LDV 400 V8

[ChrisJC]

I think they are HIF44's as I believe the HS had an external float bowl.

A couple of thoughts:
1. The cam in that engine will limit power to around 135BHP (that's what the Range Rover on carbs delivered, and it's a Range Rover engine)
2. If you want to get the best from the setup you have, take it to Pete Baldwin at Wilshers
http://www.wilshers-garages.com/
who has a rolling road and who knows everything about SU's. He got my 4.6 to deliver 250BHP on 2" SU's by setting them up properly. Will cost you about £200.

Chris.

[conrod]

Hi Chris,
allowing for the 19% drivetrain loss we normally use on this dyno, that puts the flywheel hp at exactly 135, so spot on there!

Unfortunately taking it to Pete Baldwin might be a tad expensive, nothing to do with his charge out rate, just that I am in New Zealand!

I am quite keen to persevere with the SU's if there are gains to be had. But I must also keep in mind it is a low compression (8.13) engine and with a very mild cam as you say. The van weighs about 2050 kgs,(and I will be using it to tow my race car) so I need something torquey, rather than a high revving engine.
It would be a nice engine to uprate, being a 38A block, but it is still only a 3.5, so a stroker/big bore conversion, although ideal from a torque point of view, might be pricey. It might be cheaper to buy a good 4.6 bottom end and slot it in on carbs. Plenty of room for an Eaton supercharger under there too, probably work quite nice on the low compression 3.5, but would mean a bit of work to install, and an ECU to run it too.

Do you know what torque your 4.6 makes on SU's??

cheers Conrad

[ChrisJC]

Ahh, yes, slightly Anglophile view of the world!!

I don't know the price torque figures, but we were maxing out around 5K, so we're very approx 260lbft.

I think I would try to get a 4.6 bottom end from somewhere, and pay for it by finding somebody who wants the rare-as-chicken-poop bottom end you have.

Or as you say, just slap a blower on it and give it some boost, since you've already got the best block for it (ok, you need to get the engineering work done on the main caps). Possibly even get it machined for the larger journal crank at the same time, fit the 4.6 crank (not sure what pistons / rots would work), then you get a solid long-stroke bottom end, ideal for some blowing.

Chris.

[topcatcustom]

How about keeping the block etc and just fitting higher compression pistons and maybe a head skim to bring it up a bit? At the same time you could tidy up the ports in the heads etc which would all help.