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MGB Engine build question

Hill Billy

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First off I must say that I usually do my MGB questions and comments on the "other" forum. I usually come here for my TR 3 issues. But I thought I would try this side for the following question.

How well do you think this engine will work on the street. We started it today on the engine stand for the first time. It fired instantly and immediately hit 70 psi oil pressure. No smoke at all.

The engine is a 1969 with an 1143 head that has been shaved .060" . New stock size valves have been installed. The block has been bored .060" and the pistons are the 6 cc shallow dish. The camshaft is VP 11. All rotating parts have been balanced and the flywheel now weighs 14 pounds. After the initial 20 minute run in we checked the cylinder pressure. Each cylinder read 175 PSI.

What do you think?

Bill
 

Mickey Richaud

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From your description, sure sounds healthy to me. The only concern I would have is the .060 overbore. But there is a lot of "meat" to work with there, and the balancing will certainly help. Not familiar with the VP 11 cam, so can't comment there; are stock valves compatible with it? But the oil and cylinder pressure numbers look good. Should be a lot of fun.

As you've no doubt noticed, this MG side of the BCF needs some more lovin' - stick around, keep us posted, and lets get the activity going here!

:cheers:
Mickey
 
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Hill Billy

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Yes, I have noticed that the MG side of this forum is not visited nearly as much as the other forum. And on the other forum the Triumph side is almost a ghost town. I don't understand that.

A little about me. I bought my first car in 1968. It is a 1957 MGA that I still drive regularly. We recently bought my wife a pretty nice 1977 MGB and I am in the process of restoring a 1959 TR 3. Which may never get done if I keep fooling with MG's.

I will certainly keep you posted on the engines performance. It will be quite a while before it hits the road. It is going in a 1970 re-shell project. The shell is now painted, all suspension is back in along with the wiring harness. The overdrive tranny has been rebuilt as well. It should be an exciting car. The paint is brooklands green and the interior is light tan. And it will ride on chrome 60 spoke wheels.

Bill
 

Mickey Richaud

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'69 was a good year for the B engine. I have one in my Victor TF - similar build to yours, with a new "road" cam. Bore on mine was .030 over, as I recall - have to recheck my notes. I went with HS-4 carbs - yours?

Am envious that you still have the MGA you bought in '68! Wish I had the '63 VW sunroof I had then at LSU! And the '64 Ghia convertible. And the '59 Giulietta Spider. And on and on...
 

billspohn

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From your description, sure sounds healthy to me. The only concern I would have is the .060 overbore. But there is a lot of "meat" to work with there

I have punched blocks out to double that and they had enough wall thickness (use an early block - core shift on the later ones is an issue).

And I've only owned my first MGA since 1970, so I am a newcomer! :smile:
 
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Hill Billy

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My biggest concern with this engine (my brother built it for a customer) is the compression ratio. Using a compression ratio calculator it worked out to 10.5. That's a lot for a street engine. Will it be streetable? For sure it will good high octane gas.
 

Mickey Richaud

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That subject is above my pay grade! But I did a quick and dirty Google search, and, as usual, there are all sorts of answers out there which only make things more confusing. Hap Waldrop would be my go-to guy on this one. He pops in here occasionally, and is on the MGE. You can also reach him by phone at Acme Speed Shop in Greenville SC.

Mickey
 

DrEntropy

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We built a 10.5:1, five main for my brother back in '76. CC'd head, flat-top pistons (bore was only 0.020" over), we used the "Special Tuning" BMC spec's. Weber 40mm side-sucker... back then Sunoco had real octane fuel at the pumps. The thing was in an MGB- GT and it was really great to drive. He sold it a couple years later, I kept the Weber setup and it now lives in my current B roadster, Crane cam and a 10.0:1 compression five-main. Runs fine on 93 octane lead-free.

First B I got was in 1969, as a college freshman, titled a 1966. That one went over 200K miles before the western PA winters made it non-rebuildable practically.

As Brer Mick suggested, stick around. We need to get this section of the forum more active.
 
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Hill Billy

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I'll stick around and post other stuff here.

I have actually talked to Hap in the past about an issue in the engine in my MGA. I just hate to call a guy that it is working for a living and take him away from his job. What's done is done and we'll know the end results for certain in a few months.

Based on the above comments it seems as though 10.5 will work. My guess is that with the 14 pound flywheel, and high compression, pulling away from a stop might be a little tricky. After that the fun will begin.

When I get a good picture of the car I'll post it.

Thanks for the comments.
 

Rut

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I'll stick around and post other stuff here.

I have actually talked to Hap in the past about an issue in the engine in my MGA. I just hate to call a guy that it is working for a living and take him away from his job. What's done is done and we'll know the end results for certain in a few months.

Based on the above comments it seems as though 10.5 will work. My guess is that with the 14 pound flywheel, and high compression, pulling away from a stop might be a little tricky. After that the fun will begin.

When I get a good picture of the car I'll post it.

Thanks for the comments.
The engine sounds very similar to mine, but I have a VP12 cam and a Fidanza flywheel with a CR closer to 10 (was shooting for 9.5). Hap designed the build and I absolutely love the engine. I don’t see anything that will cause a problem and one thing I might do is talk to Jeff at Advanced about rebuilding the dizzy to take advantage of the build.
Rut
 
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Hill Billy

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Rut, the distributor is already on it's way to Jeff and the exhaust manifold is headed to Jet Hot.

Thanks to everyone that replied. It sounds like this should be a good engine.
 
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