VVC - advantage or disadvantage?

[S1X OK]

What is the consensus on the K Series 1.8 VVC?
I'm concerned Variable Valve Control might be an added complication - something extra to go wrong.
Is it a worthy option?

[Gingerbread Man]

Got one here. Adds a bit more as standard. As standard mine was 150bhp. Mines been tuned to ~175, but that's it's limit. Next upgrade to engine would be to remove the VVC aspect.

So good to a point, but then it has it's limits.

[coppice]

I had one- Trophy 160- in a Seven for about 15k miles and loved it. It didn't have the character or noise of smaller K engines but made up for that with a lovely torquey delivery and if revved hard it pulled like a train. No problems with mine (even though the engine was sourced from a breaker and had been a MG owned test car) and even pretty good on fuel. Limited upgradeability I read.

[mickrick]

I had a R300 VVC, a great little engine, lovely torque curve. I also understand the VVC head breathes better than a VHPD head?

[Murph7355]

If you're keeping it standard and not paying a hefty premium for it, go for it.

If you are intending keeping the car for a while, and therefore will one day fettle it, I'd get one without.

Nothing inherently wrong with the engine at all, just no point paying for something you may end up throwing away at some point.

[TeflonT]

The VVC has much larger valves than the std K, hence why it is used as the basis for many tuned engines. A VHPD is effectively a std head with VVC valves. It has slighty improved scope for porting also.

So the trick with a VVC head is to throw away the VVC bits and fit some fast road cams.

[S1X OK]

Thanks for the input so far. All useful information. I confess that I may be immune from Upgraditis that I read so much about, so might well live with whichever Seven I end up with in the configuration it will be when I buy it. So, my thoughts are more along the lines of what is a VVC like to live with long term?

[DVandrews]

The VVC and VHPD heads are identical with respect to ports, chambers and valve sizes, the only diffence is above the waistline of the head where the VHPD is the same as a regular head, it is effectively a hybrid between the two.

The later MS2 VHPD heads have revised cores to allow greater scope for porting, the vary latest Vulcan type VHPD head has superior porting to both the earlier VHPD and VVC heads.

The most common issus I encounter with VVC engines are piston failure and disintegration of the VVC mechs or pulley to VVC interface. Make sure your pulleys are properly torqued and that the cambelt is replaced as often as it should be and that the tension is properly maintained.

If the mechs start to tap, make sure you investigate as a failure there will result in engine annihilation.

Dave

[sjmmarsh]

S1X OK - I had a VVC car for 4 years and 20,000 miles (taking it to 30k in total). It was always reliable and the wider torque band made it easy to drive on the road - and on track.

The VVC mechanism made the engine note sound odd around 5k rpm, but once I got used to it I didn't notice it any more.

If you suspect you will need more power, then get a bigger engine now. I think you will find the VVC well suited to a road car though.

Steve

[DVandrews]

Just make sure you have the later 160 engine as it has tougher pistons and is therefore less likely to go pop.

The basic fundementals are there for a an upgrade to a lot more power if you wished to do so at a later date.

Dave

[S1X OK]

Thanks for the advice.