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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Whos turbocharged a 1275 A.H, Sprite?

Hi there, Im recently considering turbocharging my 69 Austin Healey Sprite.
Its got a 1275cc engine that NEEDS some help in the power department.
Has anyone ever done this?
What turbo did you use?
What carburetor did you use?
Thanks for any help.
-Dave
Dave Barrett

A guy I know in California is putting the finishing touches on such a setup. He is using MegaSquirt to control fuel injection and spark, so no carb.
Email me your address and I will send it to him to see if he wants to discuss it with you.
David "cautious soul" Lieb
David Lieb

Talk to stefan,

He just did this build recently, unfortantly I think he is in the process of moving to milbourne Fla. from oragan....but just put aposting in the gen sect. for him to email you...

check with APT fast, or seven interprises...they can get you sorted out as well.


prop
Prop

bob (Robert) has done it.
G Lazarus

Thanks for the replies.
Im trying to determine which turbo will best serve this project.
Ive got a Mazda MX6 turbo, but Im concerned it might be too large for the 1275.
Im also looking at 2 Garrett turbos:

http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbobygarrett/catelog/Turbochargers/GT12/GT1241_756068__1.htm


http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbobygarrett/catelog/Turbochargers/GT15/GT1544_454082_2.htm
Dave Barrett

BL/Austin Rover developed a turbo unit specifically for the A series to use on the MG Metro. It might be best if you used as much of one of those as you can get hold of in the US. A modified SU HIF carburettor supplied the "urge" for them

Ebay could be your friend

(wouldnt that make a change?)
Bill

Dave, sign up as a member and then search the archives. I'm sure you will find a more information on the Metro Turbo installation in there. A couple of guys in England have done it and posted information at several times. You'd need to search back for 5 years or so, it's been a while since I remember seeing those posts. This goes back to the days before we could post photos, but there should be links to other photo galleries where you can see the installation. IIRC the one problem with the Metro pieces was bonnet clearance as the manifold was designed for the FWD chassis.
Bill Young

I've got 2 A-series turbos and heads in the shed, if that helps.

I live about 6000 miles from you, though. :o)
rob multi-sheds thomas

Careful Rob, I only live accross the bridge.....

I know some parts of the valleys quite well, went to college in Ponty
Markdj

>went to college in Ponty

So did I! :o)
Jordan Gibson

Blimey

I studied civil engineering, graduated 19 years ago :-0
Markdj

I amnit sure if I am allowed to say something here, but if you keep it simple just bolt on the MG Metro Turbo stuff, keep everything stock but be prepared to modify the crankcase breathing system.

As soon as you plan to raise the boost you will end up in an endless fiddling with needles, springs, damper oils and in the end holes in the pistons. So if you want more than the MG Metro Turbo, go for the Megasquirt, with full loop back and ign control. This is what I made, now in the middle of the intercooler installation
Arnold

Business Studies, 20 years ago!

Sorry for the OT folks.
Jordan Gibson

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I think Ive settled on a Garrett GT1544 turbo with a Holley 350cfm 2 barrel blow-thru carburetor modified by The Carb Shop in Ontario, CA.
Thanks again!
-Dave
Dave Barrett

I wish you all the luck with tuning it
Arnold

http://turbocharged-midget.tripod.com/index.html
toni

As prop mentioned I am in the process of building the engine for a pretty fast turbo charged midget. I am running a T25 from an elcipse. The output of hte turbo on this charger faces towards the front of the car and runs into my intercooler. I am running a DCOE which I want to later replace with a DHLA off a Lotus turbo. You can run the stock metro turbo manifold with an adaptor plate from T3 to T25. I spent most of my money on adding strength to the engine, center main strap, S rods which are not much different from the midget rods, nitrated crank, low compression pistons, MED cylinder head, roller rockers, custom cam, turbo oil pump, it goes on and on.

main things to consider with a midget turbo:

1. oil volume: you need to move alot of oil, get yourself a later camshaft and a special turbo oil pump

2. oil temperatur: fit an oil cooler, and a remote filter while you are at it.

3. Compression ratio: 8.5:1 is great

4. Timming: you need something to retard the timming under boost, I am running a megajolt.

5. Size of the turbo, you want to go as small as possible, T25 is about best for our motor, the T3 is to slow

6. Camshaft: I can email you my profile, if you want I can get you in touch with the shop that did my camshaft, they can regrind anything you want and are realy well in prices.

7. PSI, horsepower is inversly porportional to reliability, how long you want you motor to last will dictate how much you want to boost the motor, 8psi works great to give a midget some kick ass torq while not tearing the motor apart, you can go higher but you are stressing an already stressed motor.

8. Carburation: A series motors have a problem with charge robbing between cylinders in the siamese head, you want the best atomizaton before it gets to the head so a DHLA is about your best bet, I would not even consider a draw through turbo set up on a midget. If you want to run an HIF44 from a metro you need a Titan intake manifold which are hard to get. I have a complete metro turbo set up which is sitting in the shop waiting an aplicaton if you need the plenum or HIF44 for the turbo or intake manifold.


With a turbo you are going to be getting more torq which will twist axles like tooth picks, I can send you a photo of an axle I twisted inside the diferential.

Stefan dot Bruegeman at Gmail dot com
Stefan

Stefan, Thanks for the input Ill send you an e-mail and fill you in on what I plan on doing in detail.
Dave Barrett

Something from my collection of images from around 12 years ago with a Metro Turbo parts to create a Turbo Midget, here having the body tidied up after the mechanics were working, but not tidied up fully to look good. I lost track of this car around 11 years ago!

Rog


Roger Parker

Roger, what colour was that Midget?
Tarquin

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2008 and 24/04/2008

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