The late 1975 Federal US Austin Marina could be found with a Zenith
Stromberg mounted on an MGB EGR equipped manifold. This manifold routed the
exhaust too close to the original mechanical pump location. The car I am
familiar with had an AC Delco electric (Dupree type) pump mounted to the
rear seat kick up panel under the car. I'm sure this was a parting shot
before the car was pulled from the market.
The original AC mechanical fuel pumps had leakage problems in cold
weather. The aluminium body would separate from the steel top cover. The
pumps were replaced under warranty by SU Butec mechanical pumps of all
aluminium construction.
The cast iron cranks were manufactured at a new high tech plant
using pressure casting techniques. As stated in Peter Burgess's book "How
to Power Tune MGB..." the cranks are strong and fully counter balanced. The
Marina engine and cast crank was shared with the MGB from 71 on. The 18V
MGB engines all have the mechanical fuel pump location blocked off with a
plate. The pilot hole on the MGB crank is bored to a larger diameter than
the Marina crank, however some Marina engines had the B crank with a steel
adapter sleeve.
Ahh. reminiscences
Kelvin.
> >
> ><< For instance the fuel pump, carburetor, and emissions
> equipment are
> > identical to a similar vintage MGB. >>
> >Fred,
> > Interesting about the fuel pump..Our English Marina had
> a mechanical
> pump
> >installed on the 1800 engine..I do not to this day know
> which engine it was
> >that Morris fitted..possibly sone kind of a morris 1800
> front driver power
> >plant..i don't know..But the pump on our car was mechanical..hmmm.
> >yours, H4(Howard)
> >
>
> Howard
>
> The only other surviving Marina in this area is a 74 model.
> I think that
> car has the mechanical fuel pump. At some point BL switched
> to the electric
> pump. Kevin alludes to some sort of fuel pump problems with
> mechanical
> pumps which might have prompted the switch. My own experience is that
> mechanical pumps are as reliable as electric.
>
> As to the engine - it is identical to MGB except for the
> crankshaft which
> is a cast iron unit rather than forged steel. For most usage
> the cast crank
> should be adequate.
>
> Fred Pixley
> Napanee, Ontario
>
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