Turbo ERA
Well the first set of Engine parts finally arrived. Hopefully this week or next I can get going on the build. Next week I am also going to take the gearbox apart so that I can order the parts before I leave for Madagascar. This way they will hopefully be here when I get back and I can keep moving on the build. 🙂
I am sure everyone has heard about the Volcano in Iceland and all the flights that have been canceled. Well… worse yet the engine parts have been delayed. This the latest update I got from UPS…
Location
STANSTED, GB
Date / Time
19/04/2010 / 16:54
Description
NATURAL DISASTER
Looks like this project may get delayed further. On the other hand the Ash from the volcano may delay my trip back to Madagascar and I will have some more time to work on the car…
The first order of parts is finally on it’s way. By mid next week I should have the following in hand:
Turbo Head Gasket Set
Block Gasket Set
New set of larger Valves (1.464″ Intake and 1.161 Exh) plus guides, etc…
Turbo Oil Pump
Adjustable Duplex Timing Set
Roller Rockers
Very shortly pistons, cam shaft, head & main bolts and so on will be ordered out of the states. Then I need to start specingout what is going to happen with the Gear Box and if I am going to do EFI…
One other plus is that Mini Spares gives a bit of a discount to Mini Clubs/Forums, Living in Canada you don’t have to pay VAT, and the Canadian dollar is strong compared to the pound!
First off as I go through the planning for this engine build I keep getting pulled all over the place. Not to mention I think I am going to be breaking the hearts of the die hard ERA fans. It will still look like an ERA, but I am going to be targeting an engine build that will give me 200HP. At least I wont be putting a Honda motor in it… That being said there are all kinds of ideas on turbominis.co.uk and I was starting to think about a 16v Head and in the end I am sticking with the head I’ve got. Not to mention I am wasting a lot of time flip flopping about on what is going to be done.
So here is a little update… the engine is completely apart and yesterday the Head made it to the flow bench to get some initial numbers. Now I think what needs to be understood is that I am not an engine expert, but I am learning tones. This is also why I am relying on my friend Jesse over at Fast Engines. So here is a shot of the head on the flow bench…
I was going to get into a big explanation as to what is happening, but suffice it to say that air is being pulled through the head. The rating for how much air is getting pulled through is CFMs. With the intial flow on the Mini head 104.9 CFM when flowing the head stock. This will be our baseline to compare to once the head has been ported and polished. As a reference point a stock Honda Civic is probably about 250+ CFM. So hopefully after the head is port and polished and bigger valves are in, etc… we will see a significant increase. The valves and a bunch of other parts are being ordered to day so hopefully the head will be back on the flow bench in a couple of weeks.