The V8 Owners Forum -

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:04 pm**

Hi guys,

I'm in the process of building a tr7 v8..

At the moment I have a couple of rover engine and some tuning bits, I have inherited this project really but I'm looking for move it forward in time alittle and I'm trying to make a decision as to what engine to install in it, been looking at yank ls v8's but it's looking like that direction will be out of budget.. So I'm considering installing an m62 BMW 4.4 v8 from the 540i with a manual box or else sticking with the rover..

The rover bits I have already are -

Jwr offenhauser dual port inlet manifold.

Full set of 4l high compression pistons and rings and liners.

Edelbrock 500cfm carburettor

Piper bp270 cam and bearings.

Intending on getting the heads worked on too!

If I was to stick with the rover, what kind of power would I see from adding the bits above to my build? How reliable would i be? Trying to decide weather to Build the rover or buy and install another more modern engine and flog the rover bits I have.

Thanks, Iain!

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:12 pm**

Hi Iain Welcome to another Ian - there are a load of on this site!

I have a 3.9 fully worked Rover engine (John Eales) running injection and get 256hp at 6700rpm

I have heard that the offenhouser can be a bit restrictive on airflow so presumably comparing that to an efi system you would drop 10 - 20hp

If you are at the stage of looking to swap to another make of motor Chev from USA are cheap and aftermarket parts are a load cheaper than Rover tuning stuff.

Others you could look at are Lexus V8 - silky smooth and powerful, Jag V8 - perhaps even with a supercharger.

Ian

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:50 pm**

Just to join the Ians,
Anything up to 300 hp from a NA 4,0, but expect to spend big bucks to get there, Rather than going for big valve heads, I would seriously be looking at either Real Steel or TA performance heads, all the power with Rovers are made in the heads, as stock style heads are restrictive in the exhaust port area, and the valves are not central in the bores, and sit low, being badly shrouded by the bores, which restrict valve size too,

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:51 pm**

Hi Iain, I currently own a Westfield 4.6 V8, but have previously had 2 TR7 V8s. Both were 3.5s, but the second one was burning oil so got S&S to rebuild it to a 4 litre spec. It had Holley 390, offenhauser manifold, a "fast road" cam and some headwork. They reckoned it was good for 240bhp, but when i took it to Aldon's rolling road, it turned out to be producing 200bhp.
This is still a decent uplift from the standard TR8's 135bhp, but as Ian has demonstrated, it should be possible to extract more than 250bhp with the right cam and heads.
As I am sure you know, the Rover V8 conversion will be easier than any other, due to the availability of parts from S&S or Rimmers and it will fit ! I like the sound of the BMW V8, but does it fit without serious mods to engine bay ?
Cheers
JR

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:23 pm**

Hi guys,

Thanks for the input...

Jonny the car came to me with a 3.5 V8 so the it is already converted to TR7 V8...

I have no idea if the engine will fit, i am based in NI and finding a 540i to measure up is proving hard, but until then i still have alot of cagework and shell strengthening to do!

I am just trying to decide weather i want to stick with the Rover for move into something more modern..

From looking at my options -

Jag AJ-V8 - Problems matching with a manual box and bore plating issues.

LS* Engines - Too expensive to buy + gearbox/ fabrication. cheap out of america but who knows what the hell is going to arrive, what is missing etc.

Lexus V8.. Problems getting manual gearbox again, talk about supra boxes but im looking at £1500 for a supra manual box if im lucky, so altho the engine is cheap to buy it is underpowered and will need money thrown at it to tune it and get a box to suit.

BMW - 4L M60 or 4.4L M62, seems like a nice smooth engine, the guts of 300hp out of the box, full car can be collected with manual box, loom, ecu for £1500-2k.. engines alone for £4-500 from 7series.

The BMW is looking like the best option, i believe there are issues with the oil pump in the sump fo them but from a build thread on here with the engine going into a 3series saloon that problem can be solved.

The car is going to be fully stripped out and i dont mind modifying the transmission tunnel. Id say the main restriction will be height and getting the bonnet to close.

Has anyone else any other options that i should look into?

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:26 pm**

Johnny Rotton wrote:Hi Iain, I currently own a Westfield 4.6 V8

Also a westie owner! this is my 1st tintop build!

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:17 am**

Great stuff ! Which one have you got and do you race it ?
By your reference to tin top, I assume the TRs are not convertibles so you have a better starting point for a big V8 ! Let us know what you go for.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:08 am**

Yet another Ian here !
I have a question to Ian.Stewart - you mentioned Real Steel and TA cylinder heads as the best way to go for head modification on a Rover v8, as an interested party thinking of going down that route, I am just looking for a bit of advice.Who Makes the TA heads,are they better than Real Steel items? any pointers would be appreciated.
Koopstreman

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:51 pm**

Johnny Rotton wrote:Great stuff ! Which one have you got and do you race it ?
By your reference to tin top, I assume the TRs are not convertibles so you have a better starting point for a big V8 ! Let us know what you go for.

It's a megablade that I have and run it in the northern Ireland under 929cc race series.. Finished the car 2years ago and I've been racing it since! 15+ usually out on the Grid and some very tight racing with strict regs!

Yeah the tr7 is not a convertible, intending to build it into a rally rep with a different unit!

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 9:38 pm**

TA PERFORMANCE, they have heads on the go for a while, they do have a name given to their heads, but I cant remember, Real Steel heads are meant to be good, and the TAs are meant to be even better,
I think if I was going to build another RV8, it would be the better way to go, a good set of ported
http://www.taperformance.com/

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 3:22 pm**

Thanks for the info Ian,a set of decent heads is on my shopping list for sure,its just a knowing which to choose. I have seen some Odins heads on e-bay and come in around £1200,do you know anything about these?
they are alot more expensive than the Real Steel items,but are they better ? - koopsterman

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 3:41 pm**

ian.stewart wrote:TA PERFORMANCE, they have heads on the go for a while, they do have a name given to their heads, but I cant remember, Real Steel heads are meant to be good, and the TAs are meant to be even better,
I think if I was going to build another RV8, it would be the better way to go, a good set of ported
http://www.taperformance.com/

Probably thinking of Wildcat

Ian

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:49 pm**

No TA have deffo got a name for their heads

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:34 am**

Hi Iain,

Sounds like a great project, but then i guess i am biased !

The BMW V8 is wider than the Rover V8 ? and dont forget the liner problem with the M60, we changed hundreds of them back in the day but poss still some out there that were not changed.

i know a few gents in Oz who have changed to Lexus V8's

Also a couple of guys in the states with yank V8's but at a guess heavier than the Rover lump

http://www.lanocharacing.com/index.htm

Cheers John

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 6:16 pm**

It seems they are called the TA 2150, this extract out of their catalog on page 13.....

TA Performance is introducing our new Buick 215 / Rover V8 aluminum
cylinder heads. Based upon our V6 cylinder head, these heads are a great
improvement over the factory and other aftermarket Rover cylinder heads. These
heads are nearly identical to our V6 heads with the exception of an added cylinder.
The overall design remains the same.
The major area of improvement in the performance of these heads is the
larger intake ports. Being that it is based off of our V6 heads, the intake ports are
essentially the same. With porting, preliminary tests yielded 270+ cfm on the intake
and 180 cfm on the exhaust ports. In addition, the valve angle has been adjusted to 13
to put the valves on the center line of the bore which allows for the use of larger valves,
up to 2.02” intake and 1.60” exhaust. The exhaust ports have also been raised to help
improve performance. The Rover heads also feature a 1.850”-1.900” valve spring
install height which allows for the use of higher lift cams.
Another feature that was incorporated during the design is the new
combustion chamber shape. Factory 215/Rover heads feature a D shaped combustion chamber. The new TA 215/Rover head
features a Heart shaped combustion chamber found on all high performance cylinder heads, including our V6 and big block
heads. This results in better combustion, due to the decrease in the
possibility of detonation, which increases performance. The chamber and
deck thickness was also increased to at least 5/8” or thicker. This makes the
heads stronger so they can handle more power without flexing and
cracking, a potential problem on high horsepower or forced induction
engines. The valve cover rail has also been raised to make way for
additional material which gives you the ability to raise the intake ports to
make it a tall port head. Accessory bolt hole patterns for both the Buick 215
and 14 bolt Rover
heads have also been incorporated so that the heads fit the Buick
215, early 14 bolt Rover blocks and the later 10 bolt Rover blocks.
TA 2150 PRICING
Assembled $2795.00 Bare Castings $1500.00

The V8 Owners Forum -

Expected power output - Rover 4L

Expected power output - Rover 4L