TheRecklessEngineer Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Thinking about this yesterday... What is to stop you finding a 2x 16v 4 cyl heads and bolting it to a v8 block? Ok...its not going to be easy...you would need to find heads of a suitable size, drilling head bolts and sorting the cam shaft(s) would be interesting...but in principle, could it be done? 1.8 16v ford heads spring to mind...or maybe something with DOHC..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Thinking about this yesterday...What is to stop you finding a 2x 16v 4 cyl heads and bolting it to a v8 block? Ok...its not going to be easy...you would need to find heads of a suitable size, drilling head bolts and sorting the cam shaft(s) would be interesting...but in principle, could it be done? 1.8 16v ford heads spring to mind...or maybe something with DOHC..... If you have enough money/time/machinery then anything can be done. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Try looking for information on the TVR 4.5 V8, which is 32valve IIRC, shares its genetics with the rover V8 too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Engine manufacturers spend an awful lot of time on gas flowing heads. You'd need to find a 4cyl engine with the same bore and bore spacing, and then hope you're not bolting through any water jackets to match the Rover bolt pattern, or rework the block to take the head's bolts. Then you need to match the block coolant passages to the head coolant passages (and find a suitable head gasket). Non-starter per ££ I suspect, but as Chris says, if you've got the time and money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gruntus Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 why not go down the route of fitting a turbo or twin turbo? gas flowing the heads might be a cheaper route also. I would think it would be a great deal easier than reengineering for a 16 valve head..... ah to hell with it go nitro!! Regards G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro_Al Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 If there's no head that fits right off the bat it's probably cheaper and easier to cast and machine your own heads to suit? ...and that includes the price of the tools... Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 James, TVR looked at doing this to get more out of the Rover V8 and, instead, designed a new engine (the AJPV8 IIRC) which went into the Cerbera in both 4.2l and 4.5l. Interestingly, this only has 2 valves per cylinder..... In terms of work involved, ££££ and results its probably better doing something like John Eales does and welding up the valve guides and redrilling them further appart to take bigger valves. True, its not as much of a challenge, but totally redesiging the top and front end of an RV8 will be a huge ammount of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksmelly Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 The TVR 4.5 v8 also called the AJPV8 as fitted to the Tuscan R has absolutley nothing in common with a Rover V8 at all. It was designed from scratch by Melling consultancy in Rochdale. It's one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines ever made with more that 100 hp / litre. Only the BMW 3.2 M3 evo engine and a couple of ferrari engines match it... shame they need a full rebuild after 8000 miles. Nick... the smelly one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 The TVR 4.5 v8 also called the AJPV8 as fitted to the Tuscan R has absolutley nothing in common with a Rover V8 at all. It was designed from scratch by Melling consultancy in Rochdale. It's one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines ever made with more that 100 hp / litre. Only the BMW 3.2 M3 evo engine and a couple of ferrari engines match it... shame they need a full rebuild after 8000 miles.Nick... the smelly one I stand corrected and bow to your vastly superior knowledge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollythelw Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 The TVR 4.5 v8 also called the AJPV8 as fitted to the Tuscan R has absolutley nothing in common with a Rover V8 at all. It was designed from scratch by Melling consultancy in Rochdale. It's one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines ever made with more that 100 hp / litre. Only the BMW 3.2 M3 evo engine and a couple of ferrari engines match it... shame they need a full rebuild after 8000 miles.Nick... the smelly one figures whupped into submission by almost every modern bike engine.... Back OT - might be cheaper and much more effective to just buy an LS1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro_Al Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Back OT - might be cheaper and much more effective to just buy an LS1 Amen. Incidentally, didn't Wildcat cast their own heads for better breathing? (Different valve spacing / angles?) - I think this is the real limiting factor on the RV8. Al. Just once this time, I hope... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted December 14, 2006 Author Share Posted December 14, 2006 Intresting... Im not actually looking at doing this...but just wondered what you guys would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 if you want something really interesting a company down in poole built a 2ltr V8 using 2 yamaha R1 engines on a common crank and crank case it reved to around 11grand iirc that was twin cam heads (quad cam engine) mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksmelly Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Yes, R1 engine is 998cc and produces 180hp, but peak output is at 12.500rpm... would need a 3 to 1 transfer box... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 figures whupped into submission by almost every modern bike engine.... At the expensive of pretty much any meaningful torque... Back OT - might be cheaper and much more effective to just buy an LS1 But where's the fun in that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harald Hansen Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 This engine (Toyta V8 1UZFE) is also a nice bit of kit, and somewhat more available. No Rover genes, tough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS26 Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 At the expensive of pretty much any meaningful torque... try whacking open the throttle on a big Yam at 6000 RPM (still with 6000 rpm of the rev-range to go remember) and you will see what 'meaningful torque' is! Surely all you would need to do is... Nahh nobody is going to listen Hat, coat, head down, gone. Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 try whacking open the throttle on a big Yam at 6000 RPM (still with 6000 rpm of the rev-range to go remember) and you will see what 'meaningful torque' is! Surely all you would need to do is... Nahh nobody is going to listen Hat, coat, head down, gone. Rog With only a couple of 100kg to shift around you don't need that much torque to be meaningful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 Yes, R1 engine is 998cc and produces 180hp, but peak output is at 12.500rpm... would need a 3 to 1 transfer box... A V8 Hyabusa engine exists built by Radical, 2.6 litre 380BHP @10,00RPM (busa engine @ 1,300cc is 180BHP). Cost?? Is a bike engine more powerfull than a car? Well BMW M5 V8 - 5.0 litre 400BHP 8,000RPM twice the size and weight as above, however the Radical is for track days and doesn,t need as much Torque? The Lexus V8 is a wide and heavy engine compared to a RV8, quad cams add a lot of weight! IIRC alledgedly JE had a little chat with the then owners of TVR as they took his RV8 engines then alledgedly did an Orange number on him. Hence the need for thier own V8 - AJP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollythelw Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 was just the quote that the TVR was a powerful N/A engine - dont forget de-tuned V5 two strokes making 400hp.... But where's the fun in that? fun? the only Rover engine in the barn is a V8 and even thats playing up... power, reliability, cost, power, more power, physical size, cost, power, brand new, reliability, power, cost, mmmm poooooowwweerrrrr (is there a them here?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro_Al Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 power, reliability, cost, power, more power, physical size, cost, power, brand new, reliability, power, cost, mmmm poooooowwweerrrrr (is there a theme here?) In his, highly justified, excitement, he meant to add torque, weight and ease of squeezing out yet more ponies & ftlbs. Oh, and did he mention power? That's quite a fun list from where I'm sitting. Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 fun? the only Rover engine in the barn is a V8 and even thats playing up... Sounds about right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkieB Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 No-one ever seems to refer to the rpi Big-Valve heads [last item on page] is it the price [£1500]? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hiatt Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 But where's the fun in that? The fun is found in the drivers seat and identified by a permanantly large grin I did read an article about a chap in America grafting 4 valve heads onto a Triumph V8. I still wonder WTFF? I guess I see engineering as a means to an end rather than the reason for doing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 I still wonder WTFF? I guess I see engineering as a means to an end rather than the reason for doing something. Depends what the end is. I've got a stripped down 3.9 RV8 in the loft, which if and when funds and time permit I'm intending to rebuild into something at least moderately interesting. Is this going to give me the best possible engine for the money? Not a chance. But I will learn plenty about engine building, and I like a challenge. If my truck was a competition vehicle I'd take a very different line, but it's not - it's my hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.