What wrong with RV8s?
Discussion
I don't have a particular view but every time I happen to see a post where someone is thinking of transplanting a Rover V8 into anything there is immediately a wave of attack. Usually along the lines of Ford or GM V8 being better. Is this true? Which V8 engines are actually better? In what way(s)? I can see that they would be more powerful, even if we look at the later version of the Rover engine with bigger capacities. I can see why there would be more tuning parts too. But I'm particularly interested in weight and size. The RV8 is aluminium and started life as a 3.5. How do the others which all started bigger capacities compare, especially in terms of weight and size (which would be important for handling if you are fitting them to something smallish)?
Just out of interest...
Just out of interest...
If your goals are modest and under 250bhp the rover is fine.
If your goals are north of that, then be prepared to spend a lot of money achieving that - like several thousand pounds.
You dont want to end up spending 4k to get yourself a 300bhp engine when you can purchase a brand new 430BHP LS3 for around £5k (which is in its base tune and capapable of much much more)
For example:
http://www.v8developments.co.uk/prod_eng.html
Long engine 330BHP £4194
Full engine 350bhp £7380
All plus engine surcharge.
If your goals are north of that, then be prepared to spend a lot of money achieving that - like several thousand pounds.
You dont want to end up spending 4k to get yourself a 300bhp engine when you can purchase a brand new 430BHP LS3 for around £5k (which is in its base tune and capapable of much much more)
For example:
http://www.v8developments.co.uk/prod_eng.html
Long engine 330BHP £4194
Full engine 350bhp £7380
All plus engine surcharge.
Edited by eliot on Thursday 27th January 18:42
BMWChris said:
I don't have a particular view but every time I happen to see a post where someone is thinking of transplanting a Rover V8 into anything there is immediately a wave of attack. Usually along the lines of Ford or GM V8 being better. Is this true? Which V8 engines are actually better? In what way(s)? I can see that they would be more powerful, even if we look at the later version of the Rover engine with bigger capacities. I can see why there would be more tuning parts too. But I'm particularly interested in weight and size. The RV8 is aluminium and started life as a 3.5. How do the others which all started bigger capacities compare, especially in terms of weight and size (which would be important for handling if you are fitting them to something smallish)?
Just out of interest...
Rover V8 is a very very old design. The heads dont flow. As with most UK stuff, parts are a fortune.Just out of interest...
TBH, most other V8's are better. But the RV8 is more or less readily available, as are gearboxes that bolt up for sensible money. They often have carbs and dizzy, which makes for an almost wire-free install. ie very simple.
The fact they are lighter than most of the Yank iron stuff is a bonus, but the Yank stuff will usually make more power easier.
But there are so many engines out there nowadays for sensible money, that an RV8 would be well down my list. In fact, I dont even think I would consider one at all.
LSx, BMW, Audi, Lexus etc etc. There are plenty of V8's about now. Yes they will cost more, and they will often need fuel injection and a gearbox might be trickier. But overall they will make more power for money spent. So overall cost wont be too bad.
The Black Flash said:
Small size is the other oft-cited benefit to the RV8. BMWs and other modern OHC engines are much wider.
Even the Lexus or BMW V8 really arent that wide though. Nor is an LS1But yes the multivalve engines are a bit wider, but still generally very compact.
Unlike the Ford Modular 32v. It's bloody massive lol
stevieturbo said:
Even the Lexus or BMW V8 really arent that wide though. Nor is an LS1
But yes the multivalve engines are a bit wider, but still generally very compact.
Unlike the Ford Modular 32v. It's bloody massive lol
LS1 is probably the other obvious example of a narrow v8, due to the pushrod design.But yes the multivalve engines are a bit wider, but still generally very compact.
Unlike the Ford Modular 32v. It's bloody massive lol
I'm comming from a kitcar point of view, where an Rv8 will often just squeeze in, but your BMWs and the like really wont - or not without some serious changes to chassis etc. I was looking at a modern v8 for some time, but in the end went to a v6 for precisely this reason (the engine bay narrows towards the front - a shorter v6 will fit in the wider part of the chassis).
Most modern V6 engines of about 2.7 to 3l will produce a greater output than a RV8. But they obviously sound like a V6 not a V8, and the RV8 is a nice way to get a V8 burble relatively simply. The cam in block layout makes it short in height as well as narrow. Also in the classic car context it's a bit more period, where say a VQ35 would look all wrong under the bonnet.
I've run all sorts of Rv8's including one up to almost 400 bhp,( dry sumped and throttle bodied) and think its a cracking motor.
the power figures can often be low, but the torque, power delivery and noise often make up for that..
I like it due to the easy availability of parts. yes they can be relativly expensive to tune to high bhp, but I dont tend to have a car off the track for months on end because im waiting for some part to arrive from germany/japan/us..
You can get more power for less £££ but just the engine isnt the whole story...
I wouldnt write off the old dog yet..
the power figures can often be low, but the torque, power delivery and noise often make up for that..
I like it due to the easy availability of parts. yes they can be relativly expensive to tune to high bhp, but I dont tend to have a car off the track for months on end because im waiting for some part to arrive from germany/japan/us..
You can get more power for less £££ but just the engine isnt the whole story...
I wouldnt write off the old dog yet..
slipped liners, slipped liners and some more slipped liners
oh and a bit of cracked block
in certain circumnstances they are brilliant- a 3.5 with a boggo cam, and a bit of port work will literally go on for years with frequent oil changes. They can also be picked up for peanuts, and cen be rebuilt by monkeys (indluding me!). Another bonus is you can mate them to any number of gearboxes including mutliple RWD and 4x4 setups.
on the flip side, as mentioned- anything above 300 ponies is getting seriously trick- you will need as a starter a cross bolted, top hatted block, which will see you to £1500 before any rotating assembly is needed.
An LS1 is basically the same dimensions (a snadge taller) pretty much the same weight (25kg heavier wet compared to a late 4.6 GEMS RV8), but produces a hell of a lot more torque- and you can import one from the states for about £2k! (gearboxes tend to be a problem though!)
oh and a bit of cracked block
in certain circumnstances they are brilliant- a 3.5 with a boggo cam, and a bit of port work will literally go on for years with frequent oil changes. They can also be picked up for peanuts, and cen be rebuilt by monkeys (indluding me!). Another bonus is you can mate them to any number of gearboxes including mutliple RWD and 4x4 setups.
on the flip side, as mentioned- anything above 300 ponies is getting seriously trick- you will need as a starter a cross bolted, top hatted block, which will see you to £1500 before any rotating assembly is needed.
An LS1 is basically the same dimensions (a snadge taller) pretty much the same weight (25kg heavier wet compared to a late 4.6 GEMS RV8), but produces a hell of a lot more torque- and you can import one from the states for about £2k! (gearboxes tend to be a problem though!)
The Rover V8 used to be "The" V8 to use simply because apart from a minimal selection of expensive rarities and exotica it was all there was. If you wanted big power with any sort of everyday driveability/reliability your choice, excluding exotica, was pretty much limited to the Rover V8 or the Jag XK, which was much too big and heavy for most applications.
The "light weight" thing is a bit of a misconception, arising partly from it being not too far different in weight from a BMC B-series which itself was a heavy engine, and partly again from the lack of alternatives for the power that weren't massively heavy.
It certainly still has its place, but for many applications there are plenty of better engines these days so it can no longer be considered the default.
The "light weight" thing is a bit of a misconception, arising partly from it being not too far different in weight from a BMC B-series which itself was a heavy engine, and partly again from the lack of alternatives for the power that weren't massively heavy.
It certainly still has its place, but for many applications there are plenty of better engines these days so it can no longer be considered the default.
+1. Basically, from the 60s all the way up to the introduction of the Jaguar V8, it was the only V8 in a series production vehicle in the UK. So if you wanted a V8 to swap into your car you used that one.
Now of course we get a few more V8s here, and the American ones are a lot easier to buy thanks to the internet.
Now of course we get a few more V8s here, and the American ones are a lot easier to buy thanks to the internet.
pugwash4x4 said:
slipped liners, slipped liners and some more slipped liners
oh and a bit of cracked block
in certain circumnstances they are brilliant- a 3.5 with a boggo cam, and a bit of port work will literally go on for years with frequent oil changes. They can also be picked up for peanuts, and cen be rebuilt by monkeys (indluding me!). Another bonus is you can mate them to any number of gearboxes including mutliple RWD and 4x4 setups.
on the flip side, as mentioned- anything above 300 ponies is getting seriously trick- you will need as a starter a cross bolted, top hatted block, which will see you to £1500 before any rotating assembly is needed.
An LS1 is basically the same dimensions (a snadge taller) pretty much the same weight (25kg heavier wet compared to a late 4.6 GEMS RV8), but produces a hell of a lot more torque- and you can import one from the states for about £2k! (gearboxes tend to be a problem though!)
LSx can be bought much cheaper, especially if you opt for the iron block or the smaller 5.3 version.oh and a bit of cracked block
in certain circumnstances they are brilliant- a 3.5 with a boggo cam, and a bit of port work will literally go on for years with frequent oil changes. They can also be picked up for peanuts, and cen be rebuilt by monkeys (indluding me!). Another bonus is you can mate them to any number of gearboxes including mutliple RWD and 4x4 setups.
on the flip side, as mentioned- anything above 300 ponies is getting seriously trick- you will need as a starter a cross bolted, top hatted block, which will see you to £1500 before any rotating assembly is needed.
An LS1 is basically the same dimensions (a snadge taller) pretty much the same weight (25kg heavier wet compared to a late 4.6 GEMS RV8), but produces a hell of a lot more torque- and you can import one from the states for about £2k! (gearboxes tend to be a problem though!)
Gearboxes are no problem. Either use the original T56, fit a T5, or you can get a bellhousing for a Supra or some of the other 5 speed TKO Tremecs
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