The V8 Owners Forum -

I have rebuilt a Rover 3.5 V8 and within the next couple of weekends I will be installing it into my GD based Cobra. That said, and just for my general interest for the future, I would like some advice on tuning this engine. I have rebuilt it with a Hurricane cam, standard heads, no rebore (bore was OK'ish) and will put a Webber 500 on. Plans for the future are to tune the engine a bit, now that I have built a (hopefully) working engine and feel a bit more confident! Can anyone tell me the best way to increase power over what I have at the moment.
Firstly I intend to keep this engine for a good while so "Bigger Block" or "Chevy V8" are not an option!!!
Would stage 2 (or 3) heads be worthwhile? could I do the headwork myself? Would a rebore benefit (would that be to 3.9?).
Any advice on this subject would be very much appreciated.
I have bought Hardcastles book but would like advice from people that have done something similar all ready.

Thanks

Martin

3.9 rebore requires new liners = £££ so maybe as well with a 3.9 block certainly cheaper these days.
Headwork I don't know what your like so cant say if you can do it or not but would say probably not as there is a lot more than just opening out the ports as much as you can. You can certainly clean the ports up yourself which will give you a bit but don't be tempted to keep going unless you know what your doing or get some books on the theory and read up.

What are you resonably looking to have for an engine?

katanaman wrote:3.9 rebore requires new liners = £££ so maybe as well with a 3.9 block certainly cheaper these days.
Headwork I don't know what your like so cant say if you can do it or not but would say probably not as there is a lot more than just opening out the ports as much as you can. You can certainly clean the ports up yourself which will give you a bit but don't be tempted to keep going unless you know what your doing or get some books on the theory and read up.

What are you resonably looking to have for an engine?

I guess once I have driven my Cob with the engine as it is I will be able to answer that question. I don't necessarily want a fire breathing monster, just something that is reasonably quick. The main thing is that I want to stick to Rover becuase I am sort of getting to know them now (although still a long way to go!!). I have no idea what the expect from my engine in its present state to be honest. Have you any idea's what sort of 0-60 times for instance I would achieve with the engine as it is?

Thanks

Martin

Depends what your final all up weight of your car is and what ratios your gearing is. Your car will be quick for sure but no super quick. you will probably have around 200bhp in there and it will be nice and drivable with it. The trouble is that in V8 terms the 3.5 is small and although good figures can be got for it you pay for it in drive-ability. Good news is your car should be fairly light so you shouldn't have to go to extremes to get it to shift. But is enough ever enough?

Best advise I can give is leave it until you know what you have and have driven it, then think about doing more.

If you have driven the Cob with the old engine, you will notice a difference with the weber fitted. But you will probably have to jet it down a bit as the standard jetting may be a bit rich for the 3500. Mine was.

I started on this slippery slope 3 years ago with my 3500. Get your cheque book ready because you may get the speed bug mate.

My engine is on its 4th incarnation now and does the standing 1/4 in 12.2 seconds with 0-60 around 4.5 seconds on a good hook up.
So an increase on the 1/4 from 16 seconds to a low 12 is really good. Am I satisfied...NO! I should be, but I'm not. I cant explain it, but once the RV8 gets under your skin you have trouble trying to shake it off.
Well, I do anyway.
The good thing about the RV8 is it's an easy engine to build, and you can get all the tech advice you need on here.