Discussion
The Camshaft on my Chim 500 is worn and requires replacing. Do I replace with a standard camshaft, or do I take this opportuninty to replace with an alternative plus any complementary engine mods?
I also need a head gasket changing as there's low compression in 2 cylinders, so I need to get the work tackled soon. I haven't got a large budget (or any budget for that matter!) but I want to check whether I'm missing an upgrade opportunity for a relative marginal extra cost. Regarding performance, the 500 has ample and I could find other areas to spend cash first, but one can never have enough power.
If anyone has any experience of uprated cams and an idea of cost it'd be greatly appreciate.
I also need a head gasket changing as there's low compression in 2 cylinders, so I need to get the work tackled soon. I haven't got a large budget (or any budget for that matter!) but I want to check whether I'm missing an upgrade opportunity for a relative marginal extra cost. Regarding performance, the 500 has ample and I could find other areas to spend cash first, but one can never have enough power.
If anyone has any experience of uprated cams and an idea of cost it'd be greatly appreciate.
Dont know much about other cams but...
The TVR enhanced Rover V8 5 litre is already running at extreme levels of configuration... the valve open/close timing and the height of the valve position etc...
Its a big engine, I'd push towards getting a much better air system plugged in... and give the engine more breathing power IMO...
Or maybe even consider for not much money at all considering, a supercharger plugged on.. eaton or similar...
I've heard of a few set-ups done... your mid and top end will feel like a new car...
The great thing about those Rover V8's, is the amount of upgrading you can do... but you need to move into the aspirated department for some real performance... and they're not as expensive as you might think for the RV8's. I'll see if I can dig out some racing garage outfits that specialise in this field.
The TVR enhanced Rover V8 5 litre is already running at extreme levels of configuration... the valve open/close timing and the height of the valve position etc...
Its a big engine, I'd push towards getting a much better air system plugged in... and give the engine more breathing power IMO...
Or maybe even consider for not much money at all considering, a supercharger plugged on.. eaton or similar...
I've heard of a few set-ups done... your mid and top end will feel like a new car...
The great thing about those Rover V8's, is the amount of upgrading you can do... but you need to move into the aspirated department for some real performance... and they're not as expensive as you might think for the RV8's. I'll see if I can dig out some racing garage outfits that specialise in this field.
Heres a good site for info regarding tuning the Rover V8 engines...
www.roversd1.nl/sd1web/basictuning.html
www.roversd1.nl/sd1web/basictuning.html
snorky said:
how do you tell if your cam is worn in the first place ?
Dunno, but I was told at the last service when I had the 1st head gasket changed, that the cam was worn. Can you see down the push rod holes in the block? If so, I'm still surprised if you can see well enough to establish cam wear.
I don't know for sure that the 2nd head gasket has also gone, but the simptons of poor running and lack of compression are consistent with the 1st gasket blowing. Then the gasket failed between 2 cylinders, so there wasn't any oil/water contamination.
I'm in exactly the same position. I posed RPI this questions, here's their response.
Dear Tim
Thank you for your enquiry.
We recommend that you have the Piper performance camshaft 285 kit, please have a look at the following pages
www.rpiv8.com/engine-6a.htm Cam Kits,
and also our special offers page
www.rpiv8.com/offers.htm ( Special offer pages )
I hope this is of use to you and if you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me again
I've always had good advise from these guys when building previous RV8s, althought I must admit they've all been 3.5s up until now.
Tim
Dear Tim
Thank you for your enquiry.
We recommend that you have the Piper performance camshaft 285 kit, please have a look at the following pages
www.rpiv8.com/engine-6a.htm Cam Kits,
and also our special offers page
www.rpiv8.com/offers.htm ( Special offer pages )
I hope this is of use to you and if you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me again
I've always had good advise from these guys when building previous RV8s, althought I must admit they've all been 3.5s up until now.
Tim
also look here...
www.v8developments.co.uk
www.actproducts.co.uk
markadams@bjds.com (e-mail) [also see credit on V8D's web page.]
these are THE guys for TVR tuning IMHO.
between the two you will get all the mechanical, air mods, fuel injection info you could ever want from people who have done it MANY times. from a slightly warmed over road car...to a b*lls out racer!
www.v8developments.co.uk
www.actproducts.co.uk
markadams@bjds.com (e-mail) [also see credit on V8D's web page.]
these are THE guys for TVR tuning IMHO.
between the two you will get all the mechanical, air mods, fuel injection info you could ever want from people who have done it MANY times. from a slightly warmed over road car...to a b*lls out racer!
BogBeast said:
I've got V8 Developments P404 cam with solid lifters, it's the bollox, give em a call and say I mentioned them
Although there was some mention of a hydraulic version of that cam aswell..
Not sure if that is available yet, I think it is still being developed.
Do a search of the various Tiv/engine threads there are loads of post about the subject.
V8D do the MC1 which is a hydraulic grind and has a loyal fan base. Most people I spoke to at teh time were of the opinion that a 218 or 218 based profile gave a good compromise between outright performance and low end grunt. The MC1 is V8D's take on an improved Kent 218, they also do a hybrid 218. I would suggest you speak to V8D (shaun/ray/rob) they will talk you through the possible options based on what you want from the car.
Alternatively there would be no harm in speakling to Dom at TVR Power they obviuolsy have a lot of experience, the TVR grinds are very good even the base TVR51 is a good torquey cam.
When I did a lot of researching a year ago for my motor, I personally wasn't impressed by Piper grinds, they were linear in their profile which said to me the developement work hadn't gone into them as can be seen for a TVR/Kent/V8D profiles, which have differing opening/closing, inlet/exhaust profiles. AIMHO etc...
Harry
If you change the cam, the ECU will need to be rechipped to take advantage. Extra cost £700 to include rolling road set ups. If you change the cam, the induction system, really needs to be improved to get the best of the cam so add another £1k to 2K depending on what you want. As the engine is now pushing out a big increase in power, you will need better brakes to stop and keep the insurers happy. Add another £600-1000 or more depending on what you do... This will then show up problems with handling so the suspension will need another upgrade add £1000...
End result is a bill which is a lot more than you expected.
If you are short of money then might be worth staying with a standard cam and adding all the goodies I have outlined later. You will still get a good improvement.
I run a John Eales Hybrid 218 CAM when mine had to bechanged due to heat gasket and cam failure due to rocker arm disintegration.
End result is a bill which is a lot more than you expected.
If you are short of money then might be worth staying with a standard cam and adding all the goodies I have outlined later. You will still get a good improvement.
I run a John Eales Hybrid 218 CAM when mine had to bechanged due to heat gasket and cam failure due to rocker arm disintegration.
snorky said:
...so.....how do you know when you need a new one.????
There is a cash criticality detector built into the ECU that uses a random number detector to detect when you have no money or have the money to spend on something else. This is then coupled to a TVR use correlator circuit that judges how the car has been used of if there has been any thought of changing it. The output form this then triggers the criticality detector and hey presto cam failure....
The engines can go for a long time with dead cams. The power loss tends to be gradual and so you don't notice it until something else prompts an engine investigation and low and behold cam problem.
I think reason A is more likely.
shpub said:
There is a cash criticality detector built into the ECU that uses a random number detector to detect when you have no money or have the money to spend on something else. This is then coupled to a TVR use correlator circuit that judges how the car has been used of if there has been any thought of changing it. The output form this then triggers the criticality detector and hey presto cam failure....
As an engineer I know that most machinary relies on this calculation. Was hoping the TVR wasnt as complex though!
You forgot to add that it always happens on a Friday afternoon too!
low compression could be gasket but most likely to be piston rings.
these wear out and if you over rev the engine they wear REALLY quickly. (mate changed his in his hillclimb car, over revved it a couple times and that was it. one set of shells lasted 2 weeks!) if the engine is using a lot of oil, or there is oil coming out of the breather then it is probably the rings.
they're not major expensive but it's a lot fo work to change them. and if you change them you're as well to change the gasket too and anything else which you think might need changed whilst the engine is out.
sorry to be a purveyor of gloom!!
these wear out and if you over rev the engine they wear REALLY quickly. (mate changed his in his hillclimb car, over revved it a couple times and that was it. one set of shells lasted 2 weeks!) if the engine is using a lot of oil, or there is oil coming out of the breather then it is probably the rings.
they're not major expensive but it's a lot fo work to change them. and if you change them you're as well to change the gasket too and anything else which you think might need changed whilst the engine is out.
sorry to be a purveyor of gloom!!
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