Road Essex - Roller Rockers and/or Cam ?

[Electron]

Hi,

So my diy Essex engine is progressing.

+60 Pistons
Standard heads
40 Weber
tubular exhaust manifolds
steel cam gear + new cam bearings
electronic ignition

The question is what cam to use ?? The cam has to be ...

Road tractable
Idle sub 1k
Pull cleanly from 1.5k

One thought is to keep the existing cam but fit 1.5 roller rockers ???

I assume this will keep the same duration as the standard cam but give me a bit more lift ??

I intend using Chevy 350 3/8" roller rockers at £37 which is a £200 less than a cam + followers.

Thoughts from the panel ??

[Slow M]

Electron said:

Hi,

So my diy Essex engine is progressing.

+60 Pistons
Standard heads
40 Weber
tubular exhaust manifolds
steel cam gear + new cam bearings
electronic ignition

The question is what cam to use ?? The cam has to be ...

Road tractable
Idle sub 1k
Pull cleanly from 1.5k

One thought is to keep the existing cam but fit 1.5 roller rockers ???

I assume this will keep the same duration as the standard cam but give me a bit more lift ??

I intend using Chevy 350 3/8" roller rockers at £37 which is a £200 less than a cam + followers.

Thoughts from the panel ??

Preliminary thoughts:
1. Will those Chev 350 rockers really work?
Ratio is one thing, length is another and the wrong length can screw up the geometry terribly.
2. Why not modify the heads?
At least for better breathing if you won't touch the combustion chambers?
What compression ratio will you have with std chambers &.060 pistons?
3. The increased ratio roller rockers will act as a hotter cam.
They will increase ramp velocities, lift, & duration@.
This may make higher load valve springs desirable.
Are no-lead seats in yet?
4. Cam GEAR or sprocket?
I like cam gears!!
Either way, look for an adjustable one.
5. 3 x 40mm Weber
This is as close as you can get to petrol injection.
What series are you considering?

Sounds like you're having fun.

Best of luck,
B.

[Electron]

The idea is to get a reasonably priced civilised road tractable engine.

The pistons are 9.8:1's

The heads are diy cleaned up with new stainless valves.

I've seen another engine with these Chevy roller rockers and the South Africa tuning community have used them regularly ...

I don't want to go down the triple route as the engine will be used for long journeys where economy is sort of important ...

I'm using standard TVR manifolds ... would different manifolds make much difference ??

Thanks

Chris

[Electron]

Ooopppsss missed one piece ... Classic Road Rallying where it has to be close to standard ie no triple webers or fuel injection or 302's :-)

[Jasper Gilder]

I've got triples on mine and it does 27MPG on a run

[TVR_owner]

Jasper Gilder said:

I've got triples on mine and it does 27MPG on a run

I've got triples on mine and it does 4,5 MPG when it gets a run

[Electron]

I guess I should look at fitting the fuel injection then ..





It's the old mechanical stuff ... seems a shame to fit modern injectors and an Emerald but otherwise I fear its going to be a coffee table or something ...

[heightswitch]

Electron said:

I guess I should look at fitting the fuel injection then ..





It's the old mechanical stuff ... seems a shame to fit modern injectors and an Emerald but otherwise I fear its going to be a coffee table or something ...

Porn alert.
porn Alert.
Someone has just posted indecent pictures.

MMMMM!


N.

[Electron]

Neil,

Made in Wales :-)

Chris

[heightswitch]

Electron said:

Neil,

Made in Wales :-)

Chris

Is that a Lucas Tecalemit set up??

N.

Edited by heightswitch on Wednesday 1st July 22:37

[Slow M]

You should use that even if only for the aspect of being so rare.
B

[Electron]

Yossir,

I have the full kit .... swirl pot, pumps, metering, manuals etc

The five fuel injected Gilberns all had them factory fitted and then factory replaced.

Apparently Peter de Savary and his brother were two of the customers/victims. It never really worked.

I've never seem them on a TVR ??

Anyone know of a **really really** good Tecalemit expert and I might be brave otherwise the Emerald route with sleeves in the throttle bodies for modern short injectors might be have to be considered for Phase II - Phase I will definately be single 40.

And yes it looks like confession time .... this Essex may be for the "Welsh Project" :-) but cross pollenation never hurts :-)

[TVR_owner]

Electron said:

Yossir,

I have the full kit .... swirl pot, pumps, metering, manuals etc

The five fuel injected Gilberns all had them factory fitted and then factory replaced.

Apparently Peter de Savary and his brother were two of the customers/victims. It never really worked.

I've never seem them on a TVR ??

Anyone know of a **really really** good Tecalemit expert and I might be brave otherwise the Emerald route with sleeves in the throttle bodies for modern short injectors might be have to be considered for Phase II - Phase I will definately be single 40.

And yes it looks like confession time .... this Essex may be for the "Welsh Project" :-) but cross pollenation never hurts :-)

Chris,
With the quite mild set up you have, the 40DFI should be fine (Weldh project or owtherwise ). I dont see any outright power gains being given with a triple weber set-up or PI. PI when running well may drive better.

[Electron]

Thanks

To answer the original question I'm going for a Kent KCV63 cam. Using roller rockers apparently means special pushrods and lots of fiddly (read risky for Mr Fat Fingers)setup.

Oh Mr TVE Owner as well as moving picture walk on parts you're also famous on the Gilbern forum for the Essex exhaust manifolds :-) !!

180 flywheel bhp is what we're aiming for and I'll report back ..

[TVR_owner]

Electron said:

Oh Mr TVR Owner as well as moving picture walk on parts you're also famous on the Gilbern forum for the Essex exhaust manifolds :-) !!

Chris,
I'm sure 180 fly will be a breeze.

I hope they only said nice things about my exhaust manifolds....I've looked on the forum on PH? (paranoid....) but couldnt see anything. Any chance of posting a link please?

[Electron]

The PH Gilbern forum is the least active of any forum. I asked it be expanded to 50's & 60's Fibreglass to include Fairthorpes Rochdales Warwicks Elvas etc but to no avail

The manifold conversation is in a closed Gilbern Forum for 3 Litre cars (Genies and Invaders)so the link will be disappointing :-) It was however very positive but a little OTT for the Gilbern community :-)

Some obvious Gilbern and TVR names appear on the South African Essex Tuning Forums as well !!

Hopefully you're enjoying the dizzy stardom

[TVR_owner]

Electron said:

Hopefully you're enjoying the dizzy stardom

I am enjoying the racing thanks Chris. I just wish I was a little younger and had a healthy bank balance to fund it all - just wishing is not enough apparently...

LAst time out I was smacked by a Tuscan and recorded a DNF - became an overnite also ran.... Car is now with Colin Blower sorting suspension, doing some further development work (and sorting the damage).

Next photos post CB maybe of interest if a little restrained after the exhaust.

[GAjon]

It's a shame you dont get to see roller rockers, they are pretty rock & roll



Apologies for the blurry photo'

[heightswitch]

Now your just showing off


And they're Blue!!

N

Edited by heightswitch on Friday 3rd July 20:08

[DavidY]

Electron

Sounds a very similar engine spec to my old one:-

Powermax HC Pistons
Kent V63
Vulcan Big Valve Head
Single Weber 40DFI + Custon K&N Filter (to fit under bonnet)
Tony Law Exhaust Manifold

You'll make 180bhp easily. I should have fitted rocker-rollers but went over budget at the time! Engine 27K miles of which over 4000 on track days or sprinting/etc before I pulled a couple of rocker studs out the head on the back straight at Goodwood. The only straight where I could pull 'max rpm' in top for a long period!

Wasn't very tractable below 1,000rpm, but ok from about 1200 upwards, power really came in 3000-4000rpm. The exhaust made a huge difference to mid range power

davidy