Hi!
Toying with the thought of putting a bike cylinder head on a mini engine block. Todays problem i cant get my head around is the dizzy.
Assuming ive already made the head fit and its bolted on in place, if i got the coilpack for the bike head and its ECU -
Would i be able to run a live wire to the ECU and plug the coilpack in the ECU or would i need to wire the ignition to the ECU? How much wiring to the
ECU would i actually have to do if i couldnt just run a live wire to it? Assume id be better to use throttlebodies rather than carbs - and would it
need any further tuning?
thanks!
Presumably a bmw k series head?
For ignition, you would be (IMHO) better considering something like megajolt for the ignition.
Take a look around the mini forums - has been a popular conversion for ages.
Don't know the answer to your question but I believe it's been done a few times with the BMW k1100? Check out the mini forum.
Go Mega jolt for ignition, if running TB go Mega squirt or Omex for both.
For fuelling you have a choice of carbs or throttlebodies...really depends on whether you're of the analogue (do you like fiddly twiddly
mechanical things) or digital (or do you prefer to do it from a laptop) school ...
carbs = analogue
TBs = digital
carbs are arguably going to be cheaper to get running but you could spend a fortune looking for the right mixture of chokes, immulsion tubes etc..
TBs will cost a bit more initially - you'll need an ECU to control them but tuning is a more precise science...
PS if you go for Throttlebodies, consider an integrated ECU like Omex or Emerald rather than separate ones for ignition/fuelling...will make life easier...
im on a few mini forums already, the only popular head conversion is the BMW one but its very expensive and there must be others that can be made fit.
ive seen pictures of a CBR head on a mini block, they are cheap and cheeful to experiment with so thats more like what i was thinking.
id much rather run carbs as im no expert with digital (no expert with a spanner either but least theres half a chance ) but its still sorting the
timing out. only other way i can think of would be to leave the mini camshaft/dizzy in and rig up the head cams to the mini cam via belts?
i looked at doing the bmw k 16v conversion some time ago and whilst a popular conversion if i remember still needed some specialist machiening so to
try fit another motorbike head may seem cheaper but be lot of development and engineering skill to overcome expected issues
link to
info
and another
[Edited on 31/1/11 by will121]
If the car camshaft is still in place you could use its own A series lucas dizzie ---- might not give the most accurate timing but it would give a spark
im taking it all in and will have a decent look at that link soon (at work ) but is there any reason why the bikes original ECU + throttle bodys
wouldnt be ok? would using megajolt just 'be better' or would the original stuff be ok?
for tuning i could have it set up somewhere rather than do myself
You'll need to retain the original camshaft anyway, it drives the oil pump!
It would be one less thing to worry about while you sort bigger issues, as said it'd give a spark & make it run while you get the main stuff
to work & then sort a coil-pack, megajolt of whatever when it's running OK otherwise?
quote:
Originally posted by hillbillyracer
You'll need to retain the original camshaft anyway, it drives the oil pump!
It would be one less thing to worry about while you sort bigger issues, as said it'd give a spark & make it run while you get the main stuff to work & then sort a coil-pack, megajolt of whatever when it's running OK otherwise?
quote:
Originally posted by retromods
im taking it all in and will have a decent look at that link soon (at work) but is there any reason why the bikes original ECU + throttle bodys wouldnt be ok? would using megajolt just 'be better' or would the original stuff be ok?
for tuning i could have it set up somewhere rather than do myself
There is'nt much that aint been tried to make Minis go faster, but there's always summat new aswell! I did'nt have the skill/know-how
or facilities to do something like this at the time so I went down the road that was'nt much travelled at the time & fitted a different
engine altogether, a Montego Turbo, bloody fast in a straight line, but nose heavy
Even if thre are better/more estabished ways to do it like fitting the BMW head I like the fact you're giving it a go & hope you get it to
work.
http://www.kad-uk.com/
ATB
Simon
quote:
Originally posted by retromods
yea did think about the camshaft! but no, if i can use the mini dizzy and make it run with carbs untill i can copper up for megajolt (or whatever) then great..... as long as it would run!
digging this up again...
the bores are the same size and so is the spacing between the bores.... so its a simple bolt on job? (once made holes for bolts anyway) just need
gaskets for compression?
heres what someone has already done before. hes not used the mini cam so has added pulleys for waterpump, oil pump and anything else that mini parts
turned over.... but im wonderin if i could keep it so much simpler. would also mount the radiator up front.
[Edited on 5/2/11 by retromods]
Well if you want some serious info,my general manager Dave depper and his son run a mini cooper with a bmw head for hill climbing...and yes they won
their class. it puts out about 170 bhp an about 140 at the wheels.
He bought several heads from a guy in northants who strips single seater bmw hd race cars....very cheap so if your seriously interested i can give
you his number......i wait to hear ye or no....ok?
yours col
cheers col but ive ordered me a CBR head off fleabay now so will ponder over this one for a while and see what happens if its a no-go then i might
be in touch
thanks
DOH!! okay mate buz me if you change your mind ,Dave did most his own work an is very helpful.......hes on "u tube" if you want to see how
it goes.
Ive seen it at shelsley.......it bl**dy shifts