The plan - engineers wanted

[OleVix]

I have a 97 400 and want more power, I need a new clutch and soon a cam. I have my own garage with most tools needed... Engine jack etc

I was thinking, take out engine, dismantle, put in 4.6 crank and rods, open up crossbolting holes and crossbolt, fit ported heads or open up existing??? Fit mc1 cam and followers, port intake and shorten trumpets a bit...

Then balance driveshaft, lighten fly and fit JE clutch.

The garage beside mine do engine rebuilds, heads etc... So they might help a bit... Ideas?

[Quietlybonkers]

Or stick an SC Power supercharger kit on it and be back on the road with well over 300 bhp for about five grand. Start the job on Saturday morning, be back on the road by Sunday afternoon.

[OleVix]

Quietlybonkers said:

Or stick an SC Power supercharger kit on it and be back on the road with well over 300 bhp for about five grand. Start the job on Saturday morning, be back on the road by Sunday afternoon.

Well yea, but I want it to look original... and I want to make sure my bottom end and other internals are solid! Just strapping on an SC sounds good but it's risky if you don't know the status of the internals...

I was thinking of just doing bigger heads/valves/intake/cam/flywheel ... to make a nice revvy 4.0, cheaper than the whole 4.6 rebuild

[phazed]

With my past experience, I'd put in one of Robs 5.0s with a set of big valve heads, trumpets etc.

Probably a bit more then you'd want to spend but no messing, a guaranteed 340 horses and you won't have to revisit that engine for a long time!

[GasMunkey]

Just save up for a Ls

[LongBaz383BHP]

I see we are all very busy at work today.

[Sardonicus]

OleVix said:

I have a 97 400 and want more power, I need a new clutch and soon a cam. I have my own garage with most tools needed... Engine jack etc

I was thinking, take out engine, dismantle, put in 4.6 crank and rods, open up crossbolting holes and crossbolt, fit ported heads or open up existing??? Fit mc1 cam and followers, port intake and shorten trumpets a bit...

Then balance driveshaft, lighten fly and fit JE clutch.

The garage beside mine do engine rebuilds, heads etc... So they might help a bit... Ideas?

Chances are if its not already a cross bolted block then you have a intermediate serp motor i.e small crank journals and non cross bolt-able main caps often referred to as the 3.9 serp rather than the 4.0 serp, if that's the case your probably better off looking for a 4.6 RR lump and sorting that with a spiky cam and BV heads etc the intermediate serp motor is just masquerading as a 4.0/4.6 motor but its not its the serp front end that confuses everyone along with the 10 bolt heads

Edited by Sardonicus on Friday 1st February 11:21

[Quietlybonkers]

Sardonicus said:

hances are if its not already a cross bolted block then you have a intermediate serp motor i.e small crank journals and non cross bolt-able main caps often referred to as the 3.9 serp rather than the 4.0 serp, if that's the case your probably better off looking for a 4.6 RR lump and sorting that with a spiky cam and BV heads etc the intermediate serp motor is just masquerading as a 4.0/4.6 motor but its not its the serp front end that confuses everyone along with the 10 bolt heads

Edited by Sardonicus on Friday 1st February 11:21

Having read this, been impressed, but not really understood a word, I have realised that there comes a time in a man's life when he either takes to Accountancy or Smirnoff.....and after completing 43 tax returns in the last week.......and with the rugby on tomorrow, its

[Sardonicus]

Quietlybonkers said:

Sardonicus said:

hances are if its not already a cross bolted block then you have a intermediate serp motor i.e small crank journals and non cross bolt-able main caps often referred to as the 3.9 serp rather than the 4.0 serp, if that's the case your probably better off looking for a 4.6 RR lump and sorting that with a spiky cam and BV heads etc the intermediate serp motor is just masquerading as a 4.0/4.6 motor but its not its the serp front end that confuses everyone along with the 10 bolt heads

Edited by Sardonicus on Friday 1st February 11:21

Having read this, been impressed, but not really understood a word, I have realised that there comes a time in a man's life when he either takes to Accountancy or Smirnoff.....and after completing 43 tax returns in the last week.......and with the rugby on tomorrow, its

No worries Quietly, I would swap your career choice with mine any day

[SILICONEKID350HP]

Quietlybonkers said:

Or stick an SC Power supercharger kit on it and be back on the road with well over 300 bhp for about five grand. Start the job on Saturday morning, be back on the road by Sunday afternoon.

And watch it go bang
My engine only cost about that fitted !

[Chilliman]

LongBaz383BHP said:

I see we are all very busy at work today.

It's called multi-tasking

[phazed]

I'm busy working in my office, suns shining through the window, I'm seiously thinking of going for a drive!

Office is above the garage

[debaron]

Sardonicus said:

often referred to as the 3.9 serp rather than the 4.0 serp, if that's the case your probably better off looking for a 4.6 RR lump and sorting that with a spiky cam and BV heads

Exactly what I did upon finding mine was a small journal 3.9. Find a tired old 4.6 - new top hat liners and cam bearings from Rob - use 4.6 pistons pocketed - new bearings all round with ARP head studs. Stage 3/4 heads and bumpy cam with mega squirt

[carsy]

Just a shame second hand 4.6 prices have soared on Ebay recently. Not long ago they were around £400 now they seem to be over 1K.

[Quietlybonkers]

carsy said:

Just a shame second hand 4.6 prices have soared on Ebay recently. Not long ago they were around £400 now they seem to be over 1K.

I am to engineering what Wallace and Gromit are to ......engineeering.
So for someone as simple as me, who goes out and buys a RR 4.6 engine off Ebay, what else do you have to buy to make it into something worthy of a TVR engine bay?

[Quietlybonkers]

Chilliman said:

LongBaz383BHP said:

I see we are all very busy at work today.

It's called multi-tasking

Huh, women say that what marks them out is the ability to multi-task......and I say that yes, some women can do as many as three things at once......as long as two of them aren't map-reading and parking.

[OleVix]

Sardonicus said:

hances are if its not already a cross bolted block then you have a intermediate serp motor i.e small crank journals and non cross bolt-able main caps often referred to as the 3.9 serp rather than the 4.0 serp, if that's the case your probably better off looking for a 4.6 RR lump and sorting that with a spiky cam and BV heads etc the intermediate serp motor is just masquerading as a 4.0/4.6 motor but its not its the serp front end that confuses everyone along with the 10 bolt heads

Edited by Sardonicus on Friday 1st February 11:21

Yea this is what I was worried about... My block has the crossbolting lumps on each side, but they aren't drilled/ used...

Maybe just order a 4.6 short engine with stage3 heads from v8d and move over the rest from my 3.9?

[Alun450]

Hilarious, but back to the point, ok so a stock LL 4.6 will surely need alot of work to get it to go well, can't you get a second hand tvr4.6 and re build it, probably be about the same overall cost! Must be hard to get one and it's all loads a money! If you love your car then do it, I dont know but in normal road use isn't a 4.0 just as good really!

[phazed]

Alun450 said:

Hilarious, but back to the point, ok so a stock LL 4.6 will surely need alot of work to get it to go well, can't you get a second hand tvr4.6 and re build it, probably be about the same overall cost! Must be hard to get one and it's all loads a money! If you love your car then do it, I dont know but in normal road use isn't a 4.0 just as good really!

I'll take you for a spin on Sunday, see what you think?

[Chilliman]

OleVix said:

Sardonicus said:

hances are if its not already a cross bolted block then you have a intermediate serp motor i.e small crank journals and non cross bolt-able main caps often referred to as the 3.9 serp rather than the 4.0 serp, if that's the case your probably better off looking for a 4.6 RR lump and sorting that with a spiky cam and BV heads etc the intermediate serp motor is just masquerading as a 4.0/4.6 motor but its not its the serp front end that confuses everyone along with the 10 bolt heads

Edited by Sardonicus on Friday 1st February 11:21

Yea this is what I was worried about... My block has the crossbolting lumps on each side, but they aren't drilled/ used...

Maybe just order a 4.6 short engine with stage3 heads from v8d and move over the rest from my 3.9?

Ole, I don't think the 5.0 V8Dev engine is massively more ££ than their 4.6.... I can understand the thinking behind 4.6 as opposed to TVR 5.0 but the V8Dev 5.0 is an entirely different animal... (voice of experience)

Chilli