Hi All,
I am going to have to rebuild the Fiat Twin Cam engine in my Marlin Roadster due to the ever worsening big end rattle. Can anyone suggest a good but cheap, perhaps I should say value for money, engine rebuild company/person in the Bristol-ish area.
The engine originally came from Avanti motorsport in Street, Somerset and they have quoted £1800 for a complete rebuild (Hurley Engines in Bath quoted £3000!!! :o). I am if necessary able to do the disassembly and reassembly myself and just get the machining done but want to know my options.
It was suggested at the last club meet that I replace it with a more modern engine - Zetec / mx5, but this would require a lot more work in the re-engineering department. Also, the Marlin has a very small engine bay so body modifications would be needed.
However, if anyone has any advice or suggestions on rebuild versus engine swap then bring it on!!
Try Tony Perks at Go-flow Engineering/Country Engineering (which he now owns). A very nice guy and really knows his stuff. He will at least give you a quote. His number is 01454 419866 or 07968 647389. You can find him on Facebook and via Google too. Have a look at his FB page, lots of nice pics that show the standard of work he does.
Had the Hood engine completely rebuild at JB racing Holcombe, including head rework, racing pistons, re-bore, new complete bottom-end, reground
crank, clutch, water-pump, oil pump, flywheel, carb rebuild .........etc..
£2,500 including dyno and rolling road.
£1800 is starting to sound like a good deal!!
first thing to decide is what is actually wrong with it. A big end rattle is usually able to be cured by a crank regrind and bearings which is not a huge job.
Usually big ends are down to low oil, oil surge or poor quality bearings. How many miles has it done since it was built?
I suspect the quotes you are getting is for a full rebuild, which would be about right, but if the engine was properly built in the first place it would not need everything else doing.
If all the machining and bits came to £500 I would be shocked unless they were specials made in the first place.
You can swap engines but why? Unless you want a lot more power what you have is a great engine and any engine swap will cost more than you think it will. Do not underestimate the job as it is the small bits that start to add up.
Any engine reconditioner who is a member of the FER will be able to do the machining work, just look at the website. I supply the reconditioners with bits so depending on where you are could get a recommendation for the work.
Great to have those contacts and numbers, I've aquired a 1600 xflow engine with 711M 6105 B34 block. I was told it was from a South African car or foreign any way.
We want to rebuild it stage 3 so all the numbers are good info.
Perhaps when the marlin gets its engine finished we can see the costs for reference, that would be great.