2.8l for 1975 MGB

[amcph]

Hi everyone, I sure would like some advice. I have a 1987 firebird with a 2.8l motor and an automatic transmission and I intend to install them in my 1975 MGB, I want to put a carburetor on the 2.8l as it is a big wiring job and a carb is more my generation. What I would like to Know is what would be the best manifold and carb combination to complete this task. Thanks in advance for any help you send my way.

[ezrollin]

I had an Offenhauser manifold and 4 bbl holley 390 with a 260 cam and it ran great but the offy is no longer available and the edelbrock manifold is over priced. You can get an early stock 2 bbl and use one of two downdraft weber carbs on it.

[BMC]

The most common carb conversion for the MGB with the 2.8, 3.1, 3.4L V6 is the Edelbrock lower intake, the custom 1" lower CNC upper intake and the 390 CFM carb.
You could go with the standard top half but there is no clearance and you cannot keep everything under the bonnet. Personally, I like keeping everything out of site on mine.

You'll actually find quite a few MGBs with the V6 conversion already complete such as mine: http://60degreev6.com/forum/garage_v..._vehicle&id=11
I know of at least one other listed out on this site.

-and far more info over on the mgexperience.net in the forums for all th bits and pieces your going to need to install the engine in your car. Heavy traffic on this particular install over there. Do a little digging there are you will find many different carb setups guys have done on a few of the stock and aftermarket manifolds.

Not to belittle 60degree!!! This is a fantastic site that has lots of engine specific info but carb questions are good to look into in both sites.

-BMC.

[amcph]

Hi BMC thanks for the info. I have a 1987 pontiac firebird 2.8l V6, looking on the internet it looks like an Edelbrock E112701 intake manifold will fit my motor, its a one piece manifold and looks lower than the one you suggested and I will see if I can pick up a 390CFM carb. Thanks for the information . Did you change the distributor on yours if so what type did you use?
Thanks Archie

[BMC]

Hi Archie,

I did a quick search for that manifold on google and came up with something for 1970's to early 1980s engines. The 2.8L was first used for model year 1980 which means that manifold is to something that will Not fit. There are only two options for the 4bbl manifold in the aftermarket. The first is the Offy, which they quit selling years and years ago. The second is the manifold i named above.

As for a distributor. What's a Distributor? Seriously, I am running a newer type system than yours and do not run one. Advanced distributors should have a distributor curved to what you need otherwise if your just trying to keep it on the cheap, pick one out of any non-california 82-85 S10, S15 or carbed Camaro/firebird. As soon as it has a computer and fuel injection, then the distributor is useless for your purpose.

Have a look at the thread above and see what you can regarding the engine type i used.

Also, there are several sites that are very specific regarding the "MG V6" as well as a couple great forums such as mgexperience.

I really appreciate 60degreev6.com and want to see it grow but the majority of information taken out of here is engine building. What you need for what your doing is information specific on pulleys that fit in a certain body style, mountings and other items that have been answered in detail over the last number of years on that site.

Also, make sure to look up MGBs on this site that have conversions. I know of myself and Scott, but not certain if any more have joined here as of yet.

[amcph]

Hi BMC, thanks for the reply I also checked with Edelbrock and they said the same thing but some sites such as car-stuff.com, autoparts warehouse and US Auto parts state on their web sites that the E112701 intake manifold would fit a Pontiac Firebird 2.8L v6 (1987). The E112701 is just their number for a 2701. As reguards the distributor it is not a matter of doing it cheap ,I would like to do away with the computer and the distributor is more my background as I have been retired for about 6 years now.
Thanks Archie

[cardot33]

you're going to want a vacuum advance distributor, they're easy to find on the carbed 2.8s. they have a vacuum line hooked up to them. it hooks up to a metal circle that acts as a diaphragm if I'm not mistaken. the vacuum serves as a way to advance the timing as the engine rpm increases. entirely mechanical, no computers needed.

[lampy]

the S 10's came with carbs, you can check the family tree to find what years had them. The intake,carb and dist. from an S 10 would make for an easy swap, not a performance upgrade but an easy swap. The iron head motors just dont put out the ponies the later aluminum head FI motors do. The 2.8 can be stroked to 3.1 easily for more cubes plenty of threads on this site about that.

[BMC]

Hey Archie,

Never too late to learn FI but if your going to stick with carb, read far more over where I mentioned previously:

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/list.php?40

Do a search for carburetor, 4 barrel, distributor and other stuff. Since the majority of posts there are regarding the MG swap and the MG provides some clearance issues that you do not find in most modern cars, it would be wise to have a large cup of coffee and spend a few hours a day learning and looking at projects that we have built over there.

If you don't care about outer sheet metal, then just run what you find, but if you want everything to sit below and remain incognito, reading will save time and skinned knuckles.

Our shop is deeply immersed in the MGV6 conversions, parts and service. Most of our postings and postings from many other MG guys have found their way to the MGE board as well.

As far as distributor if your going to want the best, I can recommend someone who will recurve it to the needs of your MGB, not the original curve for the heavy S10 or Camaro.

-BMC.

[amcph]

Well thanks for the advice guys I will have to sit back and do some more reading before I deside which way to go so that I will not have to retrace my steps once I get started.Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Archie

[BUTRNUT79]

I'd say the first place to go if you want to put a 2.8 V6 in an MGB is... Classic Conversions... at https://www.britishv8.org/Sponsors/C...onversions.htm Talk with Bill Guzman...he knows everything there is to know about installing a 60 degree V6 in an MGB and has been an enormous help with my 2.8 Chevette project. www.cardomain.com/ride/511840

[BMC]

(CCE) Bill and (BMC) I have been working together for many years and we both sponsor British V8. http://www.britishv8.org/sponsors.htm

What you may be missing is that although the Br_V8 website is a great place to go, you will find thousands more posts on the GM 60 degree V6 at mgexperience than you will on BritishV8. They are two great sites. I cannot even begin to post about the MGE since there is so much. For the Br_V8 site, you can go to the how it was done section to see completed cars including 2.8L GM V6 engines.

-BMC.