Fast Marina Magazine

been offered an mgb b series engine from a 1968 car would this be any good to drop in to a marina ?? currently have a b series but could do with a rebuild soon

Lee it will fit perfectly, however there are a couple of things to think about;
1. It could just be a 3 main bearing engine rather than a 5 bearing engine, so the crank won't be as strong.
2. You'll need to fit the Marina backplate in order to mount the Marina gearbox.
3. Earlier MGBs used a different bigger spigot bearing in the back of the crank.
4. All MGBs used electric fuel pumps so you'll have to swap your Marina one onto it, or convert to an electric fuel pump.







Chris
www.marinacoupe.co.uk

MarinaCoupe wrote: 4. All MGBs used electric fuel pumps so you'll have to swap your Marina one onto it, or convert to an electric fuel pump.

You may also have to change the camshaft.

My Marina has an MGB block fitted and the camshaft didn't have the 'lumps' to drive a mechanical fuel pump, and the original one from the Marina block was useless.

£40 on a new Facet pump sorted the problem nicely, and you don't have to worry about ethanol in fuel wrecking your mechanical pump seals!

Peter Burgess (MGB tuning Guru) has a preference for the 1971-1974 18V chrome bumpered MGB engine or an early Marina if you can find one?

so for £50 worth getting then i already have an electric fuel pump to fit.

A 68 car is very unlikely to have the extra lobe on the cam, even though there is a cover plate where the fuel pump should fit.
It all depends on how much work you planned, or was it just a swap over.

Even a swap over is not quick, you need to change the front and back plates on the engine as the front engine mounts are different and the bell housing is different too.

was just planning on a swap over whilst i rebuild one

MarinaCoupe wrote:1. It could just be a 3 main bearing engine rather than a 5 bearing engine, so the crank won't be as strong.

If it's a genuine '68 engine it'll be a 5 bearing unit as the bottom end was upgrade on the B in '64

so is 5 main bearings better than 3 ??? need it for strength rather than ligthweight.

To paraphrase Tarzan,

"5 bearing good!"

"3 bearing bad!"

The more main bearings, the more punishment it will take. Have a read here - its an American article but a very useful history.

lee £50 for a engine humm is bound to have something wonge with it but a 5 bearings is better do you have it yet ?
if so get the head off and the sump and we will have a look at it i can get the rings and manis big ends from work no point just slapping it in ( is this for the Hughes cos you have not put a entry in ?)

Lee

If you don't go for this one, I put up a Marina B series in the classifieds the other day.







Chris
www.marinacoupe.co.uk

am going for it and will be doing a rebuild on it after i have done the hughes along with my other projects