Anybody have experiencing adding fuel injection, a turbo (or two), or a supercharger to a 215/rover engine? My Range Rover 3.5 is tired. Let me know what you've tried.
OK, if you are going to pressurize the engine, do it right, supercharger, not a turbo, use a belt driven blower! Years ago, I built a 215 for a T bucket roadster, used an older design 4-53 blower. Today, there are nicer superchargers available, for even better setups. Turbos, no, not for serious people, they "boost" when they want, run at meltdown temps, and are never at the right cut in point. Blower, works at one start point, makes power, no hassles. No matter which mode of pressurization is used, EFI, EFI, EFI.
EFI,EFI,EFI Do you have a recommendation for an add on EFI system? I'm looking at the SDS system used by Lanocha Racing. It's programable and not overly expensive.
I use the Lanocha electronics on my bore/stroker 312 c/i 4.6 Rover aluminum engine, modified 4.6 injector manifold and 22 lb/hr injector nozzles, bored Z28 throttle body. Works exellent. Probably would work even better with his intake manifold setup. Lanocha stuff is the way to go if you don't have injected stuff to modify, and especially if you want a super killer EFI system.
IgnitionMan, Quit teasing! Stock 4.6 crank? What bore, pistons, rods, heads etc.? Got any pics? Right now I'm thinking 4.0 short block (found new for $1k), 300 heads and maybe crank, and not sure what intake. Lanocha hasn't gotten back to me on sds or his intake.
4.6 block align-bored to fit 300 main bearings Australian P76 Leyland crank, 3.500 inch stroke CAT small journal Chevy H beam rods, narrowed to fit the crank Ross forged pistons, .040 over Chevy 305, floating pins Top Hat type sleeves (flanged at the top), gives head gaskets iron to seal to, not aluminum on the block face Steel shim head gaskets, carbon impregnated and coated 300 heads, ported, plug holes sleeved to use 10mm spark plugs Corvair valves, special hard seats, Isky valve springs and aluminum retainers Stock aluminum rockers, Smith Brothers adjustable pushrods Crower cam and lifters, drilled for direct lobe oiling Double row timing chain, revised timing cover, H/V oil pump ARB main and head studs Rover three piece EFI intake manifold, bored Z28 throttle body 22 lb Mustang nozzles, Lanocha fuel control system One of my MSD trigger dists, MSD 6AL box Homemade tri-Y headers, Flowmasters, X pipe Centerforce dual friction clutch, T5 5 speed Engine still weighs under 335 lbs. 1972 Chevy Vega is this engine's home. I'm doing one right now for my friend, Glenn, for his BMW 2002.
Don't know if you've seen or tried a 350 crank (or are even curious about) but check out: http:/qldleylandp76.itgo.com/gregs2.html
How much clearancing did you have to due to fit the 350 crank? It's too bad the Rover block doesn't have the room.
Actually, there are only a couple of places that need to be clearanced with this block. There are two "protrusions" cast into the crankcase that, as far as I can see, do absolutely nothing and can be ground away to allow the 350 rods to swing freely. The other problem is pictured below. One of the rods just catches the oil galley. Some very light grinding is required there. Otherwise, the 350 crank fits in the P76 block quite nicely. As has been pointed out by IgnitionMan, however, the 64 Buick 300 heads may not flow enough to make good power in this application. Cast iron heads would be much better... but that somehow defeats the whole purpose of this.. now don't it? Greg
In my opinion, the 340/350 3.850 stroke crank has way too much stroke to make a fun engine. P76 crank is about the max. P76 block has 3.50 bore, uses 3.50 stroke, and probably can take a 340/350 crank, as the decks are .670 higher than other Rover/Buick aluminum blocks. Since I'd cast my own heads long before I'd use an iron head on one of these aluminum engines, later heads are out of the question. Remember the Vega emngine, aluminum bolck, cast iron head, not my idea of the way to do it right. If I did cast my own heads for this package, they'd use a hemispherical chamber for a two valve setup, pent roof DOHC for a 4 or 5 valve setup. Wildcat heads aren't the answer either, too specialty, too expensive and you need to use one of their blocks to make it right, but that's the setup if you want to build a 2 valve mountain motor alumiunum Rover/Buick engine, just bring wall to wall cash. I weld the chambers on my 300 heads, cut them heart shaped, like Doug Roe and I did many years ago on Vega heads, works well. Since I have Ross make my pistons, I can have the same heart shaped pattern machined into the piston tops to make the compression ratio as I like. It all depends on your priorities and wallet filling.
I think that in a "limited use" application the stroked P76 block might come into it's own. I did a Desktop Dyno session some time back to see what could come from that combo. With the 300 heads and 350 crank, it didn't make much more horsepower than the stroker Rover V8... but.... torque was way up there! Nearly 400 ft\lbs from 1800 rpm up through 5500 rpm. So... for a car like the P76 (four door sedan), Jeep or a Range Rover, it might be a good thing. It won't rev to the moon, but she'll pull like a clydesdale. Greg
And, bore vs stroke, the stroke wins out over a larger bore for making smaller flow heads work better. So, win/win with the P76 crank and somewhat massaged 300 ports/bigger valves. Big bore unshrouds the valves, good, longer stroke creates longer inlet suction time with proper cam, even better. too much stroke, like the 340/350 cranks, lose efficiency with the smaller vale'd heads, as there is a limit to returns and past one point, they diminish. Sure, it's neat to hear a 215 turn 7,200 rpms, but getting it there ain't that much fun. So, if the P76 cranked/bored 215 runs only 5,800 rpms and grunts from rpm idle to that 5,800 rpms, this is a good thing!
