How to Power Tune Rover V8 Engines — for Road & Track · 3.5, 3.9, 4.0 & 4,6-litre engines

by Des Hammill

Maximum performance & reliability for minimum money from 3.5, 3.9, 4.0 & 4,6-litre engines (1967 to date).

Limitations of standard components, short block preparation/clearances, solving oiling & main cap problems of pre-'94 blocks, full details of head modifications, optimising ignition settings, exhaust system requirements, Holley & Weber & SU carburettor/inlet manifold options, camshaft & valve train requirements and modifications for racing/mods for road use.

Contents:

Cylinder block, liners, pistons & timing chain
Cylinder block types
Type 1: 1967 to 1980 3.5in bore P5, P6, Range Rover and early SD1 blocks
Type 2: June 1973 to December 1980 Australian-made Leyland P76 engine (4.4 litre)
Type 3: 1980 to 1993 3.5in bore uprated "stiff" block
Type 4: October 1989 to December 1993 3.9 litre engines
Type 5 & 6: January 1994 onward 3.9 & 4.2 litre "interim" engines
Type 7: September 1994 onward 4.0 & 4.6 litre "38A" block engines
Type 8: 1995, 1997/1998 3.5 litre "service"  engine blocks
Quick reference block identification
Which cylinder block to use?
Wildcat modified blocks
Water loss problems caused by block cracking
Symptoms
Repairing cracked blocks
Standard blocks
Two bolt main cap blocks
Two bolt main cap problems
Stud & nut kits for two bolt main caps
Camshaft bearings (all blocks)
Timing chain (all blocks)
Engine block requirements for high performance
Fitting a camshaft thrust plate to pre-1994 engine blocks
Teflon-faced "thrust bolt"
Oversized cylinder liners for 3500cc blocks
Standard cast pistons
Standard piston sizes
Hypoeutectic, eutectic & hypereutectic cast pistons
Forged pistons
Bore wear
Summary
Cylinder bore preparation
Cylinder head fixings

Cylinder head
Identification
Buick heads
Original Rover 3.5 litre heads
First change: SD1 & Range Rover heads 1976 on
Second change: 1982 on
Third change: 1982 on
Fourth change: 1993 on
Fifth change: 1994 on
Early heads & unleaded fuel
Valves
Valve spring & valve spring retainers
Standard inlet & exhaust ports

Distributor, front cover & oil pump identification
Distributors
Car distributors
4X4 & commercial vehicle distributors
Front covers
Type 1 & 2
Type 3
Type 4
Types 5 & 6
Type 7
Type 8
Gear-driven oil pumps
Water pumps
Camshaft skew gears
Buick versus Rover skew gears
Adjustable oil pressure (crank-driven oil pump-type front covers)

Distributors & ignition timing
Lucas distributors
Repair
Mechanical advance system
Changing static advance setting
Changing the rate of advance
Vacuum advance system
Racing engines
Vacuum advance on racing engines
Mallory distributors
Repairing
How dual points work
Dual points reliability
Adjustable mechanical advance
Changing amount of static advance
Changing rate of ignition advance
Road cars
Racing
Conclusion
True TDC
Degree marking the crankshaft pulley rim
Ignition advance
Stroboscope ignition timing
Too much compression
Standard sparkplug leads (wires)
Sparkplug lead location
Condenser
Further reading

Rocker arms, rockershaft & pushrods
Rocker arm geometry
Rockershaft height
Roller rockers
Hydraulic lifter preload
Shorter pushrods
Standard rocker arms
Standard rocker arms & shaft with high lift camshaft

Camshafts & valve springs
Camshafts with standard valve lift
Camshaft choice
Standard camshafts
Regrinds
Aftermarket camshafts
Valve springs & retainers
Hydraulic lifters
Using old lifters
Common problems
Camshafts for 'Group A' racing
Summary
Increasing valve lift above standard
Early cylinder heads
1976-1993 cylinder heads
1993 on cylinder heads
Valve springs for high performance applications
Standard single valve springs
Aftermarket valve springs
Which aftermarket camshaft?
The consequences of higher valve lift
High performance aftermarket camshafts
"Smooth idle" camshafts
"Rough idle" camshafts
270-280 degree camshafts
280-290 degree camshafts
Long duration (295-305 degrees plus)
Alternative profiles & phasings
Summary

Balance
Original factory engine balance
Engine balance for high performance

Lubrication
Low oil pressure
Improving oil systems of non-crank-driven oil pump engines
Increasing oil pressure
Oil pump
Pressure relief valve
Extra oiling of the distributor & camshaft skew gears
Camshaft bearing modification
Dual oil feed to the centre three main bearings
360 degree main bearing oiling
Crankshaft bearing clearances
Lifter to lifter bore fit
Adjustable oil pressure relief valve: crank-driven oil pumps
Improved main & big end bearing oiling (all engines with standard crankshaft oilways)
260-270 degree main bearing oiling
Altering standard bottom main bearing shells
Big end bearing oiling improvement summary
Radiusing crankshaft oilways Restricting rockershaft oil feed (all engines)
Wet sump (oil pan)
Crankcase ventilation

J.E. Developments & other specialists
J.E. Developments
Cylinder blocks
Crankshafts
Connecting rods
Special capacities for racing applications
Other racing engine capacities
Cylinder heads
Valve set 1
Valve set 2
Valve set 3
Valve set 4
Valve springs
Camshafts
Valve train
Engine balance
Ignition systems
Induction systems
Optimum fuel mixture settings
Fuel
Exhaust systems
Other specialists

Wildcat Engineering
Wildcat Engineering
Connecting rods
Crankshafts
Maximum bore (up to 6000cc) Rover V8 competition engines
Crankshaft dampers
Turbo block
Cylinder heads
High performance cylinder heads
Stage 1 cylinder heads
Stage 2 cylinder heads
Inlet manifolds
Fuel injection throttle bodies
Dry sump system
Steel flywheels
Wildcat engine example

Cylinder head modifications
Which heads?
Modifications
Preparation
Valve guides
Minor porting
Valve seats
Refacing
Fully modified cylinder heads

SU carburettors
Setting up
1) Float levels
2) Needle heights
3) Main jet heights
4) Idle adjustment screws
5) Balance
6) Idle mixture
7) Synchronising butterflies
Fuel pressure
Emission control poppet valves
Crankcase breather
Air cleaners & ram pipes
Changing & modifying needles
Standard needles
Needle tuning
Modifications for racing

Holley carburettors
390-CFM vacuum secondary with automatic choke
Setting up
1) Float levels
2) Idle adjustment screw
3) Accelerator pump
4) Idle adjustment screws
5) Metering block
390-CFM mechanical secondary ("double pumper") four barrel
Tips (all Holley carburettors)
1) Float levels
2) Fuel pressure
3) Backfiring through the carburettor
4) Fuel spillage
5) Gaskets
6) Butterfly opening
7) Fuel filter
8) Accelerator pump
Summary
Air filters
Fuel filters
Fuel pumps

Inlet manifolds
Inlet manifolds for Holley carburettors
180 degree manifolds
Low rise
High rise
Aftermarket 180 degree manifolds
360 degree manifold
Summary
Other downdraught carburettor options/adaptors
Standard & aftermarket inlet manifolds for SU carburettors

Fuel injection & engine
management systems
L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system (USA & Australian types 1974-1990): overview
L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system (UK type 1983 to 1990): overview
L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system: operation
ECU (electronic/engine control unit)
Airflow meter
Airflow meter: setting
Throttle body potentiometer
Throttle body potentiometer: setting
Fuel delivery control
Fuel supply system
Cold start controls
Lambda sensors
Ignition system
L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system: early methods of modification for high performance
Airflow meter: altering setting
Fuel pressure: increasing
Temperature feedback: altering
Conclusion
L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system: current methods of modification for high performance
Injectors
ECU upgrade
Airflow meter
Rising rate fuel pressure regulator
4.2 litre upgrade
Twin plenum L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system
Twin plenum L-Jetronic 4CU fuel injection system: twin airflow meters
L-Jetronic 13CU and 14CU electronic fuel injection system: overview
L-Jetronic 14CUX electronic fuel injection system: overview
Injectors
ECU
Airflow meter
GEMS 8 integrated engine management system: overview
GEMS 8: methods of modification for high performance
GEMS 8: ignition system
Bosch Motronic ML.2.1 engine management system: overview
HT (High Tension) lead/wire requirements (all systems)
Catalytic converters (all systems)

Exhaust system
Original exhaust manifolds
Tubular exhaust manifolds (headers)
4 into 1
4 into 2 into 1
Pipe dimensions
Pipe dimensions
Sealing exhaust manifolds

Cooling system
Kit cars
Radiator
Thermostat
Fan
Pipework
Racing cars
Optimum temperature range
Radiator
Restrictor plate
Selecting & fitting a radiator
Radiator caps & header tanks
Water pump speed
Swapping pulleys
Other options

Flywheel & clutch
Flywheel
J.E. Developments' dry sump system flywheel
Clutch

Rolling road dyno
Chart A
Chart B
Conversion chart

Buch, Softcover, 20,5 x 25 cm, 216 Seiten, ca. 190 größtenteils farbige Abbildungen, englischer Text
Einzelstück - Zustand: neu