What's my engine?

A-series Metro

The older Metro's from 1980 to 1990 have the BMC A-Series engine. It was fitted in either 998cc (1.0L) or 1275cc (1.3L)

The MG 1300

The MG Metros sport an alloy rocker cover and larger air box which unless swap for a aftermarket air filter.

The MG Turbo

If your looking over a Metro and have doubts about it being a real Turbo, the Metro Turbo has is cylinder shaped black air box next to the front left head lamp as pictured. The washer reservoir is now moved into the boot as the air box has taken its place. It also has a plenum chamber on the carburetor at the back of the engine bay instead of the air box like the other A-series variants.

Rover K-series Engines

The 8 valve Carburetor engine

Can also can be referred to as carb for short.

The K-series Carburetor engine is easy to tell as when you lift the bonnet it has a large circular air box above the engine. From inside the car its the only K-series Metro to have a manual choke cable. It was available in 1.1 and 1.4. The Carburetor K-series does not have a ECU.

The 8 valve SPi (Single Point Injection)

The Single point injection have a triangle shaped air box above the engine. It also has a automatic ECU control choke function.

If you have any injection Metro, when you got to start it its best to let the fuel pump prime by leaving the ignition on position 2 with the red lights showing. This only takes about 3 to 4 seconds to build the fuel pressure up and then start it. This will put less wear on the engine components such as the starter motor.

The 8 valve MPi (Multi Point Injection)

Same 8 valve engine but with a totally new silver alloy inlet manifold to the rear of the engine. The air box is now moved to the left side of the cars engine bay next to the battery. The cam cover at the top of the engine is now not covered by any cold air take tubes as featured on the Carb and SPi versions.

The MPi 8 valve engine has the later (Mems1.9) type ECU which is now laid flat with a new aluminum case which has the distinctive cross pattern. Not seen on picture but the 8v MPi coil is now under the inlet manifold instead of under the left head lamp on all other K-series Metro's and Rover 100's.

The 16 valve SPi (Single Point Injection)

Very similar to the 8valve Single Point Injection engine but the top of the engine now has a large head to house the twin camshafts instead of a single to give 16v. The air box is the same as the 8 valve versions. This engine is found in the GTa 16v and some early GTi 16v Metro's. The 16v SPi engines all has the words Twin cam 16v as part of the molding to know you had some a bit special when new.

The picture below shows the 16v SPi cam cover with cold air intake removed. Note the Twin cam and 16 valve is an easy give away that its a 16v engine. Also the HT High tension leads are and spark plugs are now in the centre of the cam cover and also have their own cover with Rover logo.

The 16 valve MPi (Multi Point Injection)

This was the most powerful engine to be fitted by the factory to the Metro. It has 103 BHP and was fitted to most of the GTi 16v Metros.

The above picture shows a early 16v MPi engine as it has the alloy inlet manifold which is at an angle to the engine. The MPi also has a level cam cover with no indent or cold air intake pipe covering it. Please note this picture shows a aftermarket air filter which is is not standard to avoid confusion as the plastic black air box has been removed.

A nose to nose picture of a Black GTi 16v SPi left and a Red GTi 16v MPi.
Easy to see comparisons between the inlet manifolds and air filters.

Diesels

I'm sure your know if you have a diesel or not, but heres a picture for anyone else if they stumble across one in a breakers yard for example. It uses the PSA TU engine which is labled on the air box to the rear of the engine as TU Diesel. This engine is also found in Peugeot 106 Citroen Saxo and maybe the Citroen AX which can help in sourcing parts. The Metro diesel version comes in 1.4 and the Rover 100 diesel was upgraded to 1.5. Diesel engined Metro's and Rover 100's were the only models fitted with under bonnet sound proofing.

Below is a picture of the Rover 115 Diesel Engine, the Inlet and air box have be changed as well as the increase in CC.