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Rover T16 Turbo Engine Confirmation
cryoman1965 - 15/6/08 at 08:48 PM

Currently on the look out for this engine. How do i confirm i have the right one. I.E the 200bhp version. Are there particular numbers/marks to look for.

TIA

Nige


bilbo - 15/6/08 at 09:16 PM

Hi Nige,
There's a few of us on here (well, three inc myself that I know of) who have builds ongoing with this engine. Nice to know someone else is planning the same. So, if you come across any problems, chances are we may already have the answer.
Not sure I can answer your question, though, as to marks/codes to identify it. Perhaps others on the forum can help here? Some perhaps useful info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_M-Series_engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_T-Series_engine

I thought all the T-series turbos were 200bhp, but the link above suggests some where only 180. I guess if you can identify the car the engine was from, then you're on your way?

Anyway, here's a pic of a 200bhp one if it helps:

Cheers,
Bill

[Edited on 15/6/08 by bilbo] Rescued attachment 008.JPG
Rescued attachment 008.JPG


britishtrident - 16/6/08 at 10:03 AM

Some of the 820 turbo engines are 180bhp or less, only the Early Vitesse Turbos and the Vitesse Turbo Sport has the the full monte. Apparently the quickest way to tell is the size of the donor's front brakes --- smaller brakes = lower output engine.

[Edited on 16/6/08 by britishtrident]


stu da rude - 16/6/08 at 10:42 AM

Didnt all of the 620Ti's get the 200hp engine?

Out of interest, which box are you guys intending to use?


coozer - 16/6/08 at 01:19 PM

I got my T16 out of a 220GTi but the guy reckoned it came from a 800 Vitesse so I hope its 200bhp.

I'm using a Toyota Supra box with mine. Much sweeter than the LT77 and much stronger too.

I'll be making an adapter late to bolt ti to the original FWD bellhousing once I've cut the diff carrier bit off, AKA bilbo Rescued attachment T16.jpg
Rescued attachment T16.jpg


andyps - 16/6/08 at 05:45 PM

The later ones are 200bhp. If the gearbox is attached they all had the viscous type diff which replicated an LSD.

You are actually better off with the 180bhp engine though - they have much more tuning potential as the pistons are much stronger, the later ones were generally known as chocolate pistons. Very easy to get the 180 up to about 220 or slightly more by feeding some air from the turbo wastegate actuator pipes. If you go too far the Rover electronics actually cut out the fuel supply to stop it running too weak so just as you hit max power it temporarily cuts out. I used to have an 820 Vitesse and the wastegate actuator failed - very quick if I got the throttle position right, but too much and it was frustrating!


piran - 17/6/08 at 09:41 AM

IIRC :
You want one from a Rover 800 for the sump - the oher models have sumps that don't work well RWD, I believe you can also fit one from a sherpa van ...

as said before the 180bhp engines have stronger pistons and are relativey easy to tune up but off the top of m head the change was around '94 (I'll check later) later than 96 and you have the distributorless engines which are more complex to get going and are also tied t the immobiliser and you can conect them to the ford MT75 gearbox (I have) to do that you need an 2wd MT75 from a V6 - the easiest way to achieve this is to get a broken v6 4wd MT 75 and a working 4pot 2wd mt75 and swap over the front casings (I got someone ese to do this and refurb the gearbox at the same time) you also need an adaptor plate which I got from Robin Hood.

This might be useful : PPC

[Edited on 17/6/08 by piran]


britishtrident - 17/6/08 at 11:11 AM

The 820 started out only with the more powerful version, the detuned version was introduced round about the time the 620Ti was launched. After that the only 820 version with the full monte was the Vitesse Turbo Sport. The main difference between the two versions is the pistons.

Incidentally they didn't use a viscous diff but a Torssen diff which is the best type of LSD --- the FWD gearbox fitted to these cars has some trouble coping with the power so they can be quite sought after -- also the torsen diff fits the MGF/MG TF.

[Edited on 17/6/08 by britishtrident]


piran - 17/6/08 at 04:14 PM

quote:
In the spring of 1992, the R17 Vitesse appeared, with a turbocharged T-series engine in place of the Honda V6 used in XX Vitesses. Power output matched the limited-edition Tickford 820 Turbo at 180bhp, as did the maximum torque figure of 159lb/ft at 1800rpm. Like the Tickford, the new Vitesse was praised for its effortless ground covering ability, although the Honda heritage of short travel suspension ensured it would never challenge the fastest hot hatchbacks on the twisty back roads. Good value was a strong suit. At just under £20,000, no five-seater could offer anything close to the Vitesse’s performance.

In August 1994, coinciding with the introduction of the 620ti, the 820 Turbo’s output was boosted to the same 200bhp as its newer stablemate. It should be noted that the reason that the Tickford’s output was limited to 180bhp was thought to be uncertainty about the ability of the PG1 gearbox to cope. Two years of experience with the higher output engine in the 220 Turbo must have given Rover the confidence to standardise Turbo outputs at 200bhp.


Austin Rover has some useful info on the 800 and the T series.



[Edited on 17/6/08 by piran]


britishtrident - 17/6/08 at 07:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by piran
quote:
In the spring of 1992, the R17 Vitesse appeared, with a turbocharged T-series engine in place of the Honda V6 used in XX Vitesses. Power output matched the limited-edition Tickford 820 Turbo at 180bhp, as did the maximum torque figure of 159lb/ft at 1800rpm. Like the Tickford, the new Vitesse was praised for its effortless ground covering ability, although the Honda heritage of short travel suspension ensured it would never challenge the fastest hot hatchbacks on the twisty back roads. Good value was a strong suit. At just under £20,000, no five-seater could offer anything close to the Vitesse’s performance.

In August 1994, coinciding with the introduction of the 620ti, the 820 Turbo’s output was boosted to the same 200bhp as its newer stablemate. It should be noted that the reason that the Tickford’s output was limited to 180bhp was thought to be uncertainty about the ability of the PG1 gearbox to cope. Two years of experience with the higher output engine in the 220 Turbo must have given Rover the confidence to standardise Turbo outputs at 200bhp.


Austin Rover has some useful info on the 800 and the T series.



[Edited on 17/6/08 by piran]



Take that web site with a very large pinch of salt, I know from previous browsing for data on older BMC models that facts aren't checked very carefully on it.


piran - 17/6/08 at 08:08 PM

Fairy snuff

Whilst on the topic of the T16 ... any ideas on how you prove the age of the engine ?


britishtrident - 18/6/08 at 11:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by piran
Fairy snuff

Whilst on the topic of the T16 ... any ideas on how you prove the age of the engine ?



I should have a link somewhere on another computer.


piran - 20/6/08 at 08:46 AM

Would certainly be interested if you can find that link - regarding proving engine age.


britishtrident - 20/6/08 at 10:23 AM

The link I had has gone dead :-)


piran - 20/6/08 at 10:48 AM

Doh


piran - 23/6/08 at 10:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
The link I had has gone dead :-)


what was the link - is there any chance that google or one of the search engines has cached it ?