NCK versus TVR Power
Discussion
Whats the general concensus of opinion on the engines from both sources, mainly one for Tim and SHPUB I guess,in the past I seem to remember reading that the NCK engines had the edge?
Was it just the more exotic engines that were NCK built or did all TVR engines originate from there before the take over?
The reason I ask is because my engine seems to have a relatively low number along with the 450 SEAC I viewed a couple of days ago, only 14 in it between them, I would of thought the numbers should have been well into the hundreds if all early v8's came from there.
Cheers ,
Andy.
Was it just the more exotic engines that were NCK built or did all TVR engines originate from there before the take over?
The reason I ask is because my engine seems to have a relatively low number along with the 450 SEAC I viewed a couple of days ago, only 14 in it between them, I would of thought the numbers should have been well into the hundreds if all early v8's came from there.
Cheers ,
Andy.
Steve's correct. TVR bought NCK which became TVR Power and the owners of NCK moved on. They now have a company called NCK racing which run Saleen S7R's in GT racing though Graham at NCK will still do V8's. IMHO - I found TVR Power a bit vague on info on Wedge V8's (before there time?)though I've heard they are spot on with Grif, etc V8's and the TVR own engines.
GB
GB
Just spoke to a nice man at TVR Power who used to build the NCK engines before the takeover, apparantly my engine has Cosworth pistons this was standard on the early 400's, also the Poly V drive kit that is fitted on mine was indeed a factory fitted kit !! these were fitted to very few engines, the high reving ones that sometimes had problems with throwing belts off at high revs, apart from the fact they are a lot lighter than the standard steel pully arrangement. I was convinced this was a factory fitted kit so I am well pleased that this has been confirmed. 
Andy.
Andy.
AndyM said: Just spoke to a nice man at TVR Power who used to build the NCK engines before the takeover, apparantly my engine has Cosworth pistons this was standard on the early 400's, also the Poly V drive kit that is fitted on mine was indeed a factory fitted kit !! these were fitted to very few engines, the high reving ones that sometimes had problems with throwing belts off at high revs, apart from the fact they are a lot lighter than the standard steel pully arrangement. I was convinced this was a factory fitted kit so I am well pleased that this has been confirmed.
Andy.
Great news Andy
Steve
AndyM said: Guess what Steve......they polish up lovely
Just got to source a replacement belt for a spare now, its no where near the length of the serp belts
Andy.
It is probably the same as a the GRiff/Chimaera. In which case get one from TVR as they are specials despite the Land Rover logo on them
Had a look at the cylinder heads on my mate's 400SE on Saturday: although the ports are polished they're obviously smaller than those on my 390 (NCK engine, flat-topped Cosworth pistons originally). This 400 has standard Range Rover pistons (with the dished crown) although it's had valve pockets machined into them.
The difference in the port sizes shows up best where there are two adjacent inlet tracts: on my car the web between them is like a razor blade, where the 400 has about 2-3mm of alloy.
Alas the 400 runs a (remapped) hotwire fuel system, and I have the clockwork one...
Ian
The difference in the port sizes shows up best where there are two adjacent inlet tracts: on my car the web between them is like a razor blade, where the 400 has about 2-3mm of alloy.
Alas the 400 runs a (remapped) hotwire fuel system, and I have the clockwork one...
Ian
At the time of the intro of the hotwire system Land Rover were using the 3.9 (3948cc) engine which thus didn't need to be bored out and have different pistons, as per the earlier 3.5 based 390/400 engines. As we all know the factory also tweaked specs occassionally!
Hot wire v's flapper - IMHO - there's little in it. The hot wire system was introduced onto the Range Rover for the 3.9 engine for On Board Diagnostics legislation in California - The flapper ECU couldn't cope with the need for the twin oxygen sensor, the malfunction lamp output and the more complex control required for this legislation. Both run banked (grouped) injection, air bypass idle and an air metering system (though it is fair to say that the hot wire system is a little more state of the art). Hot wire systems use overrun fuel cut off (or_fco in tech speak) which is not present in the flapper systems control strategy - hence the fuelling on overrun and the lurrvly crackle and popping sound of the pre-late 90's Wedges.
IMHO don't worry about the control system and if getting an engine done talk to Ray or Shawn at V8 Developments.
GB
Hot wire v's flapper - IMHO - there's little in it. The hot wire system was introduced onto the Range Rover for the 3.9 engine for On Board Diagnostics legislation in California - The flapper ECU couldn't cope with the need for the twin oxygen sensor, the malfunction lamp output and the more complex control required for this legislation. Both run banked (grouped) injection, air bypass idle and an air metering system (though it is fair to say that the hot wire system is a little more state of the art). Hot wire systems use overrun fuel cut off (or_fco in tech speak) which is not present in the flapper systems control strategy - hence the fuelling on overrun and the lurrvly crackle and popping sound of the pre-late 90's Wedges.
IMHO don't worry about the control system and if getting an engine done talk to Ray or Shawn at V8 Developments.
GB
wedg1e said: Had a look at the cylinder heads on my mate's 400SE on Saturday: although the ports are polished they're obviously smaller than those on my 390 (NCK engine, flat-topped Cosworth pistons originally). This 400 has standard Range Rover pistons (with the dished crown) although it's had valve pockets machined into them.
The difference in the port sizes shows up best where there are two adjacent inlet tracts: on my car the web between them is like a razor blade, where the 400 has about 2-3mm of alloy.
Alas the 400 runs a (remapped) hotwire fuel system, and I have the clockwork one...
Ian
Sounds like there is a bit of a differance between the two then, or at least until the production became greater.
Andy.
TaSmania said: At the time of the intro of the hotwire system Land Rover were using the 3.9 (3948cc) engine which thus didn't need to be bored out and have different pistons, as per the earlier 3.5 based 390/400 engines. As we all know the factory also tweaked specs occassionally!
Hot wire v's flapper - IMHO - there's little in it. The hot wire system was introduced onto the Range Rover for the 3.9 engine for On Board Diagnostics legislation in California - The flapper ECU couldn't cope with the need for the twin oxygen sensor, the malfunction lamp output and the more complex control required for this legislation. Both run banked (grouped) injection, air bypass idle and an air metering system (though it is fair to say that the hot wire system is a little more state of the art). Hot wire systems use overrun fuel cut off (or_fco in tech speak) which is not present in the flapper systems control strategy - hence the fuelling on overrun and the lurrvly crackle and popping sound of the pre-late 90's Wedges.
IMHO don't worry about the control system and if getting an engine done talk to Ray or Shawn at V8 Developments.
GB
Just in case you wanted to know, the 390 was a 93.5mm bore, where the 'production Landie 400' (i.e. the 3948) was the now-standard 94mm. So if you have (as I did) a damaged 390 engine, and you need a rebore, you can't get +20 thou pistons in the same style as the forged Cossie jobs (well you possibly can, but bearing in mind JE Eng. wanted £450 off me for a set of flat-topped 94mm pistons with the valve pockets, it'd better be a good car!)
+20 thou on 93.5mm bores is, of course, 94mm. So I went for standard Rover 94mm pistons and had the cutouts added by a bloke with an angle grinder and windy-chisel... whatever they may be.
Lo and behold, my mate's 400SE has standard Rover pistons with valve cutouts. And there I was thinking I'd been original
Ian
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