Originally Posted by Klaatu

That's is impressive, but the BDA was a great engine, although I never reved it that much, got similar power at the flywheel however. Sadly, I've long since been disinterested with engine building etc, too expensive even back then, and I don't have the time anymore.

If I had time and money, I'd like to convert a Land Rover 90 to V8 4 Sp auto, again. Maybe one day.

Originally Posted by Klaatu

The "Pinto" was not "liberally" deployed in the 1.6L fleet, yes, it appeared in the "Capri", but not all Capri 1.6L, after all, it was a "performance" engine. Yes, the Pinto would slap valves, but the standard 1.6L was just a "small" 2.0L block fitted to Escorts, Cortinas, Capri's etc.

Second question, no.

Originally Posted by Devildog

Dude,

That's not all correct.

The pinto was an overhead cam (if i recall correctly?) and the majority of 1.6 Capri engines were a crossflow, "kent" ovehead valve pushrod engine with the camshaft in the block.

Certainly the earlier ones.

So not just a small 2.0L block with the same head

The ohv engines were interference engines, and the ohv engines were not IIRC

Originally Posted by Leslie

If I could afford it I would still be racing as a hobby, but the expense now has put it well out of reach. Too many organisations have jumped on the bandwagon. They used to make it cheaper so that you could do the work yourself and manage to produce a car, but you have to be pretty well off to do it now. A racing license which used to be about £12.50 now costs £300 as an example! An entry fee for a race used to be less than a fiver-anything up to £1000 or more now.

Les

Originally Posted by Leslie

I agree with you about cam belts and timing chains. I never was that happy with a cambelt, particularly with my racing engines which were BDA's with high compression of course and full race cams with a lot of overlap. Out of interest I was getting 185 BHP out of a 1300cc at 11500 RPM normally aspirated. The exhaust had to be heard to be believed Not a lot of room between the pistons and the valves under normal circumstances for certain!

My BMW Mini Cooper has a proper timing chain and I am much happier about that.

Les

Originally Posted by pacenote

I had a timing chain break once, no damage to engine, mind you it was on a MK 2 Cortina GT (1600 crossflow)

1300 BD's are real screamers particularly in full race form. I have never run those only 2L BDG's ( In rally cars ), my current engine produced 256 BHP on the dyno at just over 8000 RPM (on carbs)
I have however seen 275 BHP on a similar engine but that was running fuel injection and a few more revs