Peaklander Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 This is a lazy question but I know plenty of peeps on here will have the answer instantly. Someone near me has a D2 4.0 V8 (petrol) with manual box for sale as a runner with spring conversion at £850. Is this a potential future engine swap for my 300TDi or is it a no go? Thank you in advance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 IMHO the 4.0 V8 Thor engine is the best RV8 out there, as long as it's in good condition it'll make a good option for a 110. To run it you will need an ECU, either the one on the Disco or it's very well suited to a MegaSquirt setup as it has a crank sensor, coil packs and idle control valve that can be used directly with a Megasquirt ECU without needing additional trigger wheels etc... I've been considering getting one for the garage myself for a future conversion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Having just swapped your chassis, it would have been easier to have ordered a V8 chassis to avoid playing with engine mounts. But it’s nothing a welder couldn’t sort. Love the Thor V8 in my disco, and it works well with the disco auto box but a tad thirsty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Yes, great engine, do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 As this is something I have always fancied doing to my 110, what makes the Thor V8 a better choice than my 3.9 out of the Disco 1. I intend to fit Megasquirt and Lpg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrycol Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 The Thor produces slightly less power at the top end but more torque from lower down so is better suited to a 4wd and everyday driving. Also the 4.0/4.6 has a stronger bottom end. The crankshaft is bigger and has cross bolted main bearing caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 LPG makes life more complicated on a Thor but that aside for now, the 4.0 Thor is essentially the last step in the RV8 ladder, a 3.9 with all the toys. It had all the features and refinements that evolved through years of experience with the engine with a cross bolted block, better oil pump, serpentine front end. The engine also delivers noticeably better low end torque, allegedly due to the inlet manifold. It had a bit of a bad rep at one point but, in all honesty, if it's still running OK after nearly 20 years it's pretty much NOT going to be one of the bad ones unless it's been sat in a barn from new. From a MegaSquirt PoV it's really easy because everything is there already that you would otherwise have to add on: Standard crank sensor is a VR sensor that can hook straight into MS (just make sure you use a shielded cable) Coil packs are arranged in a wasted spark configuration, mounted at the rear of the engine and can be driven direct or, if you really feel the need to, via EDIS Idle control uses a simple PWM controlled valve (with the addition of a resistor) If you want to use it, the AFM is also compatible with MegaSquirt ECUs that support it. Essentially you can fit an MS1-Extra, MS2-Extra or MS3-Extra straight onto it without any additional hardware being required. Where life gets complicated is that, unlike the earlier inlet manifolds, the Thor isn't really suited to a gas ring style LPG system so you would need to use a more advanced system with LPG injectors alongside the petrol ones, often tapped into the manifold.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 4 hours ago, Dave W said: Where life gets complicated is that, unlike the earlier inlet manifolds, the Thor isn't really suited to a gas ring style LPG system so you would need to use a more advanced system with LPG injectors alongside the petrol ones, often tapped into the manifold. Interested as to why you say that - my Thor manifolded 3.5 has been running for many years first with a gas ring and now with a BLOS gas carb... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 The idle valve makes things complicated, bypassing the cooker ring and therefore not getting any extra gas into the engine, iirc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Ahh - makes sense. When I swapped from the cooker ring to the BLOS carb I put a feed for the idle valve in between the BLOS and the throttle body to get round that. HoSS didn't use the valve when he originally set it up with the cooker ring as it was bolted straight onto the throttle body itself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Yep, I remember the post on here about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 At some point I've got a multipoint setup to fit (along with a 4.6) to do it all 'properly' - but with the BLOS it runs really nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 Great discussion! I’m going to view but Mrs P isn’t happy as I don’t have anywhere to store it except out on the drive. I have to drive past the seller anyway so why not. I’m not sure what to look at in order to check it over (for power unit rather than as a runner) but it does have an mot so not difficult to get it home. Guess I’ll first see if things match as I don’t even know what the stated engine should look like! Of course I intend to drive the 300TDi for the foreseeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Doooo iiiiiit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 😀 I don't know what to do. I didn't see the person I was expecting to see, I did photograph the V5 but the listed owner certainly isn't who I saw. I guess he's a trader and might be OK. I heard the engine running (sounded very throaty) maybe that's correct and they do sound rather loud. The price has dropped to £800 without me asking. The vehicle isn't roadworthy as it's missing a nearside front light having been bashed and also the offside rear cluster is missing. I certainly wouldn't be buying it as a runabout until such times as I do the swap. So apart from the encouragement I have already received, what should I do? Offer something effectively 'just' for the ecu, harnesses etc. the runing gear and engine / and boxes, righting -off the rest of it as scrap? If so what should I offer for an unproven engine (which appears from MOT recorded to have done about 135K miles)? Also how do I handle Mrs P's " we don't have room". Find someone to hold it for me till I can strip it and get rid of un wanted bulky parts? Asking the audience is always the best way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Offer 600, you can't lose that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Not sure it should sound throaty should be smooth & quiet and like a sewing machine. But if it appears OK and runs OK then yeah £5-600 for a whole car, that way you *know* you have all the bits required. If it's not popular with the sandbag you can fck the rolling remains off quickly enough to the scrappy (or eBay no reserve collection only), or break it yourself for more profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 As I didn’t like the guy and he wasn’t the person he was supposed to be, I wasn’t really concentrating when he started it up. However it revved with a massive roar which he thought was brilliant. I’ve never heard one before but it sounded as though it was a massive dog pulling on lead, just waiting to be released. Not much refinement. Sellers interest has waned since I said it was too expensive but I haven’t done what a good negotiator does and made a counter offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Reckon he's gutted the exhaust then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 I'd be a little wary of one that someone's bolted a chavvy exhaust to and ragged about just to show off making noise. Crusty D2's or P38's aren't hard to come by and £800 is strong money. We paid £500 for the 4.6 P38 which had been fairly well cared for an flogged the thing minus engine for £250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 Decision made for me because as you'll see in my build thread, my turbo is NBG and that will divert some funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Just for your info, My D2 is probably what you call throaty to begin with at start up. All standard exhaust, but on start up the viscous fan will run for a bit making a bit of a roar and then it settles when the idle settles down. Also if parked by the house the exhaust can reverb quite a bit   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Your a bad influence also, as when is time to get rid of my disco I am now tempted to keep the engine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Interesting you want to go from diesel to petrol. Can you live with 17ish MPG ? What would Mrs Peaklander make of that ? If you want it offer £500, but as he is a suspected trader he is unlikely to take it...……………….unless he has had it too long. If he doesn't accept it, walk away. There are still plenty around. If it has done 135k though, realistically you should budget for a rebuild, just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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