10 replies to this topic

[Manic Metro]

I've got a 1.1 k series in a Rover Metro and i'm tyring to find ways of uprating it with out changeing the engine. I've already found out how to convert it to multipoint injection from it's singlepoint setup. The internet is not telling me much on it other than "put a 1.4 twin cam in". I don't have the equipment to change the engine but do have the know how and stuff to do most mods. Any ideas welcome. PLEASE HELP :-P

[Retro Richard]

If you do want to change the engine it is not very complicated and renting an engine crane is cheap enough. You could try fitting the 16v head to the 1.1 block. (K8 to K16) Multi point injection and a proper ecu will also help. With the additional space of having the 8v head, what about a turbo conversion, you would have to make the manifolds from scratch though.
Rover metros respond really well to chassis tuning - bigger front brakes and properly sorted suspension. Bigger vented discs from a GTi model or an MGF leave the drums as upgrading them is a waste of money but if you are feeling flush - mini fin alloy drums with the correct spacers will shed some weight, remove the cones from the suspension and have the machined down a bit, then overpressure the Hydrogas to stiffen up the ride. Although not strictly necessary fitting shocks all round and upgrading the rear anti roll bar can also improve things. Dont buy cheap tyres either.
A metro's handling is one of its best features and can be used to embarrass much more powerful cars.

[Manic Metro]

Cheers Retro_Richard. I've heard about the twin cam change but was told by MetroPower that it could not be done, however if it can be done i will most definitely look into it. Nice to hear someone who knows about the handling potential of The Metro. Alot of my mates reckon i'm mad having bought a third metro but i just tell them it's 'cos of their handling. Now i know MGF brakes will fit i am currently scouting ebay, but have already had trouble trying to find arb related stuff thats cheap. I used to have 185/55 13 Toyo road pros but i've had to settle with second hand dunlops due to funds and supply of the toyos. :-P

[the_mighty_one]

Hi.

I dont know if the 16v head will fit an 8v block, but if you fancy a try I have a 1.6 16v head, cams, exhaust manifold, inlet manifold, injectors, rail, throttle body etc, that I've been thinking of selling, makes the perfect upgrade kit if its a swap.

It came from an engine that we had problems with, originally we thought it was the head so we had it skimmed, crack tested, valves lapped etc, but it turns out the block was shot so we scrapped the block and got a new engine but kept the head and the bits to go with it!

[the_mighty_one]

ok, apparently after reading on the mg rover club (themgclub.net) it seems that the 8v and 16v heads are interchangable!

[Manic Metro]

OoOoOoooo, sounds like a plan :-P I'm going to have to run it past the wife, as bad as it sounds :-(, but if i can how much you looking at? What am i going to do about ecu related stuff? Vehicle electronics are a sore spot and i don't fancy the idea of maybe getting a ecu were i got to get it programed and sh**. I quite literatly want to bolt it on and try and have to do as little as possible to make it run. Mainly because i need my car for my line of work and can't afford to have it off the road too long. Plus i don't have the space to get a spare car. My situation is quite tight :-(

[Manic Metro]

"ok, apparently after reading on the mg rover club (themgclub.net) it seems that the 8v and 16v heads are interchangable!"
Did not see this post. That makes life a lot easyer knowing that. Just need to know how i'm going to get ecu and stuff to work. I'd assume i'd have to use a cambelt off a 1.4 k? 1.1 mpi ecu+fuel pump maybe?

[Manic Metro]

What other brakes will fit? 200, 25, 400.....?

[the_mighty_one]

I'll be honest with you I'm not much of a MG/Rover person, the most I have had dealings with was the 200 we had the engine problems with, a 400 I scrapped and a 600td I owned for a few months - the TD was a cracking car, absolutely flew.

Other than that I dont really know much about them, sorry.

As for the price, offers between £50-£100. I'll let you decide what you want to offer.

[RetRover]

The 16v head will only fit on later MPi 8v engines as the SPi 8v doesn't have the cut-outs in the piston tops for the 16v. So the pistons would need changed as well I'm afraid.

Metros do handle well thanks to the lightweight engine and gearbox and double wishbone front suspension.

The best way for more power from a 1.1 is an engine swap to a bigger K as they all interchange really easily. The limit of the 1.1 is down to usual breathing mods and its not worth going much further.

The good thing is though, that you can do other mods (suspension, brakes etc.) and if you ever do swap to a bigger engined Metro you can swap them all to the new car easily enough. Or swap the engine at a later date.

I've had a few over the years, up to a GTi SE with vvc running 160+ bhp so any specifics just ask.
Be careful of some of the opinions on MP, most technical replies seem to come from ill-informed younger members. There are some very knowledgable older members on there though.

[joe marsh]

alot easier to drop a new engine in, but yeah 1.4 head on it. skim the head down as much as clearance lets you to up the compression. will see a big difference then. and port match the manifolds and head whilst its all off. but for all that work you could put a 1.4 lump in and have a good result. with a bottom end to match the 1.4 power.