5.0 Chim block in a Disco?
Discussion
I am considering buying a 4.0 Disco with a slipped liner.
Could I use my spare 5.0 RV8 bottom end with all the Thor 4.0 externals?
I know they have a cam sensor etc.
It would be good to fit a different cam, say the Typhoon, a good all rounder but will that work with the cam sensor.
I would want to run all the standard bits on it, not make it an out and out power engine. A little more torque and power would be desirable.
This car is also running LPG.
Could I use my spare 5.0 RV8 bottom end with all the Thor 4.0 externals?
I know they have a cam sensor etc.
It would be good to fit a different cam, say the Typhoon, a good all rounder but will that work with the cam sensor.
I would want to run all the standard bits on it, not make it an out and out power engine. A little more torque and power would be desirable.
This car is also running LPG.
You can use a TVR 5.0 Litre engine IF it is the later cross-bolted block. This will have the necessary bosses for the knock sensors to be mounted to, and also have the hole machined at the back of the bock to receive the crankshaft position sensor.
I notice that you said "bottom end", and I hope you are including the heads in that. It will also be necessary to use the matching TVR heads, because this will be the only way to keep the compression under control. This may give you some interesting challenges in getting the ancillaries bolted up to the heads.
The camshaft will need to be changed anyway, because the GEMS and Bosch Motronic engines use a shorter nosed camshaft since it never has a distributor drive gear. The choice of cams is slightly limited, but you can get something suitable from either John Eales at John Eales Developments or Roland Marlow at Automotive Component Remanufacturing (ACR).
Since there are no readily available adjustable timing chain sets for GEMS or Motronic engines, the camshaft must be ground off the key way to ensure an accurate setup straight out of the box. Both John and Roland's cams are done this way.
Be sure to use the correct camshaft sprocket. The GEMS and Bosch versions are NOT interchangeable, but look quite similar at first glance. If you have an automatic gearbox, it will also be necessary to check the correct shimming between the back of the crankshaft and the torque converter flex plate to give the correct insertion depth for the torque converter.
Finally you will need your Motronic ECU reprogrammed to take account of the much greater torque. There are over 38 different maps to recalibrate for the increased airflow required by the larger engine. Some of these are for the operation of the engine, and some of them are used for diagnostics.
I notice that you said "bottom end", and I hope you are including the heads in that. It will also be necessary to use the matching TVR heads, because this will be the only way to keep the compression under control. This may give you some interesting challenges in getting the ancillaries bolted up to the heads.
The camshaft will need to be changed anyway, because the GEMS and Bosch Motronic engines use a shorter nosed camshaft since it never has a distributor drive gear. The choice of cams is slightly limited, but you can get something suitable from either John Eales at John Eales Developments or Roland Marlow at Automotive Component Remanufacturing (ACR).
Since there are no readily available adjustable timing chain sets for GEMS or Motronic engines, the camshaft must be ground off the key way to ensure an accurate setup straight out of the box. Both John and Roland's cams are done this way.
Be sure to use the correct camshaft sprocket. The GEMS and Bosch versions are NOT interchangeable, but look quite similar at first glance. If you have an automatic gearbox, it will also be necessary to check the correct shimming between the back of the crankshaft and the torque converter flex plate to give the correct insertion depth for the torque converter.
Finally you will need your Motronic ECU reprogrammed to take account of the much greater torque. There are over 38 different maps to recalibrate for the increased airflow required by the larger engine. Some of these are for the operation of the engine, and some of them are used for diagnostics.
Edited by Mark Adams on Friday 30th August 21:41
Another thing you might do - find and speak to vjj on here. He lives near Gatwick and has just bought my BV heads for a Landy he is doing up, which seems to be his hobby. He is in the building trade.....Nice guy.
This thread will find him
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
This thread will find him
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Gassing Station | TVR Major Mods | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff