Advice please, course of action unsteady..

[lansalot]

Hi

Bought a Defender 90 with V8 conversion in it (LT77 manual box). Not overly happy with it because the previous owner really wanted to get a holley 390 in there. So, off to ebay he went and came back with one along with an offenhauser manifold.

Told me him and his brother had a hell of a job fitting the manifold and getting it to seal.

Reason being (as I found out when I got it home) was that he didn't get the L-shaped brackets for front/rear galley to clamp the tin (why not composite?? grr.) gasket down.

Consequently (and me being somewhat ignorant so as not to have spotted it before), the gasket sealant he used has blown and there's oil leaking out at both ends a bit. Engine is as expected running like a dog.

Not happy to say the least - and the v8 expert I know says that SU or weber carb instead would be miles better. General wisdom is that a holley has the float chambers fore/aft, and so on inclines the LR is likely to suffer immensely as one chamber fills and the other starves. "Not good for off-road" is the mantra being chanted around.

However, I'm really on a budget here (and in fact, I'm that pizzed off that I'm considering selling the bastid as-is..), so am asking the regulars here if they know of anywhere reputable I might find such kit that isn't going to bust the bank. Brand new weber 500 kit is in the region of 5-600 quid, and that ain't gonna happen with xmas coming up.

Basically, I bought the thing, drove it home and haven't been out in it since. Not a happy bunny at all.

Any advice folks (apart from "torch it - insurance job!")... ?

FWIW, the rest of the vehicle is absolutely 100% rock solid (chassis/bulkhead perfect) - it just needs this engine sorting out.. And at the risk of inviting offers, K-reg, 2" lift, twin-shocks at the front, years MOT, 6 months tax, full 6-point external roll cage, bucket seats, truck cab, new grizzly claw tyres etc...

Thanks

A

rant/whine over.

[mike4444244]

hi

for now couldnt you just refit stock carbs/manifold so you can use your car while you source a new carb or join the MS generation, or even better fit a diesel

mike

[lansalot]

hi

for now couldnt you just refit stock carbs/manifold so you can use your car while you source a new carb or join the MS generation, or even better fit a diesel

mike

Thanks, but I don't have the stock carbs/manifold. Previous owner flogged them off, thinking the holley would be the answer to all his prayers.

If I could get hold of some from a reputable place that I knew to be OK, then I would (as long as they didn't cost me the earth..).

Any suggestions where ?

[FridgeFreezer]

Don't waste time with the Holley or Weber - flog it, you should get more than enough to buy a stock inlet manifold & carbs and have some change too. Martin Toole (a mate who breaks RR's) will sell you a guaranteed working setup. He's on 07885 025872 or on eBay as "Range Rover Classic Recycled Parts".

The Weber is no better than the holley - it makes a bit more power but still hates slopes, doesn't enjoy bouncing around, and gets worse MPG than some aircraft carriers.

Longer term I'd look at Megasquirt using an EFi inlet manifold & hardware - if Sodbury was anything to go by, technobhobia is still rife among the Land Rover fraternity with people ditching EFi setups like they're some sort of dark magic. You should be able to Megasquirt a vehicle for similar money to buying a Weber, the price goes down further the more willing you are to do bits yourself. Basic components are under £500 for an MS'n'EDIS setup, then it's just wires and a bit of bracketry.

[lansalot]

Don't waste time with the Holley or Weber - flog it, you should get more than enough to buy a stock inlet manifold & carbs and have some change too. Martin Toole (a mate who breaks RR's) will sell you a guaranteed working setup. He's on 07885 025872 or on eBay as "Range Rover Classic Recycled Parts".

Many thanks for that, I'll be calling him today. Light at the end of the tunnel (potentially ) !

Had the EFI idea last night as I lay in bed, unable to sleep. Lot of wiring involved for that, but I can maybe pick up an old RR/LR that's knackered and rotten and take it from that. Work for the future I think !

Cheers m8

[q-rover]

There is a thread on here of someone detailing their MS install on

a V8. Do a search. The most difficult part is probably keeping the wiring

tidy...

[q-rover]

I did a search for you...

Megasquirting a V8

[FridgeFreezer]

I have never paid more than £10 for a complete EFi setup (minus the ECU & airflow meter which aren't needed for an MS install anyway), the 3.9 setup is nicer than the 3.5 but the 3.5 flapper wiring is easier to adapt (you don't have to make a loom from scratch - although it's neater it's a lot of work).

[Coastcard]

I have a twin SU setup I have taken from my 110. Includes carbs, manifold, linkages, choke cable (slight kink!) and the air intake stuff up to the main filter airbox (I am keeping this but you should be able to set something else up, as the tube that connects it is just flexible ducting) Vehicle had done 95k miles and was working fine. £80 delivered.

[lansalot]

Thanks for the advice, all.

Got in contact with previous owner who still has the (recently serviced) SU carbs and stuff. Will see how much he wants for them (urk, he wanted to swap for holley, would rather flog them on to try and recoup some cash)

I'll be right in contact with you Coastcard (PM sent)

[Litch]

Know all about the Holly and personally I would go down the stock carb route just so you can get the vehicle up & running for minimal outlay.

There are hundreds of old V8's out there with complete manifold/carb-assemblies in place and if you didn't feel like taking a risk on a set from a private seller, any dealer would offer you some kind of guarentee that it was complete set-up and going to work. As long as they have been taken off a running engine then you should be ok and anyway, you can strip & rebuild them before you fit them just to make sure (easy job, I used to do it on the dining room table as it is cleaner than the garage).

When it is running and you are happy with the whole vehicle you can start playing around with it and go for an EFI set-up if you like (yes, they were cheap at Sodbury).