Turbo

colesy · Post by **colesy** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:54 pm

hi was wandering if anybody could help me, i have accuired a rover v8 which came with a twin turbo setup, its putting oout over 600bhp but keeps eating itself for example the cam it chewed all the lobes off, have replaced the cam with a better one but it just keeps going bad, was wandering if there was anyone which has any tips.

thanks

:D:D:D

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:39 pm

Hi
With the cam, are you replacing the tappets when you put replace the cam?
If not the new cam would last about 4000 miles.
When you replaced the cam where did it have parkerising or nitriding surface treatments as if not then it also won't last long. Finally how are you running in the new cam (lots on this previously) as it needs its first 20 minutes of running at about 2000 to 2500 revs or again the lobes wear off quickly later. Finally with a flat tappet cam it is generally advised to run in the cam either with a cam run in addative in the oil or running Deisel engine oil as the addative pack in that type of oil has more sulphite compounds in it that form the surface of the cam lobes as they run in.
Your other alternative is to convert to roller cam using aftermarket chevy small block roller tappets and a custom grind roller cam on a buick 215 blank.
As regards the rest of the engine, I hope you are changing the oil and filter very frequently as after you have ground off a couple of cam lobes and stuck the arisings through the oil that equates to quite a bit of metal filings going around the system (and will have bunged up you filter a treat). It will take some time to get that lot out of your oil passages so you need to change oil and filters a few times in a short space of time. Personally if it were mine having grould off two cam lobes I would do a strip and rebuild, get the oil gallery plugs out and clean it all thoroughly, strip inspect and clean the oil pump, inspect the crank, renew the main and big end shells, stick the cam chain through the dish washer a couple of times (or replace it and the gears if it is slack) definatly new cam and tappets. Strip and inspect the turbos as iron filings and 100k revs don't mix well. It sounds to me like it just needs the crud cleaning out and some TLC.
Mike

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:45 pm

By the way a 600 bhp rover v8 regardless of how it is achieved is a delicate beast it that needs to be kept clean and operated within sensible tolerances.
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:24 pm

600bhp RV8?! Ooh nice, do you have a more detailed spec at all? I'm assuming you ahve forged pistons, crank and maybe rods? What is the valve train you're using? What turbos, and at what pressure?

cheers

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:49 pm

just read your car spec, I see what you have here

Monster!!
Can you give us a fuller spec on this, I would hope this is based on a cross bolted block but I would think you are probably getting some block flexing around the bottom end including the cam tunnel area. I would think a 1" thick bottom end brace would be a good idea.
Check rod to cam loab clearances, with a 5litre throw crank and (I would hope at least H beam rods) things will be getting very close. Look at the rods around the beam part above the big ends for evidence of what is happening. I would seriously consider the upgrade to roller cam as you should get the power with fewer revs and the stresses around the cam tunnel will be less. you will need the cam ground on a fresh billet blank as this will flex less for a given lift profile. Is the engine used as a stressed member in the car? again look at the rigidity of the block if this is the case.
I look forward to more info (and some pictures if you have them)
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:55 pm

is it 400 or 600 bhp then - says 400 in your garage section but 600 here? I hope that's not the TVR 5 litre crank you have in there tho lol

colesy · Post by **colesy** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:35 pm

it is either a 5.2 or a 5.8i dont remember as we havent looked at it for a while.
the engine in the vehicle in my garage is the one we replaced the twin turbo for.

i also forgot to mention the turbo lump has:
omega pistons
custom made plenum
running around 9 psi per turbo
wildcat racing heads with roller rockers
the new cam we installed was a piper racing cam
unsure of which turbos they are from all i know is garrett manufacture them.

for the instalments mentioned it has most of them already fitted and we have rebuilt it 3 times already and it still goes downhill.

i shall get some pictures of the engine and post them up for you all to see.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:01 am

nice, any details on the block at all? Like anything special done?

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:38 am

Colesy,

I'm just wondering if this engine is one of the I believe three, twin turbo 4.8 engines that Wildcat built for MG/Rover which would have a Wildcat block as well as their heads.

If there are any special identification marks on the engine Ian Richardson at wildcat would be the best person to speak to.

Those engines were dynoed at 950BHP but were set up for speed record runs, so were probably not expected to have a long life.

The engines were not used for the record runs, MG electing to use Roush Ford engines.

Kevin