The 1275cc A-Series High Performance Manual Book

Introduction     7
Using this book & essential information     11
Cylinder block     13
Which cylinder block?     13
Overboring     15
Stock bores are best     15
Extra head studs     15
Block planing     17
Ring to bore seating     17
Cylinder head gasket     17
Crankshaft     18
Which crankshaft?     18
Thrust washers/endfloat     20
Connecting rods     22
Which connecting rods?     22
Connecting rod crack testing     22
Connecting rod alignment     23
Checking piston pin fit     24
Summary     24
Pistons & rings     27
Cast pistons     27
Forged pistons     28
Piston to bore clearance     29
Piston rings     29
Cylinder block components - checking & preparation     30
Checking the cylinder block     30
Crankshaft checking     35
Checking connecting rods     35
Checking camshaft bearings     36
Lifters (cam followers)     36
Important component sizes     37
Engine balance     37
Camshaft & camshaft drive     39
High ratio rockers     39
Road camshafts     40
Racing camshafts     42
Camshaft drives     43
Camshaft timing     44
Cylinder head     46
Which head?     46
Aftermarket modified standard heads     48
Aftermarket cylinder heads     53
Valve maintenance     53
Filtration     54
Compression ratio     54
Cylinder head porting     57
Inlet ports     57
Exhaust ports     62
Valves, guides & valve springs     65
Large bore A-series engines     66
Valve springs for 1275cc engines     66
Summary     67
Valve guides     69
Valve springs     70
Valve collets/keepers/split locks & valve spring retainers     76
Rockers, pushrods & lifters     77
Rockers     77
Lifters     80
Rocker geometry     80
Pushrods     83
Pre-assembly tips     85
Cleaning oil galleries/staking plugs      85
Cylinder bores     85
Nuts for extra head studs     85
Securing head studs     86
Connecting rod little end side clearance     86
Camshaft rotational freedom     86
Setting up alloy rockers for offset valve guide heads     86
Timing chain sprocket alignment     87
Timing chain cover clearance     87
Camshaft sprocket clearance     88
Duplex timing chain tensioner     89
Timing cover fitting     89
Timing marks     89
Oil pump     89
Oil pressure relief valve     90
Water pump     90
Bypass hose     90
Carburettors & inlet manifold     92
Weber/Dellorto 45mm carburettors     94
Split 45mm Webers     96
Checking mixture     97
Inlet manifolds     100
Ignition system     102
Note on Ducellier distributors     107
Lucas electronic distributors     107
Sparkplugs     111
Sparkplug (HT) leads (wires)     112
Exhaust system     113
Flywheel & clutch     116
Flywheel and clutch types     116
Problems associated with taper mounted flywheels     117
Clutch problems with transverse engines     122
Release bearings/clutch actuation systems     126
Conclusion     127
Oil coolers     127
Initial start-up oil     127
Starting a newly built engine     129
The problem of valve seat recession and what to do about it     129
Fuel octane ratings     131
Engine tune-up     134
Index     143