Best books for those starting engine modifications to RV8s

[WazzaL]

I am a novice when it comes to properly tuning engines. I have done little bits and really trying to understand how it all works before deciding best options..

Has anyone read these books? Or have any others they would recommend?

- How to Power Tune Rover V8 Engines for Road and Track (SpeedPro) (Speedpro) (Paperback) by Des Hammill http://tinyurl.com/2fe9uy

- Tuning Rover V8 Engines: How to Get Best Performance for Road and Competition Use (Hardcover)by David Hardcastle http://tinyurl.com/28kwpg

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

WazzaL said:

I am a novice when it comes to properly tuning engines. I have done little bits and really trying to understand how it all works before deciding best options..

Has anyone read these books? Or have any others they would recommend?

- How to Power Tune Rover V8 Engines for Road and Track (SpeedPro) (Speedpro) (Paperback) by Des Hammill http://tinyurl.com/2fe9uy

- Tuning Rover V8 Engines: How to Get Best Performance for Road and Competition Use (Hardcover)by David Hardcastle http://tinyurl.com/28kwpg

Both these books are a bit misleading, esp. the David Hardcastle one.

The David book, is more a history of the RV8 and what has been done to tune it, who has used it etc, there is no technical information.

The Des Hammill book is a bit better, as it does give a full break down of the whole engone, Heads, Cams, Bores, Pistons, Cranks etc. also info on tolerances and clearances. but again its more of a history lession. it does to give any details on how to do any thing. well it give some info on gas flowing the heads.

but neither these books esp the Hardcastle book are going to turn you into a engine tuner.
at best they will tell you to change the standard bolts to ARP studs. (lol can you send me £50 for that bit of info )

If you do find such a book, please let me know.

The Des Hammill is a good book tho if you just want to know how the engine works.

Edited by TVRleigh_BBWR on Monday 25th February 16:52

[Graham]

I believe Haynes have commissioned a new Rover V8 book but It'll be a little while before its published...

[v8 racing]

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

[Bomber Denton]

To be honest the best info you can get is here on PH, a lot of the generic V8 books cater for the basic set up, if you are starting with a TVR build ask your questions here to be honest.

[clive f]

four stroke performance tuning by graham bell is a very imformative read, with a fair bit of reference to v8 engines.

Look forward to your book Rob,should fill quite a hole in the market.

Edited by clive f on Monday 25th February 21:05

[Bomber Denton]

v8 racing said:

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

This should be a good read!

[profstoff]

Bomber Denton said:

To be honest the best info you can get is here on PH, a lot of the generic V8 books cater for the basic set up, if you are starting with a TVR build ask your questions here to be honest.

Yes, but unfortunately a lot of conflicting information.

v8 racing said:

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

This sounds like just the job.

[900T-R]

profstoff said:

Yes, but unfortunately a lot of conflicting information.

Which will always be the case with anything regarding engineering for applications that seek to move people rather than just transport them - as long as people passing on the information aslo provide a bit of background on 'where they come from' I'd rather have all the information available and decide for myself what route to take than get just one author's take on 'the way to do it'. If the latter is your thing, IMO you're better off buying something 'off the shelf'.

[v8 racing]

900T-R said:

profstoff said:

Yes, but unfortunately a lot of conflicting information.

Which will always be the case with anything regarding engineering for applications that seek to move people rather than just transport them - as long as people passing on the information aslo provide a bit of background on 'where they come from' I'd rather have all the information available and decide for myself what route to take than get just one author's take on 'the way to do it'. If the latter is your thing, IMO you're better off buying something 'off the shelf'.

Hi 900 it certainly wont be a "dictation" on what to do, it will be more on the lines of which components work with other components, cam selecttions and again what works in what size motors for road or race depending on head selection etc...

[IVANHOE]

Well, this is not a book but well worth a look.

http://www.rpiv8.com/engine.htm

Trev

[TT Tim]

Not specific to the RV8, but I bought a copy of this years ago:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Step-Guide-Engine-Blueprin...

It's an informative book covering a lot of aspects of building an engine, and a great basis for understanding what can be done, how it's done and why. There's a lot of maching shop work covered that you can't do at home, but it tells you what they can do.

Worth getting if you're starting out on the tuning road, there's a lot of BS out there and having some knowledge is invaluable to help you weed out the mods that are worth carrying out.

Tim

[rev-erend]

v8 racing said:

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

Rob - I can well imagine that will be worth waiting for.

Well done - I'm sure it's been a labour of love.

[WazzaL]

Bomber Denton said:

To be honest the best info you can get is here on PH, a lot of the generic V8 books cater for the basic set up, if you are starting with a TVR build ask your questions here to be honest.

I will always ask opinions from the forums, but as said earlier, it is just a opinions and everyone does have their views. I'm trying to understand how the applications work together to acheive different results.

So...

v8 racing said:

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

I'll be eagerly anticipating this book to be released. Unless you have a draft version you'd be willing to lend - I'd stil buy the book afterwards, honest...

[TT Tim]

v8 racing said:

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

Rob,

Have you got a designer for your book? If not I'd love to work on it. I'm a book designer by trade and have produced 100s of books for major UK and world publishers.

Tim

[CRE]

Graham said:

I believe Haynes have commissioned a new Rover V8 book but It'll be a little while before its published...

[cloggy]

WazzaL said:

I am a novice when it comes to properly tuning engines. I have done little bits and really trying to understand how it all works before deciding best options..

Jeez Wazzal are you sure you really want to do this?
Sounds to me like it could end up messy.
Like a razor blade in the hands of a monkey.

[WazzaL]

cloggy said:

WazzaL said:

I am a novice when it comes to properly tuning engines. I have done little bits and really trying to understand how it all works before deciding best options..

Jeez Wazzal are you sure you really want to do this?
Sounds to me like it could end up messy.
Like a razor blade in the hands of a monkey.

Don't worry, I won't give the monkey in my car a razor blade..

[macdeb]

CRE said:

Graham said:

I believe Haynes have commissioned a new Rover V8 book but It'll be a little while before its published...

That's the one I'll want to read Jamie.

Edited by macdeb on Monday 22 September 18:43

[Fat Boy Chim]

v8 racing said:

If you cant a while i should have mine out by the end of the year hopefully!!
As mentioned earlier the books availible at the moment are more to do with history (hardcastle) and the size of engines/valves plenums etc... mine will be more about what combinations to achieve what horsepower and where your pounds are best spent for given aplications.

In time for santa i hope!