Range Rover P38 RV8 Manual flywheel

[Chassis 33]

Right, who knows about P38 Range Rovers? I'm currently building up a ex-P38 V8, the engine came out of an automatic car but I'm using it in a manual. No problems so far, I can just bolt up one of my existing flywheels to the end of the crank...however what I'd really like to do is keep the 36-1 trigger wheel that is riveted to the back of the flex plate that came with the engine this way I can keep the standard OEM crank sensor that is safely hidden out of harms way, instead of using a trigger wheel amalgamated to the crankshaft pulley. The question is which is going to be easier? Getting a machine shop to drill and tap the back of an existing flywheel to accept the trigger wheel, or find a manual P38 being broken and buy the flywheel, then drill and tap face of the flywheel to accept a 9.5" 2WD clutch?

Answers on a post card to the usual address.

Regards
Iain

[Chassis 33]

Dont worry about that, the whole thing will be needing balancing anyway as I'm replacing the flexplate with a flywheel.

Regards
Iain

[Chassis 33]

I've got all the kit to do a crank pulley mounthed trigger wheel, wouldn't need to worry about machining as the alternator is going to be on a custom bracket and thats the only pulley I'll be needing driven.

I have three concerns using that set up though, firstly it looks a bit Heath Robinson, angled bracket here, toothed ring bolted on, solitary bundle of wires coming forward (presently the engine electrics would finish at the forward pair of injectors and it looks very neat), secondly with not running any inner wheel arches the sensor will be rather exposed and protecting it will only add to the Heath Robinson look and thirdly the sensor fouls where I want to hide the alternator...

...sooooo I want to try and utilise the OEM setup as much as possible because it looks fit for purpose in that I can utilise all OEM sensors wiring etc that I already have, its well protected and gives me plenty of room to fit my alternator, in short so long as I dont need to re-write the laws of physics I'll be running a flywheel mounted setup.

Antony, you'll very shortly have an email!

Regards
Iain

[Chassis 33]

Right, as requested time for some pics...
Thanks to Antony I've now got 5 variants of RV8 flywheel, well 4 and a flexplate if you want to be pedantic, knocking about.

Clockwise from top we have a P38 vintage flexplate with trigger wheel, traditional 4WD flywheel, standard 2WD lightened and with a groove machined for the trigger wheel, and finally a standard 2WD flywheel. I also have a lightened traditional 4WD flywheel thats been drilled to accept a 240mm clutch.

Some close ups in the same order








And here you can see the relative thickness of the 4 flywheels

Top to bottom, the two 2WD flywheels first the one with the groove, then the standard, the lightened and faced 4WD flywheel and an original 4WD flywheel.

Regards
Iain

Edited by Chassis 33 on Sunday 15th February 12:51

[Chassis 33]

eliot said:

So whats the problem then ? - you have flywheel with a trigger wheel in it (the 6 oclock one)

I didn't, but thanks to Antony I do now

rev-erend said:

More importantly - what do they weigh ?

I think mine was about 18 lbs.

I've weighed them in the last day or so...
4x4 30lbs
lightened 4x4 22lbs
standard ex Chim 2wd 26lbs
lightened 2wd with trigger groove 17lbs
flexplate 15lbs.
More telling than that will be the weight removed from furthest extremities of the flywheel, I=m.r^2 and all that
Regards
Iain