bedding in. Remove spark plugs, and spin engine over in bursts of a few seconds to pick up oil pressure and prevent starter motor damage. DO NOT start engine until oil pressure picks up.

Once oil pressure is showing, check ignition timing statically. Set to figure advised by distributor maker, or if no figures available, set at around 6-8 degrees BTDC. Re-fit spark plugs and start engine. Read more

The widespread and prolific fitment of Metro engines into Minis - usually those endowed as standard with small-bore (850/998/1098) engines - practiced in the UK has been spreading to many other countries worldwide.

So it's not surprising that the most commonly asked question has also become more prolific concerning the fitment of said engine - apart from actually how to manage the transplant and the differences in the installations, covered in articles relevant article on this site - is just which type of engine the individual concerned has bought or what they already have fitted to their car and is it worth keeping or junking. One initial question I pose often draws a pregnant silence whilst said inquiree scrambles their brains trying to find an answer for. Following that protracted pause, 'I dunno' is the usual answer. I then have to get into a lengthy explanation as to how to determine what said engine is. Read more

DIY enthusiasts often believe that building an engine to give excellent all-round road performance is beyond them. Mainly from comparisons made between what they have been able to achieve and what specialists say should be achievable from any particular type of engine build.

Generally scrambled further by the non-perfect match of parts and components used between aforementioned specialist and erstwhile DIY-er, and the ritual 'nose-tapping and knowing winks' display of those specialists. Something you can very nearly 'see' even when talking to such folk on the phone - or that inimitable 'ah, yes, well…' So some form of 'black art' is implied. Whilst there is most definitely a degree of 'feel' involved between the real specialist's results and those of just a good engineer - the bones of the deal is subject to no such thing and is certainly within the capability of the DIY enthusiast given the necessary information. And that has been the problem. Read more

The 998cc engine is a very robust and tunable unit. It is also the most common engine found in standard Minis. Despite the lure of the much-advertised 1380cc alternatives, many simply want to get a little more from what they have at reasonable outlay.

Terminology:
MSC/MM - Mini Spares Centre/Mini Mania
BBU - Big Bore Unit (refers to all 1275cc-based units)
SBU - Small Bore Unit (refers to all sub-1275cc units, here the 998)
BHP - Brake Horse Power
CR - Compression Ratio

To improve engine out-put, you need to increase the engine's 'breathing' ability. The stage one kit deals with all the easily bolted-on external parts, and represents the best increase for investment. From here on in the power increases will cost commensurately more money. Read more

In the forefront of Mini tuning, improving the over-all breathing capability of the very asthmatic A-series the air filter set-up is one that sees priority attention. All the widely available (and widely varying) stage one tuning kits include at the very least a replacement - and hopefully - high-flow air filter element to fit into the standard plastic case,

In the past few years (well, must be nearly 6 years by now!) since I got involved with writing for the specialist Mini Magazines I have been continually fighting with the problem of limited space. This has limited what I have been able to cover, both in subjects and in details. Up until recently (say the past year or so) I have been covering fairly broad topics in a fairly broad terms and detail. Basically trying to cover perhaps the most popular areas dabbled in by the Mini owning masses. Read more

This is the frequently abused and mis-used stuff dolloped on to bolts/nuts to stop them coming undone. Having seen and heard of many horror stories concerning this stuff, I thought a few words of caution and common sense wouldn't go amiss.

There is a plethora of types on the market with no easy reference as to which to use for what application except in certain cases. Loctite have a very useful guide, their dealers generally able to help with choosing which is best for any given application. The trouble comes when folk buy stuff unwittingly from their local 'do it all' motorist/car spares place. Good stuff is expensive, and it doesn't go all that far. But at least it does its job when used in the correct applications. Unfortunately many buy a cheaper variety with not quite the same application strength, and then apply twice as much hoping it will do the job. It doesn't. Read more

How does this affect performance? Not as many folk believe, that’s for sure. For a start, lightweight flywheel/clutch assemblies don’t necessarily give rough running at idle, particularly where a performance cam is used. Nor do they make the engine produce MORE power. BUT they do make a difference to the ACCELERATIVE performance of the car - and that is what we’re most interested in most of the time! Basically, the engine sees the car as a weight to move, via the gearbox. The combustion pressures created by your common or garden suck-push-bang-blow engine have to accelerate not only the mass of the car as a whole, but the mass of the engine internals too. However, the engine can only accelerate the car at a certain rate with what power is left over after the engine internals have consumed their share. The lighter the rotating and reciprocating parts are made the less power is consumed by them, leaving more to actually accelerate the car. Read more

The 998cc engine is a very robust and tunable unit. It is also the most common engine found in standard Minis. See bottom for useful part numbers Terminology: MSC/MM - Mini Spares Centre/Mini Mania ID - Inside Diameter OD - Outside Diameter BBU - Big Bore Unit (refers to all 1275cc-based units) SBU - Small Bore Unit (refers to all sub-1275cc units, here the 998) BHP - Brake Horse Power LCB - Long Centre Branch Despite the lure of the much-advertised 1380cc alternatives, many simply want to get a little more from what they have at reasonable outlay. The single biggest restriction on any standard Mini is the 'breathing apparatus' - anything that is connected to the induction and exhaust systems. The standard exhaust being the biggest culprit - it is desperately restrictive in the name of noise suppression and cheapness of manufacture. Oddly enough it also increases fuel consumption when tested over a better designed, free-flowing unit, so this is the place to start - NOT I stress the intake which is where many start in the belief that's the way to go. Read more