At 07:47 PM 3/17/98 -0500, Tom Buchanan wrote:
>With in the next year, I plan to beef up my engine. These are the things I
>intend to do. Please, everyone jump in if you think I'm making a mistake.
Wow, Tom sounds like you have some money burning a hole in your pocket.
Those parts can make a go-fast MG, but here are some observations.
>
>1) Aluminum cross_flow head.
Gleaned from the list, these heads really help when you let the car rev. They
just don't help in the lower end as much. I dunno why, though. In other
words, if your car doesn't see over 4000 regularly, then the cross flow head
won't be a wise investment.
Something which helps to achieve a similar effect is doing some mild porting
and polishing. Maybe some other listers can help, although I think there is a
book out for power tuning those 4 banger engines. I wished now I would have
had it before the rebuild of my '70 MGB engine.
>2) Roller rockers (How does the extra valve lift compare to a mild cam?)
I think there are two things to consider when you are talking about valvetrain.
Duration and lift. I think a mild cam, slightly hotter than the original, will
likely sacrifice lower end torque for more punch out at the higher end. I'm
not sure you can necessarily compare the roller rockers to the cam, although, I
must admit, the cam is much cheaper, but the roller rockers sound mondo
cool(that's keen to you old farts).
Anybody else got something to say here, as I don't think I really answered the
question here.
>3)Dual side draft Weber carbs (Would someone expound on the absence of
>vacuum advance with these carbs or a way around it?)
>From what I understand the side draft Webers are a killer combination for the
>B seeing racing action(i.e. high rpms). They aren't worth much for city
>driving though, and emissions are horrendous. The vacuum advance is for
>acceleration and low rpms. since the side drafts are for high rpms, then you
>can just use a centrifugal advance, and forego the vacuum advance. Why? not
>sure. Maybe the centrifugal is simpler.
>4)A 2" diameter full flow headers and exhaust. (Who's got the best,
>quietest, and best sounding? I don't want to loose that lovely stock sound.)
I hear those Peco exhausts are a good flowing system, but I'm not sure about
fit and finish.
>5)Electric fan.
Grab yourself a racing catalog and get one of those high-tech(if you can call
it that)
electric fans. Low amperage draw and good CFM.
Hope this helps. From your parts list, I'd say you would have an excellent
horsepower engine, with little torque, but if you like seeing 5000 on your
tach, like me, then you just might be happy.
Jay
***********************************************
Jurgen Hartwig, Civil Engineering, Georgia Tech
<paraindent><param>left</param>When you were born you cried
and the world rejoiced
Try to live your life so that
when you die you will rejoice
and the world will cry.
</paraindent>
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