Reassembling the Barn Sprite 948cc A-Series Engine

Today I reassemble the 948cc A-Series Engine for Barn Sprite #5.
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This Week With Cars - Episode 0126
#MG #MGTD #EngineRebuild

[@joannaatkins822]

It's always a delight to watch you work. I learn a great deal and always appreciate your attention to detail and simple explanations

[@johndavey72]

Brilliant Steve ! I can tell this isn't your first "A" series rebuild. And using the ballpein ........what IS he doing ? Well, everyday's a school day ! 😂😂 How many times have l struggled with a blade and then pulled the whole lot off ! I've just watched a repeat of "Bangers and cash" (English TV series) you'd love it . They had a Cooper "s" racer for sale . The engine cost £25 k !!! 😨😨😨 Thanks Steve . Very enjoyable .

[@matthias4428]

Hi Steve, thank you for your report: you prove reassembling an A-Engine is no rocket science! Great... if I‘ll have to rebuilt my Sprite‘s engine I will give you a call... greetings from Stuttgart, Matthias

[@G1NZOU]

These videos are so clear and comprehensive, I'm trying to get a Wolseley Hornet running, 998cc A-Series engine, and eventually I'd love to own a Sprite, so teardowns and reassembly videos like this are so helpful.

[@eggy1962]

Nice job steve, those thermostat housings have always been a pain either broken studs or fractured housings, its good fun replacing the flexihose between the pump and head when they rot out, i dropped mine in hot water which helped compress it enough to fit on a fitted motor.

[@cr10001]

That $%^^%$& hose! Only thing BMC did worse was driving the (marginal-sized) oil pump off the back end of the cam.

[@eggy1962]

@@cr10001 manufacturers still do stupid stuff like making oil pump integral with engine ( GM / Vauxhall ) 44k miles and beginning of the end for that 1400 cc motor.... i got rid of car.

[@cr10001]

@@eggy1962 Ouch! Yes that would really have me cursing. At least on the A-series you could fit a beefier oil pump from a later series car, provided it had the right cam drive (early ones used a pin and slot, later ones used an adapter and star drive. That little adapter was another classic aaargh! when you notice it lying on the bench after the motor is back in the car moment. Fortunately never happened to me :) I liked the Ford Kent oil pumps - bolted on the outside of the block, easy to change so, by a sort of inverse Murphy's Law, never gave me any trouble.

[@eggy1962]

@@cr10001 it was the first question i asked my vauxhall trained mechanic, unfortunately as well as being internal it was integral to the engine meaning a rebuild....imo a bad design, so we part ex it for a 2 yr old toyota yaris hybrid which we have had now 5 years, its been totally reliable, better made full stop.

[@ozranch9479]

I know zip about little British cars, still very interesting.

[@ianburit3705]

I used to race minis with the same basic engine, got fed up blowing them up looking for more power, until i found out why the quicker cars went quicker, there standard plastic screen washer bottles held methanol feeding there carbs at race revs operated by the windscreen washer switch- lol..

[@sweetpeaz61]

Enjoyed that! ive built many A series over the years..little nod to a wise man..i found sometimes the front crank seal in the timing chain cover can leak slightly..annoying drip..if you put the crank pulley on before tightening up and timing case bolts it will centralise the seal to the crank perfectly, once a couple of bolts nipped you can remove it to do all the bolts up. Great channel love your cars :)

[@daveshongkongchinachannel]

Thanks Steve, that was an absolute joy to watch.

[@lloydgreen4091]

Another Great Informative video Steve. I really Appreciate the Time & Effort You put into these How To vids. Very Helpful to a guy like me that will have to be doing this shortly. A Very Big Thank You.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Thanks 👍

[@Radfordperson]

Fitting the timing cover, best to fit the gasket and cover, not tighten up the securing bolts, temporarily fit the pulley (so to centralise the oil seal), tighten the bolts the bolts that are accessible, remove the pulley to tighten the bolts that are not accessible. Failure to do this might result in an oil leak.

[@ianburit3705]

wise words of advice

[@_Brad_D]

Beat me to it!

[@strokenumber3]

I have fitted that hose many times, and Mini's were the worst: Butter knife with a little oil smeared on it was the technique we ere taught. In those days it was just a regular shape hose, no concertina function. And yes, it was a pain of a job.

[@Radfordperson]

I found that the concertina ones failed quite quickly, best use the original type.

[@MegaDirtyberty]

Ah yes THAT hose, have fitted a few myself.

[@Pete-in-Essex]

Good Stuff as usual. That A series engine, has probably never heard an impact wrench before. 🙄

[@chrisskelhorn5727]

The easiest way of replacing the bypass hose is to stick it in a vice and compress it overnight, then fit it the following day! put a smear of washing up liquid on the inside of the pipe to help it seat and seal! :-) Good video Steve! Thank you! :-)

[@Mike-we3rb]

Powder coat was mesmerizing

[@batterymakermarkii2654]

And the best thing of all...no major resurfacing needed...just like putting together a NOS kit

[@CharlieMetcalf]

You make it look real easy! :-) I really enjoy your videos, Keep them coming!

[@JBFromOZ]

Gday Steve! A tip for the front timing cover, put the pulley in before the timing cover bolts, to make sure the seal is perfectly centred up to the pulley, we also dowel the timing cover to the plate as belt and braces to ensure it doesn’t slide while being tightened up

[@kenem1946]

Thanks, Steve. Despite being past these major works, I enjoy these videos and the effort you put into them. 👍

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Thanks 👍

[@colinprice712]

If you use an 88C thermostat (instead of the original 82C), you will let the engine run a bit warmer - this reduced the condensation in the rocker cover (and the mayonnaise that builds up!) - also you get a better output from the heater..

[@lowellmccormick6991]

I wish this channel was available in 1971 when I bought my 62 Midget. Could you show the oil pump mechanism?

[@peternash6206]

and in 1967 when I had to save my 948cc engine and that was on an early MG Midget.

[@jfisk60903]

That looks great. I am really considering buying a sprite again. It was my very 1st car and it was the perfect ride for a 16 yo guy. Top down with my HS honey next to me. Made summertime magical. Nothing better then the sound of a nice running British sports car engine from the 60's.

[@brwlegge]

Great workmanship!

[@graemehunter5403]

I do like this old engineering. Brilliant Steve.

[@blackvulcan100]

Remember working on the A series engines, watching brought it all back. Such a simple design a 17 year old could pull them apart ( yes me ) They always leaked oil those side plates never kept dry.

[@geoffgreenhalgh3553]

Hi Steve, this looks like the engine that blew up. What a shame.

[@bloodreighn]

that permatex ultra black is ok, but I prefer to stay VERY far away from silicone based stuff in my engines, I prefer permatex Indian head, its much better in my opinion

[@chieft3357]

Some people may not know what you are doing with a ball peen hammer. I've made many gaskets like that.

[@evanpenny348]

My father too, with refrigeration gaskets. Even let me have a go at it. What fun.

[@137loller]

Thanks for the ball-peen hammer trick. I enjoy watching your projects.

[@richardsims1805]

Steve, Great rebuild of this Sprite engine. I like your methodical approach and clear explanations of what you're doing. Thanks.

[@ronbunker5778]

Nice!

[@lrcb40]

Mmmmm, Steve... GT6!

[@stratcat4450]

I sure hope we see that car in that future.

[@howardrewald9817]

I really love your garage how it is set up you need for nothing. Having all the right equipment to do the rebuild makes it all look so easy

[@jjmac3561]

Not a fan of those 'easy fit' pump to head hoses. They are more of a get you home temporary fix. Much better during a rebuild to cut a length of straight hose with dry fit of the head or new water pump. Then either lift off the head or the water pump and fit the straight hose and clips.

[@donmacdonald7758]

Did you learn those techniques from your dad? Nice re-build. Thanks from Georgian Bay.

[@radweld]

More of these please, that was great to watch.

[@johnclarke2553]

Beautiful!

[@mikeparrysatwat]

Did you win the lottery to afford that fantastic garage?

[@happyhermit2022]

Lovely job and really interesting thank you 👍

[@micheltebraake7915]

Clear explanation. Now wait for the first start of the engine. What is the story of the Triumph Spitfire GT6 in the background.

[@britinindy4255]

This video took me back 60 odd years to a time when I specialized in BMC A Series rebuilds. I wouldn't just rebuild them, I'd restore them to new condition or better. My own car was a 1965 Midget with Lenham bodywork, 1071cc motor, Reece-Fish carburettors and a 'warm' cam. Selling it was the worst thing I ever did. Love all your videos by the way.

[@gerin1946]

Hi Friend = lost my comments resume the points ---- copper paste on plug threads, manifold gaskets and bolts, on sump fiber joint , inside pulleys --- LINSEED OIL warm for all hard material gasket, 3 minutes soaking then only let oil drip off no wiping --- POROUS PAINT for all engine cast-iron block ---- PERMATEX copper spray flywheel housing on crankshaft, all bolts & nuts especially fitting in cast-iron parts ! WYNN'S friction proofing on crank-shaft, conrods, bearings, lower part of the piston when assembling ! best regards dear friend !

[@sblack48]

In the last video the old water pump seemed fine. Why did you end up replacing it?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Honestly because I had to steal the old one to finish Barn Sprite #2.

[@bobbailey7024]

Being pedantic, torque is "pounds/feet" not "feet/ pounds", (think of the metric version, Newton/metre, Nm). Feet/pounds refers to work, and involves distance - 33,000 ft/lbs per minute = one horsepower. Don't worry, though - nearly everyone gets it wrong. The little hose on the water pump is called the bypass hose. It's easier to put the bypass hose onto the water pump first, then slide it onto the tube from the cylinder head as you install the water pump, rather than lifting the cylinder head. It's a good idea to fit the crank pulley, (without the bolt), just to centralise the timing cover before tightening the bolts.

[@robertnehrbass7745]

Great video.What size pistons did you have to use after the rebuild?.This isnt the engine that in the Bugeye thats for sale now.?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

This is not the TD engine that I had to machine, I did not take the pistons out of this one. This is the engine for Barn Sprite #5, it is Barn Sprite #2 that is for sale right now.

[@TheAtheosForem]

Where did you get all the parts for the rebuild ? Thanks Have the same engine and have trouble finding them all for a decent price.

[@geordieron5864]

Steve, very very informative video. By following your step by step guidance anyone doing an A series overhaul would be a breeze.

[@scottiniowa1]

Thanks for the video!

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

We come here for motivation. The project over the last couple weeks has been to sort through all the engine components we have. They are mostly boxed up and ready to move to better storage. After that it is time to see about getting some of these engines back together.

[@johnquilter7620]

And what's your trick, if you have one, of keeping the rear scroll "seal" from leaking? Always an issue with the A series that's not in an FWD car.

[@jbonewitz]

Isn’t that left tappet cover on upside down? The Sprite has a draft tube connected to this pipe that travels downward to the bottom of the case, thus drawing a slight negative pressure, and venting the case. Perhaps this is a different arrangement.

[@jerryking7502]

Really wish you would have shown a lot more of that engine build....Not once did you show the back of the engine....how come?

[@motofish312]

WHY? THEY SUCKED THE FIRST TIME AROUND AND ALL THE ENGINEERING IN THE WORLD WON'T MAKE THEM ANY BETTER.....

[@cr10001]

That little head-to-water-pump hose was a great one for being forgotten when one put the head back on, followed by much cursing when that was realised. Also, it would occasionally leak or blow on the road. In that case you could (sometimes) get the corrugated hose (as Steve shows) and force it into place, but quite often the hose supplied was straight and the head would have to come off, which was a pain. And those aluminium thermostat housings were bad for corroding. But using bolts (as Steve suggests) rather than studs is a really good idea.

[@bobbailey7024]

Easier to remove the water pump to replace the bypass hose.

[@martinwarner1178]

Wow, watching a real pro. Brilliant project. Thanks.

[@jonhutchens9770]

Nice quality work. The 4 cylinder engines look like toys.

[@cyrilaspinall8152]

Cyril Aspinall From the UK. Hi Steve, It brought back a lot of memories watching your two videos . Do I detect a different engine block and sump pan on the rebuild? I worked a lot on the BMC engines in my younger days from the first Mini series to the MGB etc. I like your style of working, very professional. Are the parts for these old British cars easy to buy in the US ?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

That is the same block and pan...

[@Greggspies]

In the UK we call tappets, can followers, just sayin!

[@robertllr]

Come-on! Did you really paint the spark plugs??

[@bigfilsing]

Oh my word that's a GT6 Mk2 (maybe MK3) in the background I had a Mk1 in the late 80s in Holland . Great car

[@marcryvon]

Aaaah, nice job. But, hope you'll wire brush and paint the vacuum valve/actuator on the distributor ! As it is, it ruins the brand new look !

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

The distributor still has to be completely gone through, right now it is just plugging the open hole.

[@keystonekid7451]

Nice work Steve! Looks great.!! The only problem I see is that this video wasn’t long enough!! 👍. Can’t wait to see you fire it up and do the install! Could you please go over carb adjustment in fine detail when installing? Thanks man!

[@logcoatingservices]

Nice work.

[@tehammel]

Steve - What's the status of the GT6 behind you? I"m a Triumph guy!

[@promerops]

Me, too! Would love to see a video or two or three about that.

[@markhealy9361]

Super job!

[@gryfandjane]

Nice build! Spridgets rule... I’ve kept mine healthy for 25 years. It’s my “pet car.” ;-)

[@cr10001]

Steve may be the first person in history to use a torque wrench on the sump (oil pan) bolts :) 7 lb ft sorta says they're not too critical. Probably more significant to avoiding leaks is to make sure the gaskets are well seated and the awkward corners by the cork seals fit properly and have enough magic goop on them. :)

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Or maybe I have seen too many sump bolts broken off on these engines than I care to remember. The torque is small because the bolts are also small.

[@cr10001]

@@ThisWeekWithCars Yes, you're quite right. 1/4" UNC I think. Something I do bear in mind when tightening all small bolts. I believe Philips (the Dutch electrical manufacturer) once did a study that showed people tended to torque bolts up proportional to their size (diameter), whereas it should actually go with the square of the diameter. So they over-torqued small bolts and under-torqued big ones. But I applaud your care in assembling the engine, if I bought a used car I would hope the engine had been rebuilt by someone like you :)

[@Andrew-bv6qc]

can we see more of the gt6 in the background or a gt6 ?

[@scdevon]

I like these small displacement 4 cylinder engines. They seem one step larger than model / hobby engines that you can actually drive and enjoy every day.

[@dalamar6228]

Just a general question - when torquing down using an extension is it to use an impact extension or regular chrome vanadium type?

[@jjtaylor6380]

Your videos are great- informative and entertaining. Thanks for keeping these classic British cars on the road!

[@paulhall170]

Enjoyable, thanks Steve!

[@JourneymanRandy]

I like keeping them original too. Nice job on #5. Take care Steve

[@ВоваКуць-е1ъ]

Мне бы такой гараж

[@dwightcarlson7136]

How do you keep your media blast cabinet window 'clean'?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Tear offs

[@dwightcarlson7136]

@@ThisWeekWithCars is that a kind of removable plastic covering? Who sells it?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

@@dwightcarlson7136 this is where I get mine: www.tptools.com/Standard-Cabinet-Inner-Lens-Protectors,7881.html

[@praetorious]

You keep teasing us with that GT6. When are you going to do a video on it :)?

[@donwright3427]

Fond memories of vehicles with A series engines. That little hose is a pain to change.

[@BobSmith-rh5gv]

Thanks Great Video

[@julianthomson7398]

The front plates on these engines tend to bend so check before timing cover goes on.

[@SierraJohn]

Nice job on painting that engine.

[@makestufflearnstuff2386]

That's some shop you got there. Do you own a restoration business?

[@mikehamilton3833]

Doesn't get any better than that.

[@alterra9774]

What paint gun is that? Is it for powder coating

[@johndavey72]

Yes it is. It works on a positive negative principle . The objects are earthed out and the gun is positive . ( obviously a small voltage ) If you look closely you can see the powder is being drawn to the object ensuring total coverage.

[@tedloughrey6068]

Great vid. Love the GT6

[@davidives7997]

Excellent job.

[@julianthomson7398]

Nice gt6

[@chrisrutherford3862]

Nice Man

[@huggeyful]

Niceeeee

[@JG-mp5nb]

Nice GT6.

[@Mute_Nostril_Agony]

I thought so too. Not sure if its a standard colour. Every British guy Of A Certain Age is following your A Series rebuild step by step, remembering the times we did these same steps

[@btt.bnb.avaxbenqi6311]

14:33

[@eamonmchugh701]

Very interesting and good video Steve 👍

[@sarahmccuen7251]

Beautiful job

[@bobstride6838]

Looks absolutely fantastic!

[@earthstick]

When it comes to gaskets, could you get a sheet of metal of the right thickness and cut your own gasket out using your engine as template?

[@cr10001]

Metal gaskets wouldn't work, and no point anyway. The pressed-steel covers are never that accurately flat that they'd seal, unless you used a layer of thick gasket sealant (in which case, you *could* in emergency do away with the gasket). I believe some racing engines use steel head gaskets, but that's on a joint between rigid accurately-surfaced mating faces (block and head) and extremely carefully torqued-up bolts.

[@earthstick]

@@cr10001 Another material then like cork or paper. I mean could you cut your own gasket using your own engine as a template and thereby get a gasket that fits your engine correctly?

[@cr10001]

@@earthstick Oh yes, you could certainly cut your own gasket out of cork or paper. It can be quite tricky to cut it properly, though sometimes using a hammer as a marking-out device (like Steve did to trim the masking tape in the video) can help. I think it's possible to buy sheets of cork gasket material of various thicknesses.

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

How come the right- hand tappet cover seems to be fitted back- to- front ? Are you just messing with us ? :)

[@danpatterson6937]

I saw the same thing. Can't have been made to fit that way.

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

@@danpatterson6937 Yes I've seen pictures where they match. Strange...

[@cr10001]

I think BMC had two different designs of tappet cover, one that 'went in' and one that 'stuck out'. Also note the front cover has a breather pipe on it. But you can't fit either cover inside-out as the gasket seat around the edge would be wrong. I don't know if BMC ever used one of each type of cover on an engine, it's possible one cover on this engine got lost or bent and has been replaced with a 'spare'.

[@danpatterson6937]

@@cr10001 Good explanation; thank you.

[@vicmabus1532]

Just like new!

[@spellacy29]

Nicely done 😎

[@peteredwards9147]

Lovely job

[@dennisbranam3847]

Nice work!