Rover trial fit

I am doing a trial fit of a Rover v8 engine in my 79 LE and have a couple of questions. I tried the archives and British V8 site but found nothing in relation to my needs. No, I did not read every "How-to" but enough of the ones near to what I am attempting, but no cigar.

My engine is a 2001 4.0L X bolted mains, 9.35-1 C/R with about 80 thousand miles on it. I have it mated to a T5 Camaro GBX. I will substitute the F/I for an Offenhauser Dual-Port and a Holly 390cfm crapinator, I mean carburetor. I prefer an Edelbrock but for the street I think the lower cfm of the Holly would be more appropriate than the 500 cfm of the Edelbrock. Got any personal application anecdotes?

I want to stay with a DIS of the EDIS variety and retain the crank mounted oiling system with the serpentine belt dampener.
However the assembly will not slip in to place as the cast aluminum pan is impeded by the steering rack and perhaps by the front crossmember. Have any of you tried this combination and is it feasable with the rack removed/loosened? I don't have a problem with modifying the crossmember but will the rack need to be repositioned?

TIA for any of your input and all pics or links will be greatly appreciated.

Brad

Brad,

I've got the Edelbrock 500 sitting on a Performer intake on my Rover 3.5. It took some work but I've got it running a couple stages lean from "out-of-the-box". It runs very well and can pass the emissions testing we have in Vancouver. I think with your 4.0 and some new rods and jets, you'd get a good running motor.

I can pass along the part numbers for the rods and jets if you like. I like the 500. It's easy to tune and change out parts on.

Brad,

Looking at the attached link, looks like you either need to move the Rack or change to an old style front timning cover and oilpan. I did the cover and pan for my 4.6L which had the same setup as you 4.0L. You then need to change the damper etc.

http://www.britishv8.org/MG/JimStuart4.htm

I went with the Buick timing cover and front side for mine and have no problems with the rack or crossmember, even looks to be room to attach and remove the oil pan if such need arises. But mine is the 3.5.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1961-1962-1963-Olds-Buick-215-Distributor-Housing-Cover_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2304405025QQitemZ150395179045QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Another advantage to the Edelbrock is that it is about 3/4" lower.
John

Thanks to all that answered my call for helpful information.

Simon Austin, Yes indeed I would like to know what jets and needles work in your engine it would help me to get a closer baseline to what my needs may be.
I am no stranger to the Edelbrock/AFB carbs, I ran them on my Pontiacs back in the 60s and 70s and I don't ever recall having the problems that Holly's always seem to be plagued with, like leaks, flooding, blown power valves and especially FLATSPOTS! The only reason I was considering one is because they make a 390cfm 4bbl. and I think that would be just about right for one of these small displacement motors. My 67 Chev P/U has a 500 Edelbrock on its 327 and it runs well and pulls in about 16 mpg, with a 4 speed and 3.23 gears. Now my BBC dually is another story, it also has an Edelbrock carb, 650, and I must say that for a built up engine it does pretty well with it, except that it only gets about 5 or 6 mpg! I'm not kidding either. I much prefer a good old Quadrajet.


Mike Stemp, Thanks for taking the time to look up a possible model for my project and sending me the link. I had looked at this car but passed on it as I thought it to be a 66 car and was confused by the pics and the statement that it had been a 78????????? I took another look at it and my thought was that it had not been well executed but later it appears to have been well sorted out. Although it is a 4.0L it is not enough like my engine to help me out much. His intake is FI and he changed to an early serpentine belt system that uses an add-on pulley at the front, making it a bit longer. I also see that he used a CB suspension crossmember so the car would set lower, this must be why he had to move his steering rack?

Michelle Pierce, Thank you for your input, I have a complete Buick 215 here but I do not wish to rob any of its parts. Besides with the late, non distributor, engine that
I have I cannot use an early dizzy front cover without changing my cam to an appropriate one for that cover. I am contemplating a cam change but I may send mine to Delta cams to do a regrind on the one I now have. They have always done right by me and they are always willing to stay on the phone and listen to my needs and offer
advice that comes from many years of cam grinding experience.

John Davis, Yes indeed the Edelbrock carb is a lower profile and I am glad you reminded me of that, it will be an appropriate complement to the Dual Port manifold I will use as this is low profile too.

Also special thanks to my buddy JG (Jan) Norton, he spent the day here while we bench raced and tossed about ideas, mated up the 5 speed and poked it in to its intended victim, the long suffering 79 LE that I first bought back in 85. It was a good car but languished the past 10 years in storage waiting for me to spend some time on it. I'll attach a picture. It has quite a layer of dust in and on it, and not what I expected since all this time it did have a quality cover on it and was stored inside. NO mice damage since I put in mouse poison and it was all gone too. I would have steam cleaned it but the extremely cold weather we are having dissuaded me from doing so.
Currently the mercury is reading in the minus side of zero fahrenheit and will likely continue to drop. It is not unusual to hit minus 35 here and I am thnkful for my heated shop, but some winters the water does freeze and it is buried 3 feet down!



Update,

My engine is the shortest one due to it having no dizzy so the W/P does not need to be set further forward and the serpentine drive dampener is ribbed for the belt, hence no need for a bolted on pulley. It also has a cast alloy pan which will add more rigidity to the assembly and possibly help with some heat dissipation? The engine should be easy to adapt a remote filter and it is designed for an oil cooler. It also has the new crossbolted main caps and a crank driven oil pump. Nothing wrong with using as late a technology as one can, eh?

I got it put in place, today, by removing the oil cooler lines and removing the oil filter adapter. I then unbolted the steering rack and pulled it forward enough to get the engine set and then bolted it back up. It is about 1/2 inch from the firewall and the shifter looks as if it should come up very near to the original position. The cast oil pan seems to clear everything but I think I will substitute the downward plug with a flush one that will not be prone to drag on a speed bump, or something.


What I have so far is, of course the engine and 5 speed, but also an early Falcon 3:42 rear axle with all new brakes and hardware that I will need to shorten. The nice feature of this axle is the same wheel bolt pattern as the MGB, 4 on 4 1/2. I bought a new V8 radiator, from Moss, years ago when they had a supply of them at a decent price. The Dual Port manifold and also a set of very well made block hugger headers. I know there are pros and cons to them but the price was right and I really do not want to start cutting on my car........just yet. However, I do invite your comments.

I think I may buy D & D's ready made mount system and also their new driveshaft. Heck, I don't think I could get Murl's Driveshaft Shop, here in Spokane, to do one for the kind of money D & D wants. With the exception of the exhaust I should be able to fab up most of the other pieces I will need and I know that Jan is a Cracker Jack
machinist and can lend his expertise to some of these items as well. Right Jan?

I don't like to get too wild with the engines I build because they are street engines and last longer if only mildly modified, besides when I really get in to an engine it is hard to know when to stop. I'm sure you all know how those "Might as wells" can stack up. I'll use a mild cam, remove the heads and do some of the magic I have learned over the years and this should yield a few more ponies from the "Little engine that could". I have my own head shop so I may as well use it to my advantage.


Thanks again for all of your advice and help.

Have a Merry Christmas and keep in mind what the season represents.

Brad

Yeah, eveything i know came out of a crackerjack box ;)





editid fer spellin

Brad,

Here's what I've got in the carb on my 3.5:

Primary jets: .080" (#1421)
Secondary jets: .086" (#1423)
Rods: .062 x .052" (#1441)

The primaries are 2-stages lean from out-of-the-box, the secondaries 3-stages lean and the rods are 1-stage lean.

Hope this helps. The 500 cfm carb is a big unit for these smaller Rover's but it's the smallest Edelbrock makes. No demand anymore for anything smaller I suppose. Carter (pre-Edelbrock) used to make a 400 but they're becoming a bit rare.

Cheers
Simon

Brad,

If you get the motor to fit as is thats great! As you say its a better oilpump etc. If not the Buick V6 timing cover works fine and can be found new for $100. D&D has Distributors etc. Yes you need a Buick cam but at least there are lots to choose from! Not too sure how many are available for the newer Rover. If you go with EDIS what will control it? Dont take it the wrong way but how or why would you run that with a Carb. Why not go all the way with EDIS and Fuel injection?