I have an SD1 vdp efi auto that I am currently renovating. When the car is finished I have a rimmer brothers exhaust system with tubular manifolds to go on, and I will invest in a K&n filter>
Are there any other mods without major expenditure I could consider?
Simple mods for easy horses?
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Re: Simple mods for easy horses?
Don't stick a cone filter on the flapper unit - the car will not run so well. Not sure a K&N to replace the standard unit will make any difference.BrenG wrote:I have an SD1 vdp efi auto that I am currently renovating. When the car is finished I have a rimmer brothers exhaust system with tubular manifolds to go on, and I will invest in a K&n filter>
Are there any other mods without major expenditure I could consider?
The EFI has the best cast iron manifolds of all. Tubular ones will make very little difference on their own - apart from making it more noisy.
Dave
London SW
Rover SD1 VDP EFI
MegaSquirt2 V3
EDIS8
Tech Edge 2Y
London SW
Rover SD1 VDP EFI
MegaSquirt2 V3
EDIS8
Tech Edge 2Y
-
ramon alban
- Knows His Stuff
- Posts: 667
- Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:22 pm
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Hello Bren, With close to 200 horses under the bonnet of your RV8 Efi, the first thing to do is to ensure that they are all contributing 100%. After that, you may not feel the need to modify anything at all, unless you are driving on non-congested UK roads with cheap fuel, efficiency will be the key.
I agree with Dave's exhaust system comments. Tubular manifolds will add plenty of heat to an engine bay, complete with insulating blanket, already housing a system that abhors excess heat, especially around the high-up aluminium bits, where fuel vaporisation can occur to systems not set-up "just so".
Its also debatable if a change to a K&N filter will help find more horses, indeed it will probably inhibit them! More so, if the air intake point is not in its original cool location behind the N/S headlamp, but up in the bay somewhere else. Also you may/will eventually rue the extra noise from your stainless system, but that is more an age related issue (age of the driver and passengers, that is
)
So what to do? - Not wanting to spend money is exactly why I put together the following plan to eliminate power losses and generally maximise the health of the standard Rover Efi.
What is won't do is add power to the system as originally designed.
Just giving it a proper service (by the book) is the first thing to consider but that will not necessarily undo years of possible neglect by previous owners and if that's the case the "proper service" needs to include a whole raft of actions NOT normally undertaken by service agents or prior owners/home enthusiasts.
Things such as breathers, plenum cleanliness/throttle adjustment, ignition cleansing, plenum air leaks, etc, may never have been attended to by previous owners and, be sure of one thing, these things are neither weird nor unsusual, especially when dealing with the RV8 Efi's, which are much less tolerant of poor maintenance than the carb versions.
Thus - I suggest my 15 point program to regain all the power that has potentially been lost due to age related deterioration, possible lack of preventative maintenance and even prior neglect. Brutal suggestions, I know, but not unusual!
Rover SD1 V8 Efi Power Loss Recovery and Health Check Program.
Assuming the engine is in good mechanical condition with a working ignition system, correct cam/lifter performance and cam timing, good compression within acceptable limits on all eight cylinders, good exhaust system with no leaks, fresh lubrication plus clean filters, then follow these fifteen steps to ensure the ignition and fuelling systems are in good health.
1 Clean all ignition components externally and internally, spray with moisture inhibitor such as WD40 and wipe dry. Ensure the distributor vacuum and mechanical advance mechanisms are lightly lubricated, working correctly and the springs/bob weights are free of any corrosion.
2 Check security and eliminate any corrosion on all ignition Low Tension connections right back to the ignition switch, including all local earth connections.
3 Clean and re-gap the spark plugs - replace if necessary.
4 Check for damaged or out of specification (measured suppression resistance) High Tension leads, Pay particular attention to the rubber boots. Clean and replace if necessary, finally checking for nice fat sparks at the plugs.
5 Set ignition timing to just eliminate pinking with normally available fuel. See here for a neat process.
(Note: Items 1-5 are to guarantee and maximise the best possible spark at exactly the right time. Check workshop manual for recommended component and timing specifications.)
6 Ensure the plenum idle air gallery is clear and not contaminated with goo.
7 Thoroughly clean the plenum breather gallery, flame trap and LH rocker cover breather filter
8 Ensure the throttle disc(s) is correctly seated at idle (or set to the recommended disc to tunnel gap where specified) to prevent "idle speed hang-up" and that the whole throttle mechanism is free of unwanted friction right through from accelerator pedal to throttle pot.
(Note - items 6-8 can be best performed by taking the Plenum Chamber to the workbench). Go here for Plenum Solutions.
9 Set the AFM CO content to the recommended range erring just on the weak side of the mid-point. If a CO meter is not immediately available set the adjuster screw to 2.5 turns out, from fully home. See here for AFM stuff. Reset idle speed to the recommended level. The settings can be interactive, so recheck both.
10 Set the Throttle Position Sensor residual voltage to 325mv (some spec's call for 350mv). Ensure the sensor is not electrically noisy, causing random overfuelling. See here for full detail.
11 Verify the fuel pressure operates in the range 26 to 36 psi (for a 3.5l engine) not more, not less. Details here:
12 Test the integrity of the plenum and all its air/vacuum hoses for rogue air-leaks. How To here:
13 Check all Efi loom wiring/connections for faults/corrosion including the Efi engine earth AND the engine earth strap. Unusual Efi Earthing Issues here:
14 Check and replace air and fuel filters if necessary. Ensure fuel tank is not generating crud.
15 Because the Plenum would be removed for proper cleaning and accurate throttle plate adjustment, lift and service the injectors, replacing filter baskets, pintle caps, fuel pipes (optional if damaged) and injector to manifold seals. See here:
The program is designed for owners, generally unfamiliar with the ignition/Efi systems and for cars that have been subject to longer term neglect and/or under-use.
Selecting which points to omit is perhaps OK for owners thoroughly familiar with their engine systems, because longer term ownership may lead them to believe certain issues have been previously dealt with. Generally though, when something just "seems to be OK", it equally might not be!
None of the above can yield anything over and above the system performance that existed when it was new but, be amazed at the horses the above program will release from a tired and maladjusted Rover SD1 Efi V8 system.
And the beauty of it is, apart from time, most of these actions are low cost, or cost free.
To improve performance beyond its original spec there are three relatively simple things to add.
1 Have the ECU re-mapped for one's specific needs, or fit something from the aftermarket.
2 Fit a rising rate fuel pressure regulator designed to generate more "Oomph" under acceleration and high throttle positions. Expect fuel consumption to deteriorate.
3 Fit a custom designed sports exhaust system that effectively improves overall breathing and minimises exhaust losses, as opposed to simply adding power which, of course, it cannot do. Exhaust Science here:
Note that various links have been included above to a comprehensive archive of Efi Component information. Why not trawl through the other technical archives on the site for more specific examples of solving particular issues.
And going back to the basic 15 suggestions that form the core of this plan. If, dear reader, you decide to hit just a few of them, think about the young bull who remarked to an older bull, "Look! There are some moos down there in the meadow! Let's run down and sort a couple of them out" to which the older bull replied "Nah! Let's walk down and do the lot! Otherwise, you'll never know how much fun you coulda had!"
I agree with Dave's exhaust system comments. Tubular manifolds will add plenty of heat to an engine bay, complete with insulating blanket, already housing a system that abhors excess heat, especially around the high-up aluminium bits, where fuel vaporisation can occur to systems not set-up "just so".
Its also debatable if a change to a K&N filter will help find more horses, indeed it will probably inhibit them! More so, if the air intake point is not in its original cool location behind the N/S headlamp, but up in the bay somewhere else. Also you may/will eventually rue the extra noise from your stainless system, but that is more an age related issue (age of the driver and passengers, that is
)So what to do? - Not wanting to spend money is exactly why I put together the following plan to eliminate power losses and generally maximise the health of the standard Rover Efi.
What is won't do is add power to the system as originally designed.
Just giving it a proper service (by the book) is the first thing to consider but that will not necessarily undo years of possible neglect by previous owners and if that's the case the "proper service" needs to include a whole raft of actions NOT normally undertaken by service agents or prior owners/home enthusiasts.
Things such as breathers, plenum cleanliness/throttle adjustment, ignition cleansing, plenum air leaks, etc, may never have been attended to by previous owners and, be sure of one thing, these things are neither weird nor unsusual, especially when dealing with the RV8 Efi's, which are much less tolerant of poor maintenance than the carb versions.
Thus - I suggest my 15 point program to regain all the power that has potentially been lost due to age related deterioration, possible lack of preventative maintenance and even prior neglect. Brutal suggestions, I know, but not unusual!
Rover SD1 V8 Efi Power Loss Recovery and Health Check Program.
Assuming the engine is in good mechanical condition with a working ignition system, correct cam/lifter performance and cam timing, good compression within acceptable limits on all eight cylinders, good exhaust system with no leaks, fresh lubrication plus clean filters, then follow these fifteen steps to ensure the ignition and fuelling systems are in good health.
1 Clean all ignition components externally and internally, spray with moisture inhibitor such as WD40 and wipe dry. Ensure the distributor vacuum and mechanical advance mechanisms are lightly lubricated, working correctly and the springs/bob weights are free of any corrosion.
2 Check security and eliminate any corrosion on all ignition Low Tension connections right back to the ignition switch, including all local earth connections.
3 Clean and re-gap the spark plugs - replace if necessary.
4 Check for damaged or out of specification (measured suppression resistance) High Tension leads, Pay particular attention to the rubber boots. Clean and replace if necessary, finally checking for nice fat sparks at the plugs.
5 Set ignition timing to just eliminate pinking with normally available fuel. See here for a neat process.
(Note: Items 1-5 are to guarantee and maximise the best possible spark at exactly the right time. Check workshop manual for recommended component and timing specifications.)
6 Ensure the plenum idle air gallery is clear and not contaminated with goo.
7 Thoroughly clean the plenum breather gallery, flame trap and LH rocker cover breather filter
8 Ensure the throttle disc(s) is correctly seated at idle (or set to the recommended disc to tunnel gap where specified) to prevent "idle speed hang-up" and that the whole throttle mechanism is free of unwanted friction right through from accelerator pedal to throttle pot.
(Note - items 6-8 can be best performed by taking the Plenum Chamber to the workbench). Go here for Plenum Solutions.
9 Set the AFM CO content to the recommended range erring just on the weak side of the mid-point. If a CO meter is not immediately available set the adjuster screw to 2.5 turns out, from fully home. See here for AFM stuff. Reset idle speed to the recommended level. The settings can be interactive, so recheck both.
10 Set the Throttle Position Sensor residual voltage to 325mv (some spec's call for 350mv). Ensure the sensor is not electrically noisy, causing random overfuelling. See here for full detail.
11 Verify the fuel pressure operates in the range 26 to 36 psi (for a 3.5l engine) not more, not less. Details here:
12 Test the integrity of the plenum and all its air/vacuum hoses for rogue air-leaks. How To here:
13 Check all Efi loom wiring/connections for faults/corrosion including the Efi engine earth AND the engine earth strap. Unusual Efi Earthing Issues here:
14 Check and replace air and fuel filters if necessary. Ensure fuel tank is not generating crud.
15 Because the Plenum would be removed for proper cleaning and accurate throttle plate adjustment, lift and service the injectors, replacing filter baskets, pintle caps, fuel pipes (optional if damaged) and injector to manifold seals. See here:
The program is designed for owners, generally unfamiliar with the ignition/Efi systems and for cars that have been subject to longer term neglect and/or under-use.
Selecting which points to omit is perhaps OK for owners thoroughly familiar with their engine systems, because longer term ownership may lead them to believe certain issues have been previously dealt with. Generally though, when something just "seems to be OK", it equally might not be!
None of the above can yield anything over and above the system performance that existed when it was new but, be amazed at the horses the above program will release from a tired and maladjusted Rover SD1 Efi V8 system.
And the beauty of it is, apart from time, most of these actions are low cost, or cost free.
To improve performance beyond its original spec there are three relatively simple things to add.
1 Have the ECU re-mapped for one's specific needs, or fit something from the aftermarket.
2 Fit a rising rate fuel pressure regulator designed to generate more "Oomph" under acceleration and high throttle positions. Expect fuel consumption to deteriorate.
3 Fit a custom designed sports exhaust system that effectively improves overall breathing and minimises exhaust losses, as opposed to simply adding power which, of course, it cannot do. Exhaust Science here:
Note that various links have been included above to a comprehensive archive of Efi Component information. Why not trawl through the other technical archives on the site for more specific examples of solving particular issues.
And going back to the basic 15 suggestions that form the core of this plan. If, dear reader, you decide to hit just a few of them, think about the young bull who remarked to an older bull, "Look! There are some moos down there in the meadow! Let's run down and sort a couple of them out" to which the older bull replied "Nah! Let's walk down and do the lot! Otherwise, you'll never know how much fun you coulda had!"
