Allegro A series engine query

[theorganist]

I took the Allegro to my local garage for a tune up. I had some reservations about the engine as it emits a lot of smoke on start up. He informed me that it does not have its original engine, apparently the engine is from a Austin 1300 circa 1968. He is an enthusiast himself, he has two Landcrabs, two AD016's and an early MG Metro.

 

Anyway the problem is, is that the engine and box in the Allegro are pretty worn, it does not pull that well, it blows out blue smoke on start up and there is no synchro on second gear!! I have noticed that it does use quite a lot of oil.

 

If anyone knows of a 1.3 A series engine for sale or comes across one, I would be very interested!?

 

As a plus point the body is very solid, it appears never to have been welded and the interior is nice, so I think it would be worth getting the engine rebuilt or replaced.

[dollywobbler]

Sounds like you need to be speaking to M'Coli! (if Lankytim hasn't already blagged the Metro engine for his own Aggro...)

[Lankytim]

Nah, it was going to be for an Allegro thats for sale with a busted engine, I was only hypothesisingerating.

 

There is a guy over on the Metro forum who will have a good low mileage A+ series from a Metro coming along soon, but its £250/£300 odd.

[theorganist]

Thanks for your replies, have messaged M'coli, I don't think he has decided yet.

 

Going to try the owners club also, the car actually drives okay just it uses a bit of oil!

[Captain Slow]

Mate of mine needs a 1275 A series, pref. A+, for his Allegro. His current one is mullahed, it's off the road atm. Cheap as poss as like me he's one of those impoverished student types

 

Pic: Surely this is shiteworthy?

 

[scooters]

Blue smoke on start up will be a piston ring issue - the blue is oil burning off -

 

A class angines are very straightforward and the bits are readily avaliable - have you considered fitting new piston rings?

 

gear boxwise you could get it re engineered - won't be that expensive - I had an A series sump gear box done on a mini a few years ago - wasn't that expensive especially if you get the engine out yourself

[pdg]

I always considered blue smoke on start up to be valve stem seals - oil sat in head dribbles into cylinders overnight/when it's off and gets burnt off when you start it with a nice big plume of smoke. Blue smoke while running (sometimes under load, sometimes overrun...) would point to rings. Valve stem seals are an easy job though.

 

Way to check is to bung a compression guage on - measure and record numbers - then put a squirt of oil down the plug holes and measure again - if the compression rises you have leaky rings, if not, the rings are probably fine. If one of them is really low compared to the others then you have a slightly different problem!

 

Now, if it's white smoke...

 

If you can't do this yourself it will be cheaper to source a different motor - if you look around a bit.

[cobblers]

Metro/mini A seriesesses don't fit in allegros - the block and crank are set up for the gearbox in sump. I don't know about rwd ones, tho.

 

EDIT: IGNORE ME I AM A MONG AND WAS THINKING OF MAESTROS. SOZ

[Lankytim]

Go and fit that the new engine to that Austin 1100 over suffolk way and bag the freebee engine for yours!