Supercharging a non cross bolted 5.0 litre Serp engine

[cinquecento]

Is a cross bolted engine a mandatory pre-requisite when using a SC500 kit. IIRC Mike Virgo's ex 500 wasn't crossed bolted and was pushing 350+hp. Are there others?

What are the risks on supercharging a non cross bolted engine?.

[GreenV8S]

If you're considering the SC Power conversion then I think they're the people you should be asking.

An earlier block may have smaller bearing journals which means the bearings will be more highly stressed. With the caps not cross-bolted it's possible that the caps will shuffle under high load. But SC Power are the ones to tell you whether any of that is a problem.

[K4000JB]

cinquecento said:

Is a cross bolted engine a mandatory pre-requisite when using a SC500 kit. IIRC Mike Virgo's ex 500 wasn't crossed bolted and was pushing 350+hp. Are there others?

What are the risks on supercharging a non cross bolted engine?.

i think you will find mike's car had a cross bolted engine

[350Matt]

I wouldn't do it without at least fitting a main stud kit, even the standard 3.5 non serp suffers from main cap shuffle.

with the studs you can either just fit them and raise torque / clamp loads by 25% or you can increase the torque by 50% if you then have the block line bored.

[Boosted LS1]

GreenV8S said:

An earlier block may have smaller bearing journals which means the bearings will be more highly stressed. With the caps not cross-bolted it's possible that the caps will shuffle under high load.

True but bearing width will be the same and I think that's what's important. There were lots of forced induction rovers before cross bolted blocks came on the scene so a stud kit would suffice imo. I've used studs without any issues before.

ETA, I'd be more concerned about piston specs. Cross bolted engines have stronger solid skirt pistons. Anything based on a standard rover piston will have a slotted skirt which is far weaker ie use low boost maybe 7 psi.

Edited by Boosted LS1 on Tuesday 14th July 09:17

[cinquecento]

GreenV8S said:

An earlier block may have smaller bearing journals which means the bearings will be more highly stressed.

it's a 96 Griff..

I have done some more general reading of the non x bolted, x bolted and stud kit options. I will contact TVR Power.. however the outcome is becoming clearer.

Edited by cinquecento on Tuesday 14th July 10:31

[steve-V8s]

When I considered this route last year it wasn’t the cross bolted or not issue that came up in discussion most it was the pistons.

[dhf]

Talk to Colin at S-C Power.i have just ringed and studded my engine among other things in preparation for the Blower.i think what Colin will say is keep the boost down but they are the guys to talk to....mine is a serp by the way.

Edited by dhf on Tuesday 14th July 12:01

[Bluebottle]

^^^What he said

Yes you can, but with the earlier non-cross bolted engines you need to ensure that the compression ratio is not too high as some of them had VERY high c/r's, you would also be well advised to have the heads ringed.

Edited by Bluebottle on Tuesday 14th July 14:38