MG Sports Cars

just got my first mgbv8, loving it so far, so I am thinking I would like a fuel injected engine, so I found a 99 land rover with a bad transmission, it has the 4.6 engine that is running, so the question is........is this a good engine to start with, and could I make any money back on parting the rest of the land rover out, I can get the car for 400.00. thanks,

First I would like to welcome you Darrell. I am not sure about the land rover motor I am sure someone on here will be able to steer you right. If you can or do use it I know you will need the ECM unless you go with a stand alone computer from holley or someone like that. Also you should have no problem getting your money back on parting and scrapping. Good luck my friend and check out mg experience forums great site also.

For those that do not know, Darrell is the new owner of Jim Watson's '79 MGB V8.

[www.britishv8.org]

Welcome to BritishV8!

I know of no reason why you couldn't use the fuel injection system from a 1999 4.6L... but more people have adopted earlier Rover EFI systems (particularly the "14CU" and "14CUX") systems and some of those conversions are well documented. With the earlier Rover systems, retaining a single coil ignition system and distributor is an option. Some people also prefer to use Rover's electronics, while others have chosen to combine Rover hardware with aftermarket controls. (I used a MegaSquirt "MS3-Pro" electronic control module for both fuel and ignition.) This article is probably as good a place as any to continue reading, and at its bottom you'll find links to other Rover EFI articles: [www.britishv8.org]

Don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions!

I was in a hurry yesterday... and I probably should have given you a more careful answer.

First though, are you thinking of upgrading your nice, new, balanced/blueprinted 3.5 from carb to EFI?

Or, are you thinking of entirely replacing your 3.5 with a $400 4.6?

What skills and tools do you have access to? What's your budget?

EFI is an awesome upgrade. Rover's EFI manifolds, injectors, fuel rails, etc., are all quite good. When you're ready, a pretty broad range of work will be required. Getting any Rover EFI system underneath an MGB hood typically requires custom machine work. And, a lot of wiring is required. And then there's the issue of tuning fuel maps, idle settings, etc. Your little 3.5L engine will definitely need a custom tune! That's not just a matter of buying a computer chip and plugging it in (analogous to installing a carburetor jet). One of the main reasons people install aftermarket EFI computers is that they're much easier to reprogram.

Incidentally, I don't recall if I've ever even heard of anyone reprogramming "GEMs" or "Thor" generation Rover ECUs. The 14CUX generation ECUs can be reprogrammed. Search this message board for more about that. On the other hand, an aftermarket ECU like for example my MS3-Pro will work fine with any generation of Rover hardware.

I'm suspicious of $400 engines. Even if they run. And, replacing a 3.5L with a 4.6L may lead to all sorts of other changes to your MGB.

For example: your 3.9:1 rear axle ratio isn't ideal for a 3.5 and with a 4.6's grunt, it will be insufferable.

If it's running well, I'd recommend leaving your 3.5L alone for awhile and really getting to know it. They're great little engines!