Engine Mods to 850 Reliant

[Yoda]

hello all i posted a while ago looking for mods for my reliant 850cc trike
and got some very helpfull mods for my Engine
i am now looking for more tourque rather than extra high end power
and am willing to now have engine mods done.
the trouble is being a mechanical numpty i aint got a clue where to start or
what to do
so first question
1, is it possible to get more tourque from these engines (i know they used
to race them so i am assuming that this is possible at the moment)
2, what engine mods would be the most effective?
3 does anyone know where i can get these done in the Birmingham area?
the engine in question is a fully re-conditioned unleaded reliant 850cc lump
with a re-built reliant gearbox attached to a rialto Diff

Thanks for any further help or advice

Yoda

[Burgerman]

Post by Yoda
hello all i posted a while ago looking for mods for my reliant 850cc trike
and got some very helpfull mods for my Engine
i am now looking for more tourque rather than extra high end power
and am willing to now have engine mods done.

Hi mate!

You are going to be struggling.
Any conventional mod you make, that gives more power will increase the rev
range. This means less torque normally.

Post by Yoda
the trouble is being a mechanical numpty i aint got a clue where to start or
what to do
so first question
1, is it possible to get more tourque from these engines (i know they used
to race them so i am assuming that this is possible at the moment)

Most "race" mods aim for power, which usually means reving them harder.
This means less torque...
Torque comes from cubes (where you are limited) and compression ratio. and
mild cam timing etc.

Post by Yoda
2, what engine mods would be the most effective?

For torque?
Cubes (big bore - double it and you will have twice as much all things
remaining equal.

Nitrous, HUGE torque increases!
Turbos, lose torque at low RPM but improve it at high revs which is why they
make good power. (Torque x RPM = HP)
Bumping up the compression - Gains small amounts if your fuel can cope, and
you dont get detonation probs from your fuel.

Post by Yoda
3 does anyone know where i can get these done in the Birmingham area?

Not me...

Post by Yoda
the engine in question is a fully re-conditioned unleaded reliant 850cc lump
with a re-built reliant gearbox attached to a rialto Diff
Thanks for any further help or advice
Yoda

[Yoda]

Post by Burgerman
For torque?
Cubes (big bore - double it and you will have twice as much all things
remaining equal.

have you any idea how much further could you bore and 850 reliant out to?

Post by Burgerman
Nitrous, HUGE torque increases!

After reading your nitrous pages i was going to put that on
but after a trip from brum to scotland highlighted a few probs (i would have
to use quite a lot of nitrous to maintain the higher speeds..I Think)
i could get my trike upto 70mph
1st 2nd and 3rd woiuld rev hard but it seems to lack sufficient tourge to
increase the speed significantly in fourth (the revs are real low in 4th) (i
can get third to take it upto 65-70 mph)
would an increase in BHP solve this? (i am thinking that the tourqe would be
better as then fourth would have more pushing it low down in the revs) have
i got my reasoning right here

i was okayish on flat roads but as soon as i hit hills 4th could not cope
and i would have to rev it hard in third to maintain 65 -70 mph

i understand i am going to have to spend a bit of money on this, and if i
cannot get it done then i may have to consider having a shaft drive bike
engine fitted (if i have space) but i can see this costing a fair bit.

Yoda

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by Yoda
i understand i am going to have to spend a bit of money on this, and if i
cannot get it done then i may have to consider having a shaft drive bike
engine fitted (if i have space) but i can see this costing a fair bit.

Rover V-8. You know it makes sense.

[Fraser Johnston]

Post by Dave Plowman (News)

Post by Yoda
i understand i am going to have to spend a bit of money on this, and if i
cannot get it done then i may have to consider having a shaft drive bike
engine fitted (if i have space) but i can see this costing a fair bit.

Rover V-8. You know it makes sense.

But that would wreck the handling. Ha ha. Seriously though how can you go
past a turbo Hayabusa motor.

Fraser

[Burgerman]

Post by Yoda

Post by Burgerman
For torque?
Cubes (big bore - double it and you will have twice as much all things
remaining equal.

have you any idea how much further could you bore and 850 reliant out to?

Post by Burgerman
Nitrous, HUGE torque increases!

After reading your nitrous pages i was going to put that on
but after a trip from brum to scotland highlighted a few probs (i would have
to use quite a lot of nitrous to maintain the higher speeds..I Think)
i could get my trike upto 70mph
1st 2nd and 3rd woiuld rev hard but it seems to lack sufficient tourge to
increase the speed significantly in fourth (the revs are real low in 4th) (i
can get third to take it upto 65-70 mph)
would an increase in BHP solve this? (i am thinking that the tourqe would be
better as then fourth would have more pushing it low down in the revs) have
i got my reasoning right here
i was okayish on flat roads but as soon as i hit hills 4th could not cope
and i would have to rev it hard in third to maintain 65 -70 mph
i understand i am going to have to spend a bit of money on this, and if i
cannot get it done then i may have to consider having a shaft drive bike
engine fitted (if i have space) but i can see this costing a fair bit.
Yoda

You are about right.
Problem is that it is not a very powerful engine!
You could lower final drive a bit?

[MeatballTurbo]

In article <***@uni-berlin.de>, ***@blueyonder.co.uk
spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

Post by Yoda
1, is it possible to get more tourque from these engines (i know they used
to race them so i am assuming that this is possible at the moment)

I should imagine so, they have in the past been used to run as water
pump in deserts, where they plod along pulling up water, at very low
revs, where torque is most important.

Post by Yoda
2, what engine mods would be the most effective?

For Torque, a 4-2-1 exhaust manifold, and for the intake, a long intake
tract, Multi bike carbs on a longer manifold would work well if you can
keep them balanced, maybe even an up and over goosekneck type to keep
the carb/s inline with the engine instead of sticking out.

Post by Yoda
3 does anyone know where i can get these done in the Birmingham area?
the engine in question is a fully re-conditioned unleaded reliant 850cc lump
with a re-built reliant gearbox attached to a rialto Diff

Don't have a contact number, but I do know a firm called Autosport is
somewhere in Brum, they can do cam regrinds, flywheel lightening, and
crank and rod lighten and balances, and by all accounts where very
reasonable. ISTR some of the Skoda boys used them in the past, and it
was something like £60 for a crank balance and lighten, or a cam
regrind, and somewhere between £30 and £60 for a flyhweel lighten.

i would imagine they would do some headwork too. Might be worth
comparing someparts catalogues and see if you can go with a big valve
head using off the shelf parts from other cars, one of the lads did a
big valve conversion plus all the other stuff I mentioned and got 130BHP
from his Favorit 1.3 and it was still very drivable. He used Rover V8
valves and Ford Escort Valve springs I think.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Post by Yoda
1, is it possible to get more tourque from these engines (i know they
used to race them so i am assuming that this is possible at the moment)

In general, no. Even pretty old engines will near match modern ones for
peak torque output. And to make the spread greater without effecting
maximum BHP means variable valve timing.

The only way for a meaningful increase in torque is to increase the
capacity, or use forced induction. Or change the fuel used, of course. ;-)

[MeatballTurbo]

In article <***@uni-berlin.de>, ***@blueyonder.co.uk
spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

Post by Yoda
i am now looking for more tourque rather than extra high end power
and am willing to now have engine mods done.

BTW I think I mentioned before, have a look at Supercharging.

I'm sure the Liege kitcar uses a supercharged reliant lump?

That will give more power and torque throughout the whole rev range.

[Yoda]

Post by MeatballTurbo
BTW I think I mentioned before, have a look at Supercharging.
I'm sure the Liege kitcar uses a supercharged reliant lump?
That will give more power and torque throughout the whole rev range.

i did seriously take a look at supercharging it
But it was way to expensive
at least £500 for an old supercharger, then i would have to have a new
manifold made up, and then new carbs ..so i think its out of my
budget...unless anyone knows better? as i understand it supercharging puts a
lot less strain on the engine than other 'performance' mods..is this right?
(i could probably justify £600 to & £700, maybe a little more if it would
sort it all out)

Yoda

[Homer]

Post by Yoda
i did seriously take a look at supercharging it
But it was way to expensive
at least £500 for an old supercharger,

Have a look on ebay for Eaton superchargers, there always seems to be a
selection of them removed from delivery mileage Mini Coopers and sell for
about £130.
TBH if you want more torque, sell the car and buy something with a bigger
engine.

[Yoda]

Post by Homer
Have a look on ebay for Eaton superchargers, there always seems to be a
selection of them removed from delivery mileage Mini Coopers and sell for
about £130.
TBH if you want more torque, sell the car and buy something with a bigger
engine.

It is an adapted trike and because i am disabled it was built around my
disability so selling it is not an option.

Yoda

[Yoda]

ok i have found a company M & T Race Developments (just outside warwick) who
are going to have a look and make some suggestions
now are there any specific things i should ask or watch out for?
Cheers All

Yoda