Milwaukee Midget

[Milwaukee Midget]

Hi, Jack, Trent -

Yeah, this one fell out of a clear blue sky with respect to the rest of the build, so I'm double tasking on the postings.

Just to clarify, I am NOT building this new K series MG/Rover engine for this year.  I'm still knee deep in the A-series 999 I've had for the last number of years.  In fact, I'll be fitting the rings for it today, and intend to do a dry build to get final valve clearance issues sorted this weekend. 

The DOHC engine was sold to me as a 1.6 liter - as it turns out, it's actually a 1.4, which is not an issue, as the 1.6 has 80 mm bores, the 1.4, 75 mm.

I'll be taking it down to 1 liter to remain in I/GT.  GT allows engine swaps within the manufacturer's range.

It's a wet liner design, and it's possible to go with a slightly smaller bore liner, but a bit of research shows that the dimensions will likely be pretty close to a GSX - R1000 Suzuki.  So I'm looking at motorcycle intake set-ups, which are readily available and relatively inexpensive.

A custom crank will again be necessary, but that opens up a number of possibilities.  I can pick from a number of off-the-shelf rods from Honda, Toyota, Nissan - whomever - and have the crank cut to accept their rods.  Additionally, the aluminum flywheel off of the Midget is about 1/4" smaller than the K-series piece, so the rear flange on the crank can be cut to accept the flywheel, and mate it up to the Midget transmission - which I just stuffed a bunch of straight cut gears into last year.   And while I'm at it, I'm thinking I'll have the snout cut to accept an aftermarket Chevy liquid dampener and drives, which will make ancillaries cheaper to procure.

But I need to get back to task on the A series.  I'm STILL looking to hit 121.780 with it.  A lot of changes have already occurred with the car since last August, and if I can take a record with it this year, it sure would be fun to come back in 2016 with what's likely to be about 25% more horsepower in the same car.

Okay - back to the A. 

[Jack Gifford]

Thanks, Chris. Where would we all be without "dreams & schemes"?

[Milwaukee Midget]

Thanks, Chris. Where would we all be without "dreams & schemes"?

And - having a new engine on the horizon gives me carte blanch to beat the crap out of the old one! 

[Tman]

Sounds like a good game plan!

[Rex Schimmer]

Chris,
Wait a minute here, you have relentlessly flogged the poor thing on the dyno, screwed the tach to 9000+ enumerable times at Bonneville and you still haven't "beat the crap" out of it!?

Rex

[Speed Limit 1000]

Rex, I think he is like some of us who expect to break something, records or parts

[salt27]

Rex, I think he is like some of us who expect to break something, records or parts

Sometimes we break both, records and parts.   

[Milwaukee Midget]

Chris,
Wait a minute here, you have relentlessly flogged the poor thing on the dyno, screwed the tach to 9000+ enumerable times at Bonneville and you still haven't "beat the crap" out of it!?

Rex

Well, actually, it's all torn down in the basement, and it's still in great shape.  For the most part, I've made a point to go with the "good guy" parts whenever possible, and as a unit, it has proven itself to be a pretty tough cookie - nickname not withstanding.

If I had based this build on a 948 block and crank, it likely wouldn't have held up to such abuse.  But the magic of the short stroke, light weight components and the big rod/stroke ratio is that you just don't have the inertia issues you do with a longer stroke engine.

Of course I don't want to blow it up, but this year I think I can be a little less conservative with the state of tune - a little less apprehensive about really giving it the boot.


And I'm certain someone will remind me I said that when I'm out on the salt with a broom and a dustpan. 

[wheelrdealer]

Chris:

Think of the broom and dust pan as a form of recycling! Old parts melted down to make new parts. Its like the circle of life. 

BR

[4-barrel Mike]

Chris, if you're going to abuse it, do it while attempting to maximize your record.

 

Mike

[Peter Jack]

Chris, take the broom and dustpan. That will ensure it won't blow up. It's like everything else in racing. If you take the spare you won't need it. 

Pete

[Dean Los Angeles]

Since this has always been an alien broadcast and mega confusing . . . .
How about breaking the Kdog motor into a separate thread. Too hard to figure out which motor is which.

How much did shipping cost? Small stuff costs a fortune to ship. A motor across the pond?

A couple of weeks ago: "The torque peak is always the peak of bmep and flow efficiency." This is the point that is missed by so many. It's the entire freakin point!

[Milwaukee Midget]

Dean, sorry 'bout that.  My enthusiasm for a new toy has gotten the best of me.

Rather than a separate thread, I'll refrain from mentioning it until after August.

The shipping via FedEx freight - and at the risk of adding MORE confusion - a little less than 200 pounds in weight, came in at about $700.00. 

The engine itself, a 65,000 mile pull-out - ~ $250.00.

So for what I would have spent for a decent, used, low mileage, 1275 5 port, I landed a running DOHC, aluminum 4 valve with the pedigree necessary to continue in GT.

FedEx walked me through the paper work - it spent a couple of days in customs and the EPA gave me no trouble.

It's light years ahead of the Grenade as far as design is concerned.

But yes, I will refrain from mentioning it until that point in time that I actually start to work on it.

[Jack Gifford]

$950 for a running engine from the UK? Want a job working as an 'expediter' for me? I routinely drop that much for "little stuff"...

[grumm441]

Rex, I think he is like some of us who expect to break something, records or parts

Sometimes we break both, records and parts.   

Some of us break a record amount of parts
G