What Cam ?

The MG metro cam is an excellent all round cam and can produce excellent results. You dont mention if the engine is still in a metro, or if anything else on the engine is modified etc etc, there maybe other roads for you to get the torque if most of the rest of the lump is std. A maniflow LCB exhaust manifold, K&N AND an hour on a decent rolling road may get what you're after or point you in the right direction. Just saying you have a MG

1300 is a bit vague. I liked the 276 scatter cams myself - for the road.

Chris

In message , Fitzy writes

What engine is it? When you say MG1300 you could mean a MG Metro, or the old twin-cab MG1300 from a long time ago.

Assuming you mean a MG Metro, your best bet might be to keep the camshaft and instead fit some 1.5:1 ratio rockers. Keeps the low end and much improve the top.

My favourite cam was the old 643. This combined with LCB exhaust manifold, RC40 system, Metro inlet manifold and HIF44 carb, and compression ratio of

10.5:1 gave me a very fast and tractable car. Top speed well over 110 MPH. Acceleration was very good too, reaching over 73MPH in 1/4 mile standing start (Santa Pod dragstrip)

Keith

Sorry folks, I was told, its from a MG Metro, and done 30,000 miles Fitzy

Nothing wrong with "the old twin-cab MG1300 from a long time ago" - one of those is the same lump as used in the Innocenti Cooper 1300s. For a long time they were the next best thing to a real 60s Cooper S engine.

Hello there,

Take out the old cam and replace with (if you can get hold of one)an 850 cam (stop laughing and read on) 850 = longer dwell and higher lift (more fuel in for a longer time = more power) and also K&N filter, polish and gas flow the head (yes you can buy one but wheres the fun in learning how to DIY? BTW gotta DREMEL?) Keep the same carb for 1300 but DONT go for twin carb setup coz they drink too much fuel for not a lot of gain, OK for show but do nothing on a fairly standard 1300 lump, unless highly tuned (1380cc +)

I changed a few bits in me 1300 for the ones as mentioned above and it makes mince meat of my mates 1380 stg 3, oh and as usual leaves MOST GTI's behind until they catch up at around 70ish MPH...................LOL

HTH

Matt

Can someone clarify something for me plz? I have a 1275 which I got from a bloke who had just restored and upgraded a mini, only for his son to wrap it round a lamp post on it's first run out...at least I think it's a 1275....

He told it had come out of an MG Metro from which he'd also used seats and stuff (didn't fancy those though). Now my query is this - if an MG Metro has a 1.3 engine as mentioned above, what is the exact cc...for eg. my golf gti was a 2.0, but on the reg doc stated 1985cc...so when people talk about 1.3, could it be the same thing as 1275, or no?

Ta. G

In message , Gordon Welsh writes

Yep, the MG Metro is 1275cc.

(BTW, where did this myth about an 850 cam having higher lift come from? I'd like to know which cam people are talking about 'cause non of the

850 cams I've ever seen the data for have this, and I've got Vizard's and various other sources of data. Can someone post the timings and lift?).

mmmm. 850 cam has higher lift? Ok if you say so mat! :-)

The MG Metro cam is nice and torquey, if you want more torque it may be better(possibly not easier!) to bore out to 1380!

I got piper 270/2 with 1.5 rockers and that is very good for torque with good trade off for top end power although the scatter cams are very good on both!

yep, the MG Metro is 1275 but if it had a rebore to standard sizes it could be 1293,1310,1330

Why should a correctly set up twin carb setup use any more fuel than a single carb?

I hear this thing about webers all the time! if it is setup properly then It won't be a great deal worse or better, the more reasonable explanation for poor fuel consumption is that the carb isn't calibrated properly, or the mods to the engine have made it flow better therefore producing more power(=more fuel consumed!)

miniman

The clutch is fixed now! I have to contend with torque steer now, I hope I get used to it before it snows!

Thanks for the info on the cam, I will be following your posts regarding progress on your van, what clutch did you eventually use ? Fitzy

No problem!

I have the Mg turbo plate with a grey diaphragm, It just needed adjusting after I had done a few miles on it! always the simple things that get overlooked! I can only assume that it had bedded in a bit.

Not sure how long it will last though!

I just have the drivebelt to tighten and then it is back out on the road for a test flight!

miniman

Fitzy, I have been an avid reader of you're posts the past couple of months and agree with most of what you say but..... IN MY CAR THERE IS A 1300 MG LUMP WHICH HAS (I'm led to believe) an 850 cam for the HIGHER LIFT, Sorry if I come across a bit stroppy but I didnt build the engine but I did buy the parts for a local engine tuning company to build me my engine. They have a rolling road there as to which they strapped down my car and it produced almost 85BHP at the fly which turns out to be around 60ish BHP at the wheels which equals a BIGGER power to weight ratio than a Golf VR6...... THEY advised me that the 850 cam produces longer dwell and higher lift, maybe they are talking B+@#~cks but they seemed to have sorted my engine without any problems and the car goes like stink!!!!

Im sorry if I offend you in any way :)

Matt

In message , "MiNiFrEeK :)" writes

Here's the cam data from Vizard.

Mini 850. Inlet: Cam lift 0.2", duration 230 degrees, opens 5 degrees BTDC, closes 45 degrees ABDC. Exhaust: Cam lift 0.22", duration 230 degrees, opens 45 degrees BBDC, closes 10 degrees ATDC. Overlap: 15 degrees. This is a ludicrously mild cam that even a little old lady might find a bit docile.

Metro 998 (also late 850 Minis) Inlet: Cam lift 0.25", duration 230 degrees, opens 9 degrees BTDC, closes 41 degrees ABDC. Exhaust: Cam lift 0.235", duration 240 degrees, opens 49 degrees BBDC, closes 11 degrees ATDC. Overlap: 20 degrees. A mild cam, nice for a shopping car.

MG Metro. Inlet: Cam lift 0.25", duration 252 degrees, opens 16 degrees BTDC, closes 56 degrees ABDC. Exhaust: Cam lift 0.25", duration 268 degrees, opens 59 degrees BBDC, closes 29 degrees ATDC. Overlap: 45 degrees. A nice all-round cam for a 1275, but could benefit from more lift.

Hi Matt, Thank you for the advice ref,850 cam, please don't think you have offended me, maybe its me who should apologise to you for not replying directly to you, when you gave your opinion on the

850 cam set up, But if your referring to this quote :

(>> mmmm. 850 cam has higher lift? Ok if you say so mat! :-)

I am assuming this was posted by Miniman, and I rather think it's a tong in cheek response, with no offence intended, I'm sure there are a few mini boffins in the group looking in to this 850 cam installation as we speak, I am intrigued and would like to hear more from anyone who can explain your obviously good combination, cheers Fitzy

Just dug out my Clive Tricky book to see what he said about the 850 cam as it was his era. It isn't mentioned it is swapped out, he goes for the AEA

630 (1071 Cooper S) or the 2A948 (997 Cooper) cams as fast road cams, the 948 giving better performance at higher revs. I used a 948 cam to good effect in an MG 1100 (1215cc) engined Mini used for chasing Escorts in the early 80s.

I agree with the other posters who say that the 850 cam is very mild.

Looks like The suggested Piper 270/2 is about the best fast road cam, if they are available ? unless some on knows different ? Fitzy

Fitzy,

Not a problem,

Ahem, I have been onto the engineering company who built my engine and they say that the 1275 cam is MUCH better than the 850........ Thats what they put into mine and the 850 cam was exchange!!!

I appologise sooooooooo much to you sir.

yours apologetically,

Matt

Happy Christmas

Hi Matt!

Sorry, I would have replied a bit earlier but I was too busy playing with my mini! I feel very sorry for anyone that has to do mini repairs in these temps (-2 at the moment!) without a nice cosy garage!

No offence was intended with my last post but at least you know what cam you have in it now and can perhaps think of putting something a bit hairier into it! :-)

They are good cams those Mg metro ones!

I spoke to a mate who has a piper 285/2 and he is very happy with it

130bhp (1380) and suggests that it is about the cammiest for the road before you lose your idle completely! although scatter cams do seem to give the best of both worlds!

Shortest day in the UK tomorrow! Although intriguingly there are still

24hours in it...... :-)

miniman

Hi Matt, thanks for clearing the 850 cam problem, now you know why your engine is a flyer, Hi Miniman, I am at a crossroads now , what cam is better , is it the scatter or the piper 270/2, considering I would like torque without sacrificing the idle to much, or are they about the same, Fitzy