Well, I had bottom end problems on my 1380. the centre main bearing
spun after about 2000km. I was not impressed. It was supplied by a
major mail order company but I am across the pacific and a return
was not feasible.
Upon pulling the engine down, the main bearing tunnel was found to be
way out of spec. It is probable that this engine was cooked at some stage
and should have been line-bored (but wasn't). It also had a grotty oil
pickup
(seems to have missed the otherwise good cleanup), and a badly damaged
rod bolt. The nut was only torqued to about 20ft/lbs!!!
Not the A-series fault, just sloppy workmanship
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Clarici <spritenut@Exit109.com>
To: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Thursday, November 19, 1998 6:41 PM
Subject: 1275 vs 1500
>Ok I have to add my $.02 just like everybody else.
>1972, I buy my 1275 Sprite off my dad and I love it.
>1973, I buy a brand new Spitfire 1500 off the lot for $3000.
>1976, I sell the Spitfire with it's 3rd engine for $900.
>I have owned only A series engine cars ever since, and if I did manage
>to get a 1500 Midget, I swapped it out for an A series.
>
>1st to go on my 1500 was the rings at 11,000 miles, replace it with a
>1296 older triumph engine which ran great while I rebuilt the 1500.
>Next, spun a main bearing while racing a Fiat on the hiway!!
>Embarrassed, I put the 1296 back into the car then it throws a rod. Next
>I acquire another 1500 engine from a 74 wrecked spitfire (this is 1975
>so the engine was only about a year old) this thing never had any oil
>pressure and since I was also getting tired of changing diffs (9 in 3
>years) I sold the car and swore never to own another Triumph powered car
>in my life. So far I not but I did sell a few that I never titled in my
>name.
>
>Back to A series engines....I never blew one up, never had oil pressure
>problems, never had major smoking problems unless it was a relic I just
>saved from the junk yard, even then most run great with only some fresh
>gas. I have rebuilt many and only twice replaced cam bearings only
>because I was replacing the cam, I have also slapped them together with
>different rods (mixed sets) miss matched pistons, and good used bearings
>and they run forever. The slapped together engines seem to be the ones
>with no problems. My wife's Sprite PIECES is called PIECES because it
>was made from all good used parts including the engine! It always
>starts, runs excellent, and actually has better oil pressure then my
>resent re-machined rebuild.
>
>Sorry for ranting, this is just my personal experiences with both
>engines.
>Has any A series owners ever had lower end problems, stuck cylinder
>heads, 5 psi oil pressure, or trouble getting #1 spark plug out?
>Just curious.
>
>Not looking to start a war either, it's just my belly button.
>--
>Frank Clarici
>Toms River, NJ
>Lots of LBCs
>http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut
>
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