Hey,

i've got a few motors sitting under my bench, i need to find a reasonable runner, are there any tests i can do without having tohook everything up to see if the motor might be good? Ideally if theres anything i could do before even putting an engine on a gearbox, and without having to remove head etc, (minimal effort and expense to find a reasonable motor for my reasonable gearbox for an average car.)

I've got one which i've been told is a good runner, but i have my doubts.. i've never seen it running, before i got it was rebuilt "professinally" then ran a turbo for 6months then i got car -turbo and other gear, never bothered to start it instead removed from car. should i be able to turn it over by hand with plugs in? cos i can.. havent actually tried to turn the others over by hand at the moment, they're tucked away and too hard to reach..

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'78 LS 1275

There could be numerous things wrong with it, without seeing inside it you just dont know.

You cant really diagnose an engine out of that car when its completely together, as its not going to be able to tell you too much. Maybe thats its a bit dirty ?

You could at least take the head off and check bores/pistons. Much easier than putting the engine in and have it be stuffed and have to take it back out.

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No more Minis!......For now.

get a compression testor and wind the motor over with the startor motoe to see if there is any compression
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

Might as well replace things like valve stem seals (head off and check how the pistions/valves etc look tooso new head gasket as well) , output shaft seals , bypass hose and possibly waterpump before putting it in a car too , they're all likely to be stuffed from sitting and are easier to replace on the bench/floor than they are in the car .

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Just start it on the floor, hook a exhaust up to it, gravity feed fuel into it, power to the coil & starter & fire away.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

Hook up exhaust?, You must get on with your neighbours!

Anyway, compression test is the easiest to do a quick check

Daniel

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Videos - Turbocharged A-Series on Dyno & at Wakefield
Mafs waz not my strong subgeckt at skkol

Thats why i get on with my neighbours.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

Yep...but make sure someone is steadying it so it can't wander off or topple over....with the plugs out, it is a good idea to have an oil pressure gauge connected to ensure that it is getting oil at start up. Then do your compression tests.

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"Show me the Mini!"

I think you're all missing the bit where Andy said

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Thanks for your answers guys.. looks like i'll be putting the motor onto a gearbox, try and either get a compression tester or start it up on the floor and go from there.. my neighbours are pretty good, so i might even put an exhaust on.
if a motor fails my 'extensive testing' i'll slide it back under the bench and dig the next one out.. surely one of them must run

(Its only for a friends motorkhana car, hence the cheaper the better, and long term reliability ..meh)

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'78 LS 1275

If you dont put an exhaust (leaving just the bare ports) on it and its starts up within a few minutes you will have the police tactical response group arriving and ordering the motor to lie face down with its leads over its head.

They are raw explosions coming out of the exhaust ports and a quick rev makes it sound like a pitched gun battle.

in regards ot starting it on the floor, for stability you can mount it in a subframe if you ahve one. make a stand or something, make it very stable

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince