Tommy's A-series Misery - Three wheels on my wagon

[Zelandeth]

18 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

This car has been sent to test me

I'm going to look at the cooling system some more. Take the water pump off and check it and the passageways. If there's nothing there I'm hunting for a new engine

With the amount of crud that's come out so far I'd suggest disconnecting anything and everything and blasting the block out with a pressure washer.  The extra velocity is likely to pick up a lot more of the heavier silt that a hosepipe might have left behind.

[Tommyboy12]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

With the amount of crud that's come out so far I'd suggest disconnecting anything and everything and blasting the block out with a pressure washer.  The extra velocity is likely to pick up a lot more of the heavier silt that a hosepipe might have left behind.

This is what I did last time but it seems a lot more silt has made itself known. My plan is to pull the water pump again first and see what I can see then jetwash and make a decision from there

[plasticvandan]

Obviously try another rad cap and stat first.. I can't see how it can get hot that quick just from silt build up.a pressure check might be an idea.

[RayMK]

2 minutes ago, plasticvandan said:

Obviously try another rad cap and stat first.. I can't see how it can get hot that quick just from silt build up.a pressure check might be an idea.

How common is it to have the liner seals cook themselves after a headgasket and overheating incident?  I've never experienced it or had the liners move when taking the head off (i.e. don't move the crank when the head is off and clamp across the liner tops to avoid the risk of liner movement until the head is back on).  

I hope it is someting simpler to fix than a warped head or liners that need re-sealing.   

[plasticvandan]

I've not come across it,but we are now in un chartered territory now the engines are so much older. 

[Tommyboy12]

So I'm sat by the pool on holiday writing this but just before I left I tried a last few things on the reliant. I pulled the thermostat and tried to run it and it still over pressurised and then overheated. So I pulled the water pump and I think I've found the issue.

I bore scoped the liners through the water pump hole and found some severe corrosion on one of the liners. The corrosion seems to be letting water into the liner which I assume is finding it's way into the sump.

So I started prepping the engine for removal. I think I've done what I can with it in situ and now it's onto a new engine.

Thankfully @sharley17194 bought a Robin for spares so he has kindly agreed to sell me the engine from it.

I'll try to recoup some of my costs by selling what remains of the engine but seeing as it's an engine that requires new liners it's probably not going to be worth a lot.

It's frustrating after all the work but equally I've not got much money in the engine. Just gaskets and time.

[Zelandeth]

That's a shame.  Still best you found it now than when miles from home.  Guess with the age these are at it's just something that's a risk now - especially when the cooling system on that has obviously been so horribly neglected forever.

[N Dentressangle]

Good you have the option of another engine.

Just spotted this little honey up the road from me otherwise:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/652209764100655/

[plasticvandan]

That Robin is very rare now,and one of the first six months of production,will have the sweet 750 engine in it too.

Shame about the liners,this is going to become more common now the cars are getting older.

[brownnova]

13 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Good you have the option of another engine.

Just spotted this little honey up the road from me otherwise:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/652209764100655/

Oh wow! That’s the same colour as the one my parents had back in the mid-late 80s when I was little! JNP778N - dead since 1996 by the looks of things. 

One day I will tick Reliant off the vehicular bucket list! 

[Tommyboy12]

4 minutes ago, brownnova said:

Oh wow! That’s the same colour as the one my parents had back in the mid-late 80s when I was little! JNP778N - dead since 1996 by the looks of things. 

One day I will tick Reliant off the vehicular bucket list! 

Well there will be a beige Rialto up on this very site later in the summer 😅 

[brownnova]

48 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Well there will be a beige Rialto up on this very site later in the summer 😅 

Let’s hope I’m in a position to buy at that point then! 

[Joey spud]

16 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

That Robin is very rare now,and one of the first six months of production,will have the sweet 750 engine in it too.

My Dads first Robin GKN306N was a beige 750 super and he always said the 750cc engine was much better than the later 850 jobby although in what way I can't recall.

[Zelandeth]

3 hours ago, brownnova said:

Let’s hope I’m in a position to buy at that point then! 

Please do...also please do it quickly before I spot it and give in to the temptation!

[Mally]

21 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

So I'm sat by the pool on holiday writing this but just before I left I tried a last few things on the reliant. I pulled the thermostat and tried to run it and it still over pressurised and then overheated. So I pulled the water pump and I think I've found the issue.

I bore scoped the liners through the water pump hole and found some severe corrosion on one of the liners. The corrosion seems to be letting water into the liner which I assume is finding it's way into the sump.

So I started prepping the engine for removal. I think I've done what I can with it in situ and now it's onto a new engine.

Thankfully @sharley17194 bought a Robin for spares so he has kindly agreed to sell me the engine from it.

I'll try to recoup some of my costs by selling what remains of the engine but seeing as it's an engine that requires new liners it's probably not going to be worth a lot.

It's frustrating after all the work but equally I've not got much money in the engine. Just gaskets and time.

We used these in the distant past, they weren't cheap so are probably even more expensive 15 years on.

https://westwoodcylinderliners.co.uk/products/browse-by-application/reliant/

[LightBulbFun]

18 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

That Robin is very rare now,and one of the first six months of production,will have the sweet 750 engine in it too.

Shame about the liners,this is going to become more common now the cars are getting older.

one thing I have always wondered, given the Reliant engine as I understand it was a fairly advanced all aluminium design for its time, (out of necessity to be lightweight for the Tricycle weight limits etc etc) how much tuning potential does it have? I hear about hotted up A series and B series BMC engines all the time, but I dont really hear much about hotted up reliant engines so I find that a bit curious!

has anyone managed to TIG weld 2 together and make a Reliant V8?  but on a more serious note I wonder how it could of been developed if reliant had more resources, if they could give it electronic ignition and fuel injection etc...

[Tommyboy12]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

one thing I have always wondered, given the Reliant engine as I understand it was a fairly advanced all aluminium design for its time, (out of necessity to be lightweight for the Tricycle weight limits etc etc) how much tuning potential does it have? I hear about hotted up A series and B series BMC engines all the time, but I dont really hear much about hotted up reliant engines so I find that a bit curious!

has anyone managed to TIG weld 2 together and make a Reliant V8?  but on a more serious note I wonder how it could of been developed if reliant had more resources, if they could give it electronic ignition and fuel injection etc...

There is some tuning around. They ran it for ages in the 750 formula cars. Kent camshaft, tubular manifolds and a big Webber. You can also do some port work to the inlets. I imagine they were getting about 60hp out of it but that was more about being a spec series. However, there's not much in the way of pistons available so anything boosted is a problem. I know a few people have supercharged them with mild success. Usually getting around 65hp.

To be honest , having driven a couple now, 40hp is enough in these. They're relatively nippy but limited in performance more by the lack of the fourth wheel up front.

[Tommyboy12]

4 hours ago, Mally said:

We used these in the distant past, they weren't cheap so are probably even more expensive 15 years on.

https://westwoodcylinderliners.co.uk/products/browse-by-application/reliant/

It's £420 for a set of standard liners and pistons. I have sourced an engine for less than that so that's the route I'm taking. I'll pull this engine and take the head off again so it doesn't weld itself back on but beyond that I'm just not invested in it. It's been too problematic from silt and corrosion. I'll keep it until after the car goes incase I need it for parts.

[plasticvandan]

Porting the manifolds to match the head and siamesing the inlet is free and gives useful gains.leccy ignition and a leccy fan give some more. The rebels racing guys get a reliable 60hp out of them. 

In standard tune they are plenty quick enough though. My Rialto 2 van was a flying machine (I had done a few tweaks) and saw an indicated 100 a few times,prob only 90 in reality though.I found the 750 the nicest engine,in the same way the 948 a series was sweeter than the 1098 in the minor. Unfortunately Reliant engines were never cheap to rebuild and with so few left the cost of new parts,if you can get them,is high.

[Mally]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

one thing I have always wondered, given the Reliant engine as I understand it was a fairly advanced all aluminium design for its time, (out of necessity to be lightweight for the Tricycle weight limits etc etc) how much tuning potential does it have? I hear about hotted up A series and B series BMC engines all the time, but I dont really hear much about hotted up reliant engines so I find that a bit curious!

 

We raced Rebels, They used a different camshaft/carb/exhaust manifold. 

We had electronic ignition but they banned it.

You weren't supposed to deck the block or machine the head, unless there they were damaged in some way.

We bought +20 pistons and liners. The liners needed to protrude 6 thou. 

Turning the bottom end of them to achieve this was  not easy.

Engines  were dyno tested and sealed. I think the limit allowed was 64bhp.

[sharley17194]

On 18/04/2025 at 17:40, Tommyboy12 said:

It's £420 for a set of standard liners and pistons. I have sourced an engine for less than that so that's the route I'm taking. I'll pull this engine and take the head off again so it doesn't weld itself back on but beyond that I'm just not invested in it. It's been too problematic from silt and corrosion. I'll keep it until after the car goes incase I need it for parts.

Price just went up.,...

[Tommyboy12]

Today I did not have fun... I removed my Reliant engine in scorching heat.

First I rearranged my drive a bit

Then set to removing the engine. The prop bolts are a pain. They're nowhere near accessible but I did get them out with a pair of spanners. Then undid the engine mounts and removed the clutch cable. Unfortunately I had to cut it so I need a new cable

Finally I undid the gearbox mounts and it basically fell out

Then I had to lift the body higher to slide the engine out. I definitely didn't* jack the car up under the tyre

And she's free

I found my old core plug...

Finally I split the gearbox off to check the clutch. Thankfully there's plenty of life but they have a carbon thrust washer on the arm and that is well and truly worn out

I am not looking forward to putting the new engine back in. Lifting it back in place from underneath is going to be a pain even with an engine crane. However I do at least know roughly what I'm doing to get it back in

[Tommyboy12]

New* engine collected. This came out of a running driving car and it fit perfectly in the back of the car.

Thanks to this victim and @sharley17194 for sorting me out

While I was collecting the engine we set to doing some work on @sharley17194 Reliant which is in a very kit car state. We managed to get a horn, wiper motor, headlights, tail lights, and indicators but there's still some bad earth's on the indicators. I did also whip up a brake line and proceeded to fit the wrong brake unions to the line I had made 😅

Notable mention to the car we took to Germany last year. Parked in a hedge which pretty much sums up this car. Still sporting my expert gaffa tape skills.

[sharley17194]

On 17/05/2025 at 14:32, Tommyboy12 said:

New* engine collected. This came out of a running driving car and it fit perfectly in the back of the car.

Thanks to this victim and @sharley17194 for sorting me out

While I was collecting the engine we set to doing some work on @sharley17194 Reliant which is in a very kit car state. We managed to get a horn, wiper motor, headlights, tail lights, and indicators but there's still some bad earth's on the indicators. I did also whip up a brake line and proceeded to fit the wrong brake unions to the line I had made 😅

Notable mention to the car we took to Germany last year. Parked in a hedge which pretty much sums up this car. Still sporting my expert gaffa tape skills.

it's not parked in a hedge, its parked in a bush, get your shrubbery correct. Its been moved...its now parked in a garage till i need to abuse it again.  It's parked in a bush because i love it.

[Tommyboy12]

You do love bush*...

[IronStar]

Off topic, but I know you have a throve of knowledge on A series engines @Tommyboy12

Which fast-road cam would you recommend? I have a 1275 A series (not A+), 2nd oversize rebore out of an Austin 1300 in my Mini, running on twin HS2 carbs.  I'm looking for some extra poke, not planning on racing it. 

[Tommyboy12]

9 hours ago, IronStar said:

Off topic, but I know you have a throve of knowledge on A series engines @Tommyboy12

Which fast-road cam would you recommend? I have a 1275 A series (not A+), 2nd oversize rebore out of an Austin 1300 in my Mini, running on twin HS2 carbs.  I'm looking for some extra poke, not planning on racing it. 

Swiftune SW5 or a Kent MD266 is a solid road cam. If you want a bit more top end then a Kent MD276. I wouldn't go any more extreme as it's starts to get a bit lumpy round town.

The Minispares Evo cam is very similar to a 266 and very budget friendly. A friend recently got 80hp out of a 1293 with it.

[IronStar]

1 hour ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Swiftune SW5 or a Kent MD266 is a solid road cam. If you want a bit more top end then a Kent MD276. I wouldn't go any more extreme as it's starts to get a bit lumpy round town.

The Minispares Evo cam is very similar to a 266 and very budget friendly. A friend recently got 80hp out of a 1293 with it.

Thanks!

Isn’t Minispares Evo A+ only, so I would need to change the oil pump and it’s drive?

[Tommyboy12]

16 hours ago, IronStar said:

Thanks!

Isn’t Minispares Evo A+ only, so I would need to change the oil pump and it’s drive?

Apologies missed the Pre-A+ bit. It is a different pump drive yes, but thats built into the camshaft and if youre that deep into the engine its worth spending the money on a new oil pump. The oil pump housings are identical between the pre-A+ and A+ its just different drives so you can swap the pump very easily.

[Tommyboy12]

After purchasing my new* engine I spent some time over this weekend prepping and fitting it.

First off I needed to transfer some bit's over from the old engine and reattach the gearbox. I also took the opportunity to set the tappets as it's much easier out the car and then I fitted new engine mounts and also changed the thrust bearing which is carbon and wears away.

The thrust bearing should be raised like the one on the right...

While prepping the engine I found some sealant on the sump. Then I found a screw... I will be liberally applying some JB weld to this. I'm not interested in changing a sump at the moment. I drained the oil when I found it as I planned to change it anyway and now I can repair this a bit more permanently

With the engine prepped on the ground it was time to get the thing back in.

Firstly lift the car 4ft in the air using an engine crane and a lifting strap round the chassis. This definitely* wasn't* dangerous...

Then slide an engine underneath..

Drop the car back down onto axle stands then strap the engine to the crane

Safely* lift the engine from the front and then the rear so you can slot the engine mounts in place

Finally bolt the engine down! I also reinstalled the prop shaft bolts. Nothing quite makes you question your life choices like doing up fiddly bolts you can only turn a flat at a time while dirt rains into your eyes...

There's a lot left to do but the engine is now back in!

I've got to install a new clutch cable, the starter, alternator, radiator, exhaust manifold and downpipe, inlet and carb, and the dizzy. Then the fuel lines and wiring and then hope it starts!