So I had been considering doing an engine swap to a 1275/1380 to get some more power but its cost prohibitive right now. The 998 just really struggles to get up to highway speeds and can't really maintain 55-60 up small grades on the highway with a passenger.

The car has a center "sport" type exhaust, stock needle, new plugs, cap, rotor, wires, and the carb was just rebuilt using a MiniMania kit. What options are out there for me? Not sure forced induction (turbo/supercharger) would work with an auto or not.

I'm willing to go to manual tranny but at that point I'll just save up and go with a 1275+. Any ideas?

 

with no one offering anything

and knowing that disagreeing with a post is a MAJOR motivator for posting

I think that auto is KILLING you, and going to larger diameter wheels sure didn't help

 

After having owned a Mini with a nicely built 1275 and a rod change manual gear box I would never do it any other way. It's nice having the power when you need it (like getting out of some SUV's way or merging into highway traffic).

The cost is high, yes, but with some digging around you may be able to find a cheap parts car with 1275 conversion and a standard gearbox.

You'll be ready for the swap when the automatic starts having issues. From what I've read the parts just aren't available for the automatics anymore.

Good luck. 1275+4spd all the way!!
Jeff

 

I figured the Auto was the main problem. It won't kick down to 3rd once your over 45-50. So you're pretty much just inching forward after that. But an Auto helped convince the wife to let me take on this project as she refuses to drive a manual...

I'm all for a 1275, but the parts are not the only issue. I don't have the skill/knowledge to take on a swap like that. So it becomes costly from a labor perspective as well. I still plan on doing it, was just hoping to find an interim solution to make the car a bit more driveable.

 

I've got the same issue :( Mine is an automatic and has a 998cc engine and it's really slow. Gotta give her some time to make it up a hill. Been thinking about seeing if I could get a manual Classic Mini but I don't know if I want to get rid of my BB.

 

So buy a 2nd Mini with the powertrain that you want, spend a couple weekends swapping the engine/trans across the cars, then sell the original with the 998/auto. Problem solved

 

Just want to get a view point on another approach:

Why not rebuild the current engine (at the same time switch to a 4-speed), and bore out the cylinders and put in larger pistons, etc., etc.? Instead of putting in a new engine.

 

it is amazing what you can do with a 998, they are very strong engines. looks into it.

 

That's what I imagined, figured if you do the right things than the results would be there. (wouldn't be an A+ engine but it would still perform).

 

Good point. I'll look into it. Thought it might be easier to drop in a 1275 with tranny than rebuild but maybe not

 

Would require probably a lot less work. But it would cost a lot less to rebuild, especially if you really look at the engine...there isn't much to them.


Or you could spend the $5,200 for the MiniMania 1430cc Stage 3 kit

 

might be the same expense to built up your 998 and to buy a stock 1275. the thing is you can get more performance out of the hoped 998 then a stock 1275. since you have a 998 I might go that route. You can put a turbo and or a super charger on a 998 without to much worry. You have to me very careful if you do that to a 1275. I am sure other people can tell you more. I know a guy putting a built up 1071 in a race car. You would think a 1275 would be better but some people know what they are doing.

 

Yeah I've looked supercharger kits. But pretty pricey with shipping from the UK...2k or so.

I've also looked at MINI Speed's Stage III kit. But first I got to get rid of this automatic tranny

 

this discussion has turned similar to

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...c-engines.html

IMO. once you start comparing modified engines to non-modifieds things get very fuzzy very fast. I'll again refer to MiniWorld with its regular column of dyno tests. In the summer issue of this year you find a handful of 1275s with minor mods pulling in the neighborhood of 50 HP and a 998 with a supercharger hitting 74 . . . while a 1275 A+ with mods but no blower on an SU HIF44 also pulling 74 . . . SO MANY variables. There is no clear answer to this question. But I'm reminded of one recurring statement when I research setting up a Mini with SU carbs .... it can only be done correctly by having the car on a dyno, and finding the right needle; which usually means you need an SU expert right there. And finding one of those in the US is a wee bit of a problem

 

My mini started with a 998 and i was in the similar position as you guys...... when i looked into to it i found that the cost of building up a 998 and 1275 were the same and you got more out of the 1275 in the end. so that was the deal maker for me.


you could always buy some bolt on parts "go fast" for you current 998 and swap them over to a 1275 later when time and money permits it.

if i was in your position, i would just pick up another front subframe (for a manual transmission) with a 1275, take my time and build it up the way i like it (this way you could also do some upgrades to the front end and a drum to disc brake conversion if needed as well). i would still drive the mini with the 998 while this is happening and when ready, just swap subframes (it's not that hard and the haynes manual is quite helpful)

 

If you can do the work yourself, you can put a supercharger on the 998 (even with an auto trans - it doesn't care) and it will significantly improve the performance, especially the torque. The cost for the parts is about $2k (from England) and it does require pulling the head to put a spacer gasket under it to lower the compression ratio. That might give you a win/win deal so your wife would continue to drive the classic too.

Remember, putting a stick where an auto used to live is a lot of work, and a lot more than just changing the tranny. You also need to add the new pedals with the clutch master cylinder, and run the lines. You need to change out the shift quadrant, there may be some differences in the motor mounts and on and on. If you're keeping the 998, you won't see that much of an improvement - oh and you'll need to change the flywheel, add a clutch to your engine etc. Larger wheels would be the wrong way to go BTW, it would make things worse.....like having taller gears.

Likewise, if you decide in the future to go to the larger engine, the supercharger can go to the new engine too, all you'll have to do is change the carb jetting a bit.

Theres nothing inherently wrong with having an automatic, it has the same number of ratios as the manual - four - but it does suck up some power, and the torque converter slip isn't helping you a lot. I don't know if anyone in your area is an expert on those transmissions, but it could be a simple adjustment to the linkage to get it to kick down into third, unless the engine's already wound up too high at that speed to allow the kick down.

The simplest and easiest way to get more power and performance is to sell this car and buy a 1275 stick - but it might not be the most cost effective.

We have similar discussions on new MINIs too, ie: folks who buy a Justa Cooper and the first thing they want to do is add a supercharger to get more power. Since the factory already builds a supercharged car, I always advise them to simply buy one of those - your situation is a little different since you can't readily go to the market and buy a factory supercharged Mini, but you can readily find a stick shift 1275 car, already done by the factory - that's always the better choice IMHO.

 

All great comments and points. I originally bought this Auto 998 because a) appeased the wife and b) the plan was eventually to do a vtec swap. I figured having an Auto woldnt really affect a vtec swap. Since I got the car the charm of the original motor made a lot of sense to me and has taken me down this path. Sure, getting a 1275 MINI makes more sense, but cars are more emotional than logical for me. And this little guy has a place in my heart now. I couldn't just replace it.

To that end, I've been talking to Stuart Gurr at vmaxscart.co.uk about a supercharger for my MINI as well as looking at the Stage 3 kits from MInispeed. I figure the supercharger makes more sense since I can reuse it if I do swap motors later.

Though I am a little concerned since I have never taken off a cylinder head before whether I can do it myself or not.

 

I've had the heads off several different engines ... the good news is this may be the easiest head to remove. There's not a lot of "stuff" in your way, no need to pull the engine (yikes!) and no overhead cam and associated timing chain issues.

You can do this!

 

Hey Kymummer, I noticed on your signature you have the 72 mini in small print. Put the 72 on top in large print. sorry to get off topic