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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - 4 cyl or 6 cyl

would like to install a 4 or 6 cylinder engine in my 74 GT do not want a 8 cylinder would prefer a smaller engine am looking at economy and power the newer 4 and 6 cylinders seem to have this anyone have any clue what would be a nice engine to install in my GT
Ron

I haven't done this yet, but what I have in mind is a 2.8 v-6 and 5 speed out of a chev camaro. This would give you a 60 degree v-6 for clearance, aluminum heads and fairly small motor for the weight issue, and you would have all kinds of parts readily available at a low cost. You wouldn't have to change to a beafier
rear end or suspension parts. You could run about 140 - 170 hp depending how excited you want to get
when you put the key in and hit the starter. Just a thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gary

thankyou for your reply so what year were you thinking of as in engine and transmission?
Ron

Ron:

There is a HUGE amount of info on the 60 deg V6 swap in the archives.
peter plouf

Peter,
How do I get to the info about swapping to the V-6? I'm not very good on the web but I can't find any
info. Thanks

Ron,
The mid 80's camaro had a fuel inj 2.8 with a 5 spd. Good Luck
gary

Gary - there is a guy who advertises in Hemmings Motor News (under 'M parts')that advertises a kit for installing a V6 in an MGB. For $1 he will send you additional information. Sorry, don't have my latest Hemmings here or I would pass along the information. Will check for it when I get home.
Mike Derderian

Ron:

Go to the archives and enter V6 as a search word. A gentleman by the name of Arthur Shaeffer has done a lot of reserch and posting on the subject. Also a Mr Guzman who post quite regular on this BBS has a kit for swapping the v6 into your car. The basics of the swapp are as follows:

The engine fits quite well; no firewall or steering mods. Use the engine out of a camaro or firebird. The later the engine/tranny combo the better 90 or newer is best. Use a hydraulic throw out bearing.

You will have to fabricate engine and tranny mounts. No big deal there. Notching the crossmember has been sugested to get the engine down low. I found it necessary to cut the crank pulley down to single pulley.

Headers will have to be fabricated. Probably the hardest part of the swapp. You will have to decide on carb or fuel injection. I don't think you can get the fuel injection under the hood without a bubble.

As far as engine swapps go, this is pretty simple. Done properly it will cost around five grand and give a lot of pleasure. Skimp on the engineering and you will ruin an MG. Five grand will buy you a LO of MG engine and Trany work, so think about it.
peter plouf

Peter thank you for all the info what would be the main difference in carb or fuel injection would it just be mileage
ron

Ron:
About 2 thousand dollars worth of $$ to go with fuel injection. This would be with an aftermarket harness.
peter plouf

Ron: With all due respect, it doesn't sound like you are very familiar with the details of electronic fuel injection, and thus the extensive work required to adapt such a unit to an older car. Well, I'm no expert myself, but I do have a 95 Camaro/Firebird V6-60 engine sitting beside my '71GT in tbe garage, and all the GM manuals to go with it. The EFI system is EXTREMELY complex. The engine's wiring harness looks like it came from a telephone exchange!

Pete Plouf (hi, Pete - long time, no talk...) is probably about right that you are going to face maybe $2k additional over a carb to fit the EFI. That's on top of perhaps a total of $4000 to do a properly engineered job, using the amount of outside services and parts that most of us shade-tree mechanics would throw at a carbed engine swap.

My measurements indicate that it MAY be possible to get the EFI under a CB hood, but very tight, and the oil pan will have to be rather close to the ground. Either that, or modify bulkhead sheet metal to get the engine rearward under the higher part of the bonnet. This then presents challenges in shift lever location.

EFI advantages (assuming you get it running as designed) are instant starts in any conditions, very smooth running, extended engine life and improved fuel economy - all due to precise fuel metering.

The later GM V6-60 is a nicely-developed unit, but in mid '95, was replaced in the F-cars by the Buick 3.8-litre, called the "3800 Series II". It's a fine engine, more power, but somewhat heavier and quite a bit wider. Know your engines before you buy.

The V6-60 did NOT have aluminum heads in RWD (Camaro, small trucks, etc) applications, but still would only weigh maybe 30-40 lbs more than the B 4-cyl.

Arthur Shaffer hasn't posted for a while, but some pictures he sent me a year ago, showed a nice job getting the engine into his CB car with custom headers. He used a 2-bbl carb.

Pete's last sentence in his #2 posting had an excellent point: the cost of a V6 swap would pay for a LOT of rebuild work on your MG, and perhaps give you more satisfaction overall.
Bob Wilson

Guys, don't know how it would fit but we produce a 3800 cc EFI V6 here in Australia for the GMH Commodore..the beauty of this engine is:
1/ its very common (probably biggest seller here)
2/ its also available with factory EFI supercharger
3/ right now Aust $ is great value to the US $
4/ is available factory fresh from speed shops either stock or with supercharger
regards
mark
mark mathiesen

Thats right guys
In Oz our 3.8l V6 is very similiar to the Buick 3.8v6b that our cousins in the US have.
But by now these motors are more available here too

Mark
Have you tried or seen a Holden V6 in an MGB Yet?
ive heard thru some V8ers here that the motor is too High to find under the MGB hood? but i hope they are wrong as id rather a Supercharged V6 than the RoverV8 i currently have in my B

Thanks

Steve
Steve Berno

Bob Wilson, it's nice to hear from you, I hope everything is well.

Ron, I second what Bob Wilson has posted.
There is also solutions to keep the engine under the hood.

The oil pan can be modified, eg: Road racing style flat. But like Bob says the electronic is overwelming and it takes lots of work but the good news is that it can be done.
A 60 V6 3.4 with an Edelbrock manifold and a 390 cfm carb can produce about 180+ lbs of torque (As per Edelbrock tech line) and the installation is relative easy with two minor mods, one is driver side header flange hits the corner of the foot well needs about 1/4" dressing. the other is 1/4" by 2" in dia. on floor board for the T5.
I will be posting the proto type kit on the web page this weekend, Bob suggested this and is a great idea.
I am waiting for the header people to do their part hopfully next week I will have an answer.

r/Bill
Bill Guzman

Mark
Is the 3800 available in a RWD configuration down under ?
I did a 3800 conversion from a Firebird about 16k
miles ago. As Bob states it is and wider than the 60 degree V6 (about the same as a 215 Buick) but is does fit under the hood. http://members.aol.com/danmas/3800mgb.htm
Don Zeigler

Don , yes it is rear wheel drive and with a factory five speed manual box. I am not sure but it might be available with an optional factory six speed box.
regards
mark
mark mathiesen

Bill:

Do your headers exit between the engine and the frame or do you cut a hole in the inner fender?

Bob: Do you still have the pics of Arthurs header set-up? I never did find out exactly how he did them? My drivetrain swap seems to be at the same stage as yours. I am looking at an engine from a fwd whith the intake facing backwards as an attempt to get the FI under the hood. I would loose the heater. I've looked at the original wiring harness and it is too intimidating. I thing the aftermarket is the way to go.

Pete
peter plouf

The headers exit between the block and the inner fender panel. The headers are good for 1.80 intake valve which is bigger than the valves on the V6.
The headers were design to use 1 1/2 pipes.

r/Bill
Bill Guzman

The GM 60 degree V6 should fit great in a B. I put one in a Midget using the factory MPFI system and computer. You will find that the engine wiring harness which connects to all the sensors, fuel pump, and computer is easily seperated from the rest of the donor car. Yes, unless you are somewhat familiar with reading schematics and tracing wires it could be pretty daunting, but most people can adapt it into the existing cars wiring. I had to add circuts for a engine warning lamp in the dash, and used a later MG tach that was compatable with an electronic ignition. The stock fuel pump wiring was rerouted to the high pressure pump required for the fuel injection. It's not simple, but doable if you read the schematics carefully and do some planning. I will be happy to share any information I have with someone who is undertaking such a project.
Bill Young

Thanks for all the info guys. It is a major help. Am debating the EFI.

Bob no offense taken, but i am familiar with FI my other two cars are saab turbo's and all work is done by me. I am used to seeing piles of wires and sorting them out i think i would think of this as a great challenge.

I have no problems making some modifications in the fire wall to sit the engine back to try and compensate for the clearances on the hood.

I have already converted the car over to right hand drive 8 years back got the dash refurbished in england with correct detail and paint and have had the sills and dog legs replaced about 4 yrs ago and car now totally stripped of all interior and glass and ready for painting, but am waiting for my modifications to fit the engine in before it goes off to be painted am having whole car painted inside and out and want all body work with all the modifications done first

The car is a 74 1/2 MGB-GT Rubber Bumper model
inside drivers door on template it says that it is a 75 model GT Title says 74 anyone have input on this i know they quit making them for the states in 74 did they make a few 75 models and let them slip through as 74's before they stopped inporting.

As always I welcome any input good or bad you will not hurt my feelings maybe make me see something different
Ron

This thread was discussed between 22/05/2000 and 27/06/2000

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