Tommy's A-series Misery - Resuming normal programming

[Matty]

@Tommyboy12 as our resident a series expert, I've currently a 1098 in mine with an inch and half SU on it and a 12g (other numbers I can't remember) spec head on it. It goes really well but not a revvy engine, strains at the top end. Am I right in thinking that 998s and 1275s are short stroke engines and therefore happier to rev out? I covet a 1275 but would then also need a midget box, diff and halfshafts. Which becomes expensive. Obvs the extra power would be nice but most of all I want an a series that likes to rev!

[Mr Pastry]

42 minutes ago, Matty said:

@Tommyboy12 as our resident a series expert, I've currently a 1098 in mine with an inch and half SU on it and a 12g (other numbers I can't remember) spec head on it. It goes really well but not a revvy engine, strains at the top end. Am I right in thinking that 998s and 1275s are short stroke engines and therefore happier to rev out? I covet a 1275 but would then also need a midget box, diff and halfshafts. Which becomes expensive. Obvs the extra power would be nice but most of all I want an a series that likes to rev!

Which 1098 do you have though?  IIRC there were at least 3 different flavours in period - basic 10AMW in Minors and A40s, then 10CG in early Midgets, which was similar but with twin carbs, and is not well regarded.  Then 10CC in later Midgets which has larger main bearings and is a bit more tunable.  I doubt if it would be worth the expense of building an inline 998 for road use.

[Matty]

Just now, Mr Pastry said:

Which 1098 do you have though?  IIRC there were at least 3 different flavours in period - basic 10AMW in Minors and A40s, then 10CG in early Midgets, which was similar but with twin carbs, and is not well regarded.  Then 10CC in later Midgets which has larger main bearings and is a bit more tunable.  I doubt if it would be worth the expense of building an inline 998 for road use.

Genuinely don't know nor didn't know that anyhow. As far as I'm aware it's the 1098 that the car has always had (A40) but rebuilt with the bigger SU and 12g295 spec head on it. I wouldn't want a 998 (although Tommy's engine, I mean, 60bhp and 60 lb ft is impressive) but I was curious if a 1275 is short stroke and thus likes to rev.

[Noel Tidybeard]

1098 is long stroke 998

1275 is big bore 997

[Tommyboy12]

8 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

1098 is long stroke 998

1275 is big bore 997

The 1098 is indeed a long stroke 998 and is the longest stroke A series engine. Longer even than a 1275. The 1275 uses a 997 stroke (997 is considered *the* worst A series) and a 1070 bore but the block is very different to either engine. They had to offset and siamese the bores to fit them into the tiny A series block and the block is slightly taller than a 'small bore'.

@Matty The 1098 is a low revver so what you say is pretty normal. Doesn't really like anything past 5.5k but has great mid range. The 295 is a great head but I think the limits are probably your camshaft, carb and exhaust. A 1.5" is too small past 60hp. I modded mine a fair bit to help get there. A 1.75" SU or twin 1.5s is a good start. Will probably give you another couple of hp once tuned. The single 1.75" is always a good option as it's easy to tune and they have good airflow as standard. A matching camshaft would help too. A Kent 266 or a Swiftune SW5 is a good choice for a 1098. It would move your peak power up maybe 500-1000rpm and give you a good smooth torque curve. A free flowing exhaust manifold would help a lot too. 3 into 1 is fine for lower power but everyone fits a LCB exhaust (long centre branch). You can get some quiet systems that still give great flow if noise isn't your thing. I'd guess you'd probably have to look at a moggie based system or something custom though. With those I'd say you'd gain 5-10hp and shift the power band up the rev range. You would need a reinforcing centre strap for the centre crank bearing if you're really giving it some beans though. In theory with an in-line you can do all those mods with the engine in situ.

 

[Matty]

Brilliant, thanks for all the info!

[Noel Tidybeard]

the 1098 is indeed more torquey than most expect- my gf many moons ago had an 1100 allegro that was stupid easy to wheelspin in the wet! 😲🤣

[Tommyboy12]

Well it's been a year since this:

So let's do it again hey @sharley17194??

We set off today!

My noble steed for this year's trek up nooorf.

@sharley17194wae meant to be going in this...

But it currently looks like this after a failed attempt to swap the crankshaft in doubly quick time.

So instead he is going for something far too modern...

 

1,500 miles in 6 days. What could possibly go wrong??

[Tommyboy12]

The proposed route is to run up the east to John O first and come down the west side past Fort William. We usually go the other way round but it's nice to change things up!

[Tommyboy12]

Its Tuesday morning and we're ready for the real off from Nottingham. The cars are lined up and were about to set off for the first stop which is Dunfermline north of Edinburgh. Should be about 5.5-6 hours which will be more than enough for me 😅

[Tommyboy12]

We have made it to Berwick for lunch. It's raining (obviously).

[rob88h]

The Escort should really have the top down for a road trip. Sod the rain!

[Tommyboy12]

1 hour ago, rob88h said:

The Escort should really have the top down for a road trip. Sod the rain!

He had it down for a while but then chickened out!

We have made it to a big red bridge

 

[Tommyboy12]

This morning we passed through the Cairngorms. On our way to John O Groats now.

 

[Tommyboy12]

We have made it quite far today. Started at John O Groats. Then onto Durness and round to Clashnessie which is where the Montego broke down the first time round last year.

No major incidents to report. I ran out of fuel on the way to Inverness as I failed to notice it was reading empty. @sharley17194 has tried to drown his Escort in a deep puddle.

Definitely didn't move the bollard to get next to the sign...

[Tommyboy12]

Things are going well!

 

[Matty]

Shit. What now? 

[Tommyboy12]

7 hours ago, Matty said:

Shit. What now? 

Headgasket. I fixed it in 90 minutes in a hotel car park then went in for a cream tea while covered in oil 😂

We have made it to the Lake District today on our way back down home

[Matty]

32 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Headgasket. I fixed it in 90 minutes in a hotel car park then went in for a cream tea while covered in oil 😂

We have made it to the Lake District today on our way back down home

Epic. You know these engines pal. I was going to ask if you brought a gasket with but thought that might be a daft question. Obviously not 😁

[High Jetter]

Meh. Years ago I'd have had an A-series & box out in an hour, with an engine hoist. If only I had a gasket set tho... 

Oily cream tea is on the Mega scale tho!

[Tommyboy12]

Carrying a headgasket is a standard practice for me! The tubular exhaust and alloy inlet slows you down vs. a standard cast manifold but i will take 90 minutes at the road side!

Regardless I made it home this afternoon after completing 1948 miles! A few more stops on the way but the pictures were not as frequent. We went through Fort William and stopped at Kendal before heading back home today. Enjoy a bit of a photo dump of some other pics from the trip!

 

[EyesWeldedShut]

10 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Carrying a headgasket is a standard practice for me! The tubular exhaust and alloy inlet slows you down vs. a standard cast manifold but i will take 90 minutes at the road side!

Regardless I made it home this afternoon after completing 1948 miles! A few more stops on the way but the pictures were not as frequent. We went through Fort William and stopped at Kendal before heading back home today. Enjoy a bit of a photo dump of some other pics from the trip!

 

Scotland! Freedom! (as an Australian once said).
Looks just like where I come from, hang on, I did, gone all maudlin and home-sicky now, need to watch Local Hero to feed the lament.
My father-in-law can change an A series head gasket in 90 minutes but then he does have really bad glaucoma - reckon he does it by touch or echosounding or something

[sharley17194]

Tom didnt....it was my gasket lol

On 10/8/2022 at 9:43 PM, Matty said:

Epic. You know these engines pal. I was going to ask if you brought a gasket with but thought that might be a daft question. Obviously not 😁

 

[sharley17194]

Epic trip as always and thanks for continuing to join my on these insanity trips. I do question why we keep doing this and I know the reason, i'm a massive shite roadtrip enabler but the real question is....what's next years trip going to look like! 

Plus i take offence to the escort being too modern, Tom will confirm its not a pleasant drive on a run, but great fun around Scotland. If not a tickle bit shouty!

[sharley17194]

What an amazing driveway! 

On 10/4/2022 at 8:39 AM, Tommyboy12 said:

Its Tuesday morning and we're ready for the real off from Nottingham. The cars are lined up and were about to set off for the first stop which is Dunfermline north of Edinburgh. Should be about 5.5-6 hours which will be more than enough for me 😅

 

[Tommyboy12]

22 minutes ago, sharley17194 said:

Epic trip as always and thanks for continuing to join my on these insanity trips. I do question why we keep doing this and I know the reason, i'm a massive shite roadtrip enabler but the real question is....what's next years trip going to look like! 

Plus i take offence to the escort being too modern, Tom will confirm its not a pleasant drive on a run, but great fun around Scotland. If not a tickle bit shouty!

Shouty is an understatement. That exhaust bores into your brain it's that loud 😂 I've no idea how you coped for nearly 2000 miles!

[Matty]

Have you worked out what the craic was with the gasket going so quick @Tommyboy12?

[sharley17194]

Necessity is the mother of all evils...

14 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Shouty is an understatement. That exhaust bores into your brain it's that loud 😂 I've no idea how you coped for nearly 2000 miles!

 

[Tommyboy12]

17 hours ago, Matty said:

Have you worked out what the craic was with the gasket going so quick @Tommyboy12?

I havent taken it back apart yet. I suspect it was because I neglected to retorque the head when I built the engine. I was getting miles on it so sporadically  that I forgot to do so. The quality of the headgasket could have also been questionable. It did blow at the thinnest point of the gasket. The block and head were skimmed when built so I am not concerned about that.

I have bought some high quality head gaskets and will strip it down to repair in the coming weeks. I also developed a clutch main seal oil leak while away so have got to strip and replace the clutch plate and seal too.

[Tommyboy12]

I done bought a thing. It's in good hands and will see the road again in the next few weeks/months! My first foray into Vauxhall's having been a Ford man growing up!