On Monday 01/06 Joe Ratigan wrote:
>>When I purchased my 58 MGA Roadster one year ago,
>>it had been sitting under a tarp in a field for 15 years and
>>the motor was froze. The motor was a 5 main bearing
>>MGB shortblock with the 1500 head (at least it says "15"
>>on the head). I obtained a very good 1500 short block
>>through this list and I am in the process of rebuilding the
>>unit, but have a few questions.
>
A "15" cast into the rear of the head is a good indication that
it is a 1500/1600 head, but you can verify this by "cc"ing the
head (measuring the capacity of the combustion chamber) ...
>the heads fitted to 1500 and 1600 engines had 1.5" intake and
>1.281" exhaust valves and a 38.7 cc combustion chamber ... the
>1622 and 1798 (18G thru 18GK) engines had 1.565" intake and
>1.345" exhaust valves and a 43 cc combustion chamber.
>
>>1. The short block I bought was missing on of the connecting
>>rod big end caps. Do I need to buy an entire connecting rod unit
>>or can I just buy a big end and bolts from somewhere? Does
>>any one have a big end and bolts that they would sell me?
>>(Number 3 cylinder - numbering from the front to the back)
>
hmmm ... not sure, but I think you need to purchase rod/end cap
as a set ... sure that someone will clarify this ... ;^)
>
>>2. Can I use the headbolts and push rods from the engine that
>>was in my car?
>
>>I assume that they would be MGA pushrods and headbolts.
>
If its an 18V engine ... the pushrods/tappets are not the same as
those fitted to the 'A', but the pushrods can be reused (just make
sure that you get the correct tappets).
The 18V head is a good bit "thinner" than the earlier heads ... I
don't have any reference material so I'm not sure if they require
a different set of studs/nuts ... regardless, purchase a new set
of studs/nuts ... much better than using a set removed form
another engine.
>
>>3. The shortblock that I bought did not have a flywheel. Would
>>the flywheel from the engine in the car when I bought it be a
>>MGB flywheel or and MGA flywheel? Even though I have the
>>engine out of the car, I have not dissassembled it as of yet.
>>Naturally, I will be using the clutch and transmisson from the
>>engine removed from the car, which I assume are both MGA.
>
Its difficult to say ... there are couple of different ways of that
that a 'B' engine can be fitted to the 'A'.
First ... are ya sure that it a 5-main and not a 3-main engine?
(18G or 18GA with mechanical tach drive) ... if ya bolt the
rear adapter plate from the 'A' to the 3-main engine then it
will boltup to the 'A' tranny ... 'A' or 'B' flywheel can be used.
The most common way of fitting a 5-main engine is to fit both
the engine and a 'B' 3-synchro tranny, but ya can fit a 5-main
to the 'A' tranny (requires some mods to the rear adapter plate
and the release bearing arm).
So you may or may not have an 'A' tranny/flywheel ...
Does the 1500 engine have the original rear adapter plate? ...
if so, compare it to the adapter plate on the 5-main ... if they
are the same (the bell housing on the 'B' tranny has a larger
diameter than the 'A' bellhousing - so this is what you want
to compare), then an 'A' adapter plate was machined (for the
rear seal) and fitted to the 'B' engine so that the 'A' tranny
could be utilized ... else a 'B' tranny was fitted so that it would
boltup to the 'B' rear adapter plate.
>>4. I assume the water pump is one for Barney's collection and
>>should be replaced.
>
Yep ... please forward the pump to Barney along with the engine
number.
Safety Fast! ... larry.g.unger@lmco.com
'61 MGA 1600 MkII
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