Replacement engine

[gsx600]

Guys after looking around for replacement engines for my 350, I have found a few 400 / 450 from Chims etc.

Would there be much work to do to make fit due to serpentine pulleys, stripping manifolds of etc, has anyone on here done this.

Yes I already have SEAC front brakes and uprated suspension, would need new rear disk, bigger drive shafts from somewhere ( as mine apparently are the smaller ones) Would cooling be a prob - just replaced to a new single fan any other probs for DIYer ?

[kevinday]

IIRC the serpentine engines have different fittings for the ancilliaries such as the alternator. I have no doubt it could fit, but may be expensive and time consuming to do so. Is your 350 an early one or the later type with the better rear suspension? If an early one you may also run into problems when applying that much extra power to the road.

[shpub]

go to www.t-v-r-services.co.uk and look at the 520 story. Fitted a monster serp engine into a 390. Goes through many of the problems. The fettling is very time consuming because none of the ancillaries will fit, the cooling pipes are in the wrong place and so on. The enjection system is different and will need some mods. My experiences were worse because of the other chnages we made but it will give you a good idea.

[rev-erend]

Basically it's a big job - not for the faint hearted
but not impossible.

Probably why V8 Devs and others sell so many 4.6 kits..

[TaSmania]

Alternative is to get the chimp unit and swap the front end cover and injection - i.e. use only the base engine. Most TVR serp drive engines used the Discovery 1994+ Model year unit which still has the distributor so the cam in the engine is compatible with the standard 350 arrangement, if I remember correctly. Only other difference on the chimp serp lump is the fron cover has a crank driven oil pump which you'd loose going back to your front end which will have the double gear thiny driven off the bottom of the dizzy. The Chimp engine will be hot wire and yours will be flapper but if swapping the injection kit over it will run the engine but I wouldn't use it like this as the fuelling will be out. You'll need a flapper 400SE calibration for a 4.0 and a flapper 450SE calibration(Tune) for a 4.5 but it'd be best to get Mark Adams to have a re-tune on it Circa £350 - once you've done the conversion.
This route enables you to use your current ECU, engine wiring and coolant hose routings. However the hot wire and serp set up is generally better.
As Rev sais possibly the best route is to get a 4.6 short motor off V8 Devt and fit your exhausts, intake, and front end. For a fettled 4.6 with stg 2 heads and a 218 style cam plus a new base engine would be circa £3.5k.
Coolant perf'c is a question though as my SEAC (4.2 - big grunt stg3 & solid lift motor) uses a bigger radiator than my 350.
Tas

[gsx600]

Cheers for all the info guys
Found a low milage 4.0 pre serp for a reasonable price including injection,ecu,afm and loom,so it sounds as if this will be the easier way to go. not quite a bbw bit must be a bit better than a 3.5 at present. - I have a later type (89) so A frame should cope as well and everything else won't be too stressed out hopefully

Cheers

[waynester]

Quite interested in doing something similar, let us know how it goes. Good luck

Wayne

[kevinday]

Good luck!

[2 sheds]

Andy at APM Automotive is selling a pre-serp 500 rebuilt engine, 07740 723673,
Tim