1300cc A series engine applications..

[Lankytim]

I'm breaking up a 1300cc maestro van. The engine is knackered but out of interest id like to know what engine/box configuration it would be suitable for. I know its different to the type used in Minis and Metros as the in-sump gearbox cannot be mounted underneath and the crank is different but can it be used on RWD applications, e.g as seen in marinas, Itals e.t.c?

Also, would it have an unleaded head fitted? The van is a 1986 D reg but is an Ex-British Telecom example. My dad used to have an E reg Ex- BT one and I'm sure there was documentation with it that suggested the head had been swapped for an unleaded one by BT at some point. Is there any way of finding out for sure with my old D reg?

Many thanks!

[Prud]

Excuse the dumb question (I've never seen a Maestro in the flesh), but am I understanding it correctly that this vehicle in question was FWD, with an A series, but the gearbox is completely separate to the sump?

[Brian Damaged]

Yes. A-Series powered Maestros and Montegos (and yes they DID do a 1275 Monty...my mate had one) had the engine round the other way (ie: carb/exhaust at the front of the car, behind the rad) with a VAG-derived 4-speeder on the end.

[rysz]

Mar 21, 2010 7:22:26 GMT Brian Damaged said:

Yes. A-Series powered Maestros and Montegos (and yes they DID do a 1275 Monty...my mate had one) had the engine round the other way (ie: carb/exhaust at the front of the car, behind the rad) with a VAG-derived 4-speeder on the end.

I had a 1275 Monty with the VAG 4 speed and my mate had one that had apparently a quite rare 5 speeder on it!

Rysz.

[Prud]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I suppose the next question would be - can you take a Mini/Metro A series and bolt it to a the VAG derived gearbox?

[rooster]

such a sham breaking it, i would have loved the to buy the complete van, and fit a td lump in it

[Lankytim]

don't worry about the Van,Rooster. It was a bit of a dead loss.

Prud, yes you are right, the gearbox is seperate to the sump and on the end of the engine, just like most other FWD cars. You cant bolt a maestro gearbox onto a mini engine as the crank is different (mini uses a crank with an extended "nose" to fit the funny flywheel and transfer gear arrangement) also I believe the block casting is different and theres nowhere to bolt the gearbox on the end. The only main part that are the same would be the cylinder head.

So, the A series in a Maestro is DIFFERENT to the ones fitted to Minis and they cant be interchanged. BUT could a MAESTRO engine be fitted to a MARINA or something?

[bigginger]

If you have the wedge to get it converted to RWD, then yes... www.jlhmorrisminors.co.uk/content/a_series.php

[timsands]

i ran a turbo engine from a metro turbo in a mk2 golf as the gearboxes are the same

:-)

[Lankytim]

Mar 21, 2010 23:39:30 GMT @timsands said:

I ran a turbo engine from a metro turbo in a mk2 golf as the gearboxes are the same

:-)

You did? I was told that it would be impossible! A maestro engine yes, but not a mini.... Looks like I was told wrong!

[bigginger]

Nope, you were told right (though the Mini engine can be converted to RWD too)

[pantera2075]

FWIW A-series went unleaded circa '90

[spiny]

I have a Marina engine in my Midget - I had to have the MG flywheel machined to fit the Marian crank (Marina crank is about 1mm bigger than the Midget one ...), so presumably if the Maestro one uses a separate gearbox, it will also use an adapter plate in the same way the RWD setup does, soooo, it would be suitable for any other RWD a series setup (sprite midget marina minor etc etc) if the matching flywheel is adapted to fit.

once you have the engine out, a photo would help work out how it's put together.

[timsands]

maestro block from a 1275 with all the metro turbo bits

[bigginger]

Fair enough! But spiny - it's a little more involved than an adaptor plate, as the crank needs to be changed and a fair bit of machining done around the rear oil seal. The fly/clutch is entirely different on the Maestro too. Best bet if you're looking to convert is to speak to JLH. AFAIK nobody else (except for his engine man, obv) is doing the conversion

[Prud]

Who's JLH? Any chance of a link to some info?
I'm interested in the conversion for my Metro engined Morris 1100 - better gearbox, more gears, not having a shared sump. I can't imagine it'd be more expensive (even with getting a new crank and some machining done) than a 5 speed conversion on the Mini gearbox. Those things are ridiculously expensive in Oz.

[cobblers]

Mar 21, 2010 23:39:30 GMT @timsands said:

I ran a turbo engine from a metro turbo in a mk2 golf as the gearboxes are the same

:-)

I have such a perverse interest in this. Any pics/details/anything?

[bigginger]

Mar 22, 2010 21:39:20 GMT Prud said:

Who's JLH? Any chance of a link to some info?

I posted a link above, ut the sites www.jlhmorrisminors.co.uk . Contact details are on there

[93fxdl]

bit of useless/incomplete info her back when maestro/montys were current i remember a mag article about fitting a 5 speed monty box into a 4 speed golf (afaicr) the main mods were to the cv joints as the vw used different sizes. i think the mag was vw motoring but cannot remember any more
ttfn glenn
ps once a boss of mine had a rotten old boat and that had a marinised a series in it

[Lankytim]

Mar 22, 2010 21:39:20 GMT Prud said:

Who's JLH? Any chance of a link to some info?
I'm interested in the conversion for my Metro engined Morris 1100 - better gearbox, more gears, not having a shared sump. I can't imagine it'd be more expensive (even with getting a new crank and some machining done) than a 5 speed conversion on the Mini gearbox. Those things are ridiculously expensive in Oz.

The gearbox on the end arrangement will make the combination too big to get in a Mini engine bay. Unless you space-frame it I guess...