Rover V8 from 4x4 to Car

[JordanTurbo]

Hi guys.

I have a Land Rover Discovery 2 fitted with the 4ltr "Thor" Rover V8. It has a few issues resulting in the engine needing to be replaced. Now a new engine from the likes of Turner Engineering or RPI is not cheap but I've had an idea that will make the price easier to swallow.

I have two young boys that I am planing to build a kit car with when they are a bit older.

My plan is bite the bullet, buy the new engine and fit it to the Discovery now. Then in 5 or 6 years time when we move on from the Disco, the engine can come out and go into the kit after a refresh.

Now here's the question.....

Obviously in the discovery the engine is set up for pulling and low down torque, not really ideal for a kit car. Am I right in thinking a change of camshaft, new management, and maybe a new inlet manifold with shorter runners, should be all that's really needed to turn it into something more suited to it's new home?

Are there any major differences between the RV8s in Land Rovers and their counterparts in TVRs etc... that will scupper my plan? I can't see any on the face of it.

Thanks in advance
Jordan

[Chuffmeister]

It depends which RV8 TVR you're referring to TBH.

I would suggest ported and flowed heads, larger valves, different cam (and possible pocketed Pistons), 45mm intake and trumpet base, larger injectors, lighter flywheel, heavy duty clutch, skimmed heads for higher compression, aftermarket ECU to ditch the AFM restriction and dizzy etc and a proper map.

Check out the V8 Developments website for a few ideas!

[clive f]

Chuffmeister said:

It depends which RV8 TVR you're referring to TBH.

I would suggest ported and flowed heads, larger valves, different cam (and possible pocketed Pistons), 45mm intake and trumpet base, larger injectors, lighter flywheel, heavy duty clutch, skimmed heads for higher compression, aftermarket ECU to ditch the AFM restriction and dizzy etc and a proper map.

Check out the V8 Developments website for a few ideas!

that pretty well sums it up.

[JordanTurbo]

Thanks guys.

I'm happy with engine tuning in general, I mainly wanted to check there isn't anything fundamental in the Land Rover RV8s (head design etc...) that would make it a dog in a car application.

The engine I'm going to buy will be 4.6ltr with flowed heads, stupid not to when throwing money at it.

It'll also be built with high compression pistons because it'll be running LPG in the Discovery.

[anonymous-user]

TBH, the old Rover V8 has never been, nor will ever be a high reving "big power" engine. Sure, you might fit a less aggressive cam for an engine going into a large 4x4 than you could into a kit car, but in reality, it won't make that much difference, because the engines are all done by about 6500rpm really anyway.......

[blitzracing]

There is a multitude of cams out there- but certainly the stock cam runs out of breath far too early for a light weight kit car. At its most basic you can slot in a moderate cam like a Piper 270 (bit soft but a nice idle), or better the MC1, or typhoon, and you are looking at 200 BHP plus with stock heads, and a decent increase in peak power RPM. The ECU is a pain- the 14CUX is cracked now, so you can readily get chips with speed limiters and rev limiters removed, plus the TunerPro freeware can be used remap the car, or just use a TVR map as a good starting point. That days of a £400 ECU chip as no one else knew how to map these things is no longer a pre requite if you want more BHP. Mind you stick with the LUCAS Sagam GEM ECU and you are stuffed- no freeware or open source software for these. Otherwise go aftermarket- plenty of choice like Emerald, Canems, and megasquirt.

[JordanTurbo]

Thanks again guys.

I understand the RV8 is never going to be a high reving monster. If I wanted that I'd be looking at bike engines.

Before this idea I was originally thinking of using an s2000 or BMW straight 6 engine.

The RV8 wouldn't be my first choice for a light kit car, but I can't see it being a "bad" one if I already have the lump available.

Considering the 4.6ltr runs ~220bhp standard in the P38 Range Rover. Would it be too much to ask to get say, 270 odd from the following?

> 4.6ltrs
> 10.5:1 (ish) compression ratio
> Gas flowed heads
> More road based cam
> Aftermarket management
> New inlet with shorter runners
> Decent exhaust manifolds

Undecided on which kit to go for but hope to end up with somthing around the 700-750kg mark.

Edited by JordanTurbo on Saturday 16th May 22:52

[Chuffmeister]

Add a turbo or supercharger. An aftermarket ECU is probably better for this and boost is also better suited to a normal cam apparently.

Chasing normally aspirated horses is always going to be expensive in comparison.

[ch427]

In standard form it will push a 750 kg kit car down the road very well, i wouldnt worry too much or it might be a lot for them to handle.

[blitzracing]

^^ This- my 850kg Ginetta with about 230 BHP is quite scary enough with so little weight (and therefore flimsy) on the twisty stuff. Even a TVR weights around 1/4 of a tonne more to keep it pressed to the the road.

[Pupp]

One of the quickest things off the line I have ever seen was a 7 style Westie with a very mild 3.5 in it; might well have run out of puff top end but no-one ever got close enough to it to see

[CarsOrBikes]

I have an SL500 (W230) engine out of a 1yr old car with 6k here with wiring, plenum, all injection and plugs etc, less starter, a/c, mounts. 306bhp standard. Had same idea but it's been here almost ten years in a barn.