oliwb
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 07:59 PM |
|
|
Rover K series
Trying to get some info on K-series in RWD installations. Does anyone know anything about them???
Namely, does a type-9 handle them?
Can you get a bellhousing to suit?
What flywheel, clutch plate, spigot bearing, release bearing and pressure plate combination works?
and should you do anything to the VVC K-series before fitting it??? eg. do they benefit from porting or balancing etc etc etc??? Any info gratefully
received. Oli.
If your not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room!
|
|
|
|
|
caber
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 08:11 PM |
|
|
Oli the head gasket blows in all k series eventually, earlier in earlier engines and in applications with poor cooling. You can get very expensive
bell housings from Caterham to bolt K and type 9 together, I presume they do other bits as well. I think this is also a conversion for midgets and
sprites, possibly even for mgbs.
I think the vvc engines are OK but need a pretty smart engine management system to get the best out of them.
Please don't tell me Mark is planning a group buy from China
I thought you were set for a Zetec?
Caber
|
|
|
Humbug
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 08:11 PM |
|
|
Yes
Yes
Various (I got mine from Fisher Sportscars)
Don't know
There are various people who've got K-series, including:
me
GeoffT
stressy
HammerHead
Here are some threads:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=62763
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=24142&contribmessage=none
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=64005
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=58112&contribmessage=none
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=41989
|
|
|
Hammerhead
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 08:12 PM |
|
|
I'm fitting a K Series.
It can be mated to a type 9 with a bellhousing from Caterham, which crop up secondhand on ebay or on Blatchat caterham forum.
You need the flywheel from a 1.4 or 1.6 (assuming you are going for a 1.8)
You need a 190mm clutch plate from a ford (early sierra or escort)
Spigot bearing is available from caterham.
Clutch release bearing for a type 9.
Pressure plate from the k series 1.4 or 1.6.
You will need the type 9 from the 2.8 v6 engined ford as I found to my cost! You then chop 13mm off the input shaft.
I got the shortened caterham sump also.
Think thats it but if you have any specific questions don't hesitate to ask.
All the above info was come by from here, blatchat and lots of research.
|
|
|
dave1888
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 08:30 PM |
|
|
I looked into it myself Oli, found the cost a bit high. If i was going to spend that kind of money i will go down the route of fitting a Zetec se
engine. Just my opinion.
Dave
|
|
|
stevec
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 08:45 PM |
|
|
Heres my 1.8Turbo conversion.
1.8 Turbo Link.
Steve.
[Edited on 5/6/07 by stevec]
|
|
|
coozer
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 09:17 PM |
|
|
I've had two Rover 214's with K series engines. Number one, a K reg, blew its head gasket as everyone expects, but it took 268,000 miles
to do so.
Number two was a J reg one that I sold last year that I did 45,000 miles in without even a drop of water in the reservoir.
All engines blow head gaskets and I think the K series gets far too much bad press. If your worried fit a Klinger head gasket for a bit of security.
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
|
|
|
..::Nightfire::..
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 09:32 PM |
|
|
If you replace the standard headgasket with one from the last k-series engined Landrover freelander and do a little work to the water ways while you
have the head off you are unlikely to have any problems.
The VVC engine is a good place to start as the VVC head has arger ports. Convert the VVC to non-VVC using a set of piper cams and you will be able to
take it much further. Combined with throttle bodies and an aftermarket ECU an you are looking at 190-200bhp from a pretty light car engine.
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 5/6/07 at 09:57 PM |
|
|
Having been around K series engines for a very long time and I am now on my 5th K series Rover I can say that these engines DO NOT BLOW HEAD GASKETS
unless they are run short of coolant.
However they do tend to develop coolant leaks in other places and as a result airlock, any coolant loss on these engines is usually put down to head
gasket when it is usually either the inlet manifold gasket (they leak after 4 years or so), radiator (Rover rads are crap), water pump connection
pipe, water pump, radiator cap or hose clips.
|
|
|
mackei23b
|
| posted on 6/6/07 at 07:02 AM |
|
|
Titan Motorsport do a bell housing. http://www.titan-motorsport.co.uk/ aprox £200 for one
Cheers
Ian
P.S, Got a K-Series in the road car and no probs
|
|
|
SaveTheDodo
|
| posted on 6/6/07 at 10:01 AM |
|
|
Oli,
I know someone who is making up some adaptor plates. I will try and find out how much they will cost, but they should be much less than an alloy one,
even secondhand.
Then, as said above, you need to get a V6 box, chop the shaft a bit, and use it with a standard OHC bell. Clutches might need some research - Caterham
used to supply a Sunbeam friction plate for some strange reason.
Starter is Sierra, but a small amount of the block needs relieving to fit it.
When choosing the engine, the 1.8 has more power, but there may be more hassle to fit the standard wiring and immobiliser. One option is to get a
newish 1.4 and fit an alloy manifold and loom from a non-jellymould scrap 214.
Cheers
Andrew
|
|
|
hughpinder
|
| posted on 6/6/07 at 12:04 PM |
|
|
k series engine
Hi
If you are looking at tuning a K series check out www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elise/thecar/engine.html. This site has a link to a DVandrews page (or
search for DVandrewsat aol.com or kengine at aol) whick is an absolute goldmine for k series tuning, hundreds of photos, how to port the engine
etc.
Also check out the other links (King-K especially). One explains why the standard K suffers from head gasket failures ( thermostat on radiator return
line basically) and reccomend some mods to help. Also other recommendations on why you should balance the crankshaft, not fit stronger head bolts etc.
Good luck
|
|
|
..::Nightfire::..
|
| posted on 6/6/07 at 06:04 PM |
|
|
Dave Andrews is THE K series guru. He does this for a livig and I ave never heard a bad word about his work.
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 14/6/07 at 03:24 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by hughpinder
Hi
If you are looking at tuning a K series check out www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elise/thecar/engine.html. This site has a link to a DVandrews page (or
search for DVandrewsat aol.com or kengine at aol) whick is an absolute goldmine for k series tuning, hundreds of photos, how to port the engine
etc.
Also check out the other links (King-K especially). One explains why the standard K suffers from head gasket failures ( thermostat on radiator return
line basically) and reccomend some mods to help. Also other recommendations on why you should balance the crankshaft, not fit stronger head bolts etc.
Good luck
The K series bottom end is balanced to a very high standard as it comes from the factory -- much higher than most specialist engine shops can achieve
-- any problems come when the flywheel or rods are lightened.
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 14/6/07 at 03:30 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by SaveTheDodo
Oli,
I know someone who is making up some adaptor plates. I will try and find out how much they will cost, but they should be much less than an alloy one,
even secondhand.
Then, as said above, you need to get a V6 box, chop the shaft a bit, and use it with a standard OHC bell. Clutches might need some research - Caterham
used to supply a Sunbeam friction plate for some strange reason.
Starter is Sierra, but a small amount of the block needs relieving to fit it.
When choosing the engine, the 1.8 has more power, but there may be more hassle to fit the standard wiring and immobiliser. One option is to get a
newish 1.4 and fit an alloy manifold and loom from a non-jellymould scrap 214.
Cheers
The 1.8 isn't free revving like the 1.4 or 1.6.
The 1.8 dual mass flywheel has to be changed to the much lighter 1.4/1.6 version use the Catherham bellhousing.
The 1.8 ECU used in the 200/400/25/45 has simpler security system than the BMW system used 75 or Freelander versions
My choice of engine would always be a 1.6 or 1.4.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
MikeRJ
|
| posted on 14/6/07 at 11:10 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
The 1.8 isn't free revving like the 1.4 or 1.6.
And in stock form provides very little in the way of extra power over the 1.6, though a useful amount of extra torque for heavier cars. Personally I
think the 1.4 and 1.6 are ideal Locost fitments if you don't want silly power.
|
|
|
roadboy
|
| posted on 19/6/07 at 03:22 PM |
|
|
Don,t worry about gasket failure if it,s a later engine. They normally fail by the rubber gaskets on the steel gaskets becoming detatched &
allowing oil into water or water into oil. This often happened on the early engines as they had plastic locating dowels which are replaced by steel
in the later models.
We would recommend a cam change, headwork & an Emerald ecu, we have done this on numerous Elises with good results.
HTH
Ian
Jude Performance Services
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 19/6/07 at 06:05 PM |
|
|
Head shuffle is what caused the failures of of the silicone sealling tracks -- The ss dowls made a big difference of course the root cause was
driver mal treatment.
The original thermostat location on was designed for very fast warm up, my N reg 214 used to have the heater up and working a a decent temp with in
200 yds. However this caused problems particularly in the MGF and Elise where owners were gunning the engine before the whole cooling system was up
to temp.
Two mods can be done to help avoid this either
(1) Drill a couple of 1/8" holes in the original thermostat.
or
(2) Fit an external PVS thermostat from a late MGTF or Longbridge built 75 1.8
This thermostat opens on flow pressure as well as temperature --- so it opens a little if the engine is revved to high rpm even when stone cold.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 19/6/07 at 06:11 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
The 1.8 isn't free revving like the 1.4 or 1.6.
And in stock form provides very little in the way of extra power over the 1.6, though a useful amount of extra torque for heavier cars. Personally I
think the 1.4 and 1.6 are ideal Locost fitments if you don't want silly power.
Yes the 1.6 is a very nice unit (112ps) but the 1.4 104ps feels like a racer :-)
In contrast the 1.8 in normal 75/Freelander form is rated at 118ps --- Rover probably kept the output down a liittle for marketing reasons to avoid
embarrassing the lack lustre 2 litre KV6.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
.jpg){kind=avatar}
