Engine and Transmission Tech

tips, technology, tools and techniques related to vehicle driveline components

Go to Thread: PreviousNext
Go to: Forum ListMessage ListNew TopicLog In


Dan Jones
Dan Jones
St. Louis, Missouri
(280 posts)

Registered:
07/21/2008 03:32PM

Main British Car:
1980 Triumph TR8 3.5L Rover V8

Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: Dan Jones
Date: May 17, 2016 03:33PM

Here are the pictures of the ported OEM Rover heads off of the Rover 5.0L.autocross engine that I purchased a while back. I should have them on a flow bench next week. They are 3.9L Rover castings (earlier 14 bolt version) and are fitted 1.782" intake and 1.450" exhaust valves with an overall length of 5.030" and I can see Ferrea on one of the valves so I suspect they are Ferrea F5012 and F5014 small block Ford valves. The intake ports measure 1.11" wide by 1.91" tall (2.12 square inches):

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/Rover_39L_ported_intake_side_cropped_zpszmd0wbti.jpg

The exhaust port exits are rounded on top and flat on bottom and fairly narrow at 0.865" wide by 1.525" tall. They fit my header gaskets with only minor trimming to match the port roof so should match the Rimmers stainless steel tri-y headers that are currently on my Triumph TR8.

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/Rover_39L_ported_exhaust_side_cropped_zpsgp8zzaec.jpg

Minimum port cross-sectional areas (MCSA) are approximately 1.90 square inches intake and 1.23 square inches exhaust. The chambers have been welded up to provide a quench pad but oddly the pistons are 0.050" down the hole at TDC so they weren't providing any sort quench effect.

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/Ported_Rover_39L_chambers_closeup_zpsuqr12jmi.jpg
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/Ported_Rover_39L_chambers_intake_port_lighting_zps5jg7rnzh.jpg
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/Ported_Rover_39L_chambers_exhaust_port_lighting_zpsdzjn5fef.jpg

The plan is to run those heads on a temporary engine (either a 4.2L or 4.6L Rover) along with an Edelbrock Performer Rover dual plane intake manifold while the Rover 5.0L gets rebuilt with the TA Performance Rover heads but I'm not sure how much cam I can run with the stock Rover pistons and larger valve heads. The Extrude Hone process left the intake plenum very smooth:

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/EH_Performer_Rover_plenum_zpsr43mmkp9.jpg

I need to decide if I want to try to rough up the plenum and ports or leave as is. Ports are substantially larger than an unported Performer Rover:

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/EH_Performer_Rover_ports_unlit_zpscv7a5zyd.jpg

Dan Jones


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: May 17, 2016 10:55PM

Stock Rover pistons? I just acquired a 4.2 crank to put in one of my 3.9 blocks. I can't bear the thought of those tomato soup can pistons. I am hoping the block ca survive being bore to fit Chevy 305 pistons. Glenn Towery says to use an Isuzu piston with a 6.25 Chevy rod. I'm looking into it. The higher rod ratio should be good for these engines.


minorv8
Jukka Harkola

(268 posts)

Registered:
04/08/2009 06:50AM

Main British Car:
Morris Minor Rover V8

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: minorv8
Date: May 18, 2016 03:24AM

Interesting ! Which Isuzu pistons ?


bigaldart
Alan Grimes

(18 posts)

Registered:
02/20/2010 12:15PM

Main British Car:


Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: bigaldart
Date: May 18, 2016 10:09AM

We run the 305 chevy pistons in a 3.9 block bored to fit. Zero issues at around 480 HP. Chevy stock bore, stock stroke on a 3.9 crank needs a 6" rod for 0.003 out of the hole.

Alan


Dan Jones
Dan Jones
St. Louis, Missouri
(280 posts)

Registered:
07/21/2008 03:32PM

Main British Car:
1980 Triumph TR8 3.5L Rover V8

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: Dan Jones
Date: May 18, 2016 12:33PM

> Stock Rover pistons?

Only for the temporary/back up engine and then only maybe. The high RPM Rover 4.2L (cross-bolted block, Carrillo rods) and 5.0L Rover both have forged pistons. Those engines get ported TA Performance heads. However, my engine builder buddy is backed up and can't get to those engines (and associated dyno testing) anytime soon. So the plan was to build a temporary engine to use this season and serve as a back up in the future. I have a new-old-stock 4.2L long block and a used 4.6L short block that could be used. Cheapest/easiest/fastest would be to use the 4.2L long block with steel shim headgaskets (to bump up the compression), adjustable pushrods, true roller timing set and a Crower 50232 hydraulic flat tappet camshaft that I have on hand, along with the Edelbrock Performer Rover intake and Rimmers stainless steel tri-ys that are currently on the car. Better would be to use ported Rover 3.9L heads (has shaft mounted 1.6:1 roller rockers), Extrude Honed Edelbrock Performer Rover intake manifold and a hotter cam, perhaps a Schneider 274F but there may be piston-to-valve issues with the OEM pistons. Also, the new-old-stock 4.2L long block has provisions but is not drilled for cross-bolted mains. My engine builder buddy thinks it can be converted without having to align hone afterwards (would be checked and align honed if necessary). That leaves the cast pistons as the weak link. I've got a call out on a price estimate and lead time for custom forged pistons but haven't heard back yet. If I use the 4.6L, I can also use a Schneider 280-F cam I have on hand and the block is already cross-bolted but it still has cast pistons that suffered piston-to-valve contact. If I sprang for forged pistons for that short block, I'd likely use the ported Buick 300 heads and matching Huffaker intake.

I need to sit down and enter the options and associated costs into a spreadsheet, think about selling some spare parts and see what makes sense. Feature creep is killing me here. If I can put something together in my garage using mostly parts I have on hand, it makes sense. If I have to pay for machining, forged pistons and wait 6 to 8 weeks, then have the block honed, crank balanced etc. it might make more sense to just jump to the high RPM 4.2L with the ported TA Rover heads but the intake for that one is set up for EFI which would delay driving it this year.

Dan Jones


Dan Jones
Dan Jones
St. Louis, Missouri
(280 posts)

Registered:
07/21/2008 03:32PM

Main British Car:
1980 Triumph TR8 3.5L Rover V8

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: Dan Jones
Date: May 18, 2016 12:38PM

A quick picture of the roller rocker set up on the ported Rover 3.9L heads:

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/Rover_50L_longblock_zpsjdlevzqh.jpg

Dan Jones


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: roverman
Date: May 18, 2016 07:25PM

FWIW. I have Icon forged sbc. 305" pistons, 3.736". They are "light", but would need valve notches moved. Too much bore ? Cheers, Art.



BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: May 18, 2016 11:24PM

Has anybody checked pricing on Diamond forged pistons lately? Seems to me not too long ago 350 Buick pistons were going for around $600 a set and they were somewhat flexible about things like compression height. Might be worth looking into.

Jim


MG four six eight
Bill Jacobson
Wa state
(324 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 02:15AM

Main British Car:
73 MGB Buick 215, Eaton/GM supercharger

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: MG four six eight
Date: May 19, 2016 08:43PM

Has anybody checked pricing on Diamond forged pistons lately? Seems to me not too long ago 350 Buick pistons were going for around $600 a set and they were somewhat flexible about things like compression height. Might be worth looking into.

Jim




Jim,

It seemed like I paid around $1000-1200 for a set a few years ago.

When I first built my blower motor I used the standard Silvo-lite cast piston which I have had good luck with in the past. However I ended up having some ring seal issues, probably due to running to much boost ;-)
Anyway when I decided to tear it down to fix the ring seal problem, I decided to swallow the steep price and go with the Diamond forged piston. So far they have proven to be worth the money!

Bill


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: mgb260
Date: May 20, 2016 09:01AM

These 305 pistons look like a good buy for a street motor. Max bore in later Rovers is .040. 305 is only .036 over.
[www.ebay.com]


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: May 20, 2016 10:00AM

I went with the Venolia custom pistons on my last build. They quoted something over $700 but by the time I'd added everything I needed I was up to about $900. Anything custom is going to be a bit more than if you can get a set off the shelf, and forged are always going to be more than cast (hypereutectic). But if you figure the cost over the life of the motor often the extra is cheap insurance, especially as it usually lets you build the engine exactly the way you want to with no real compromises, (well, other than what rods to use)

Jim


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: roverman
Date: May 20, 2016 11:03AM

"Isuzu piston with 6.25" Chevy rod"? I've seen 6.125", but.... ? roverman.


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: May 20, 2016 01:35PM

A 6.25" Chevy rod is available, even with the Honda journal size of 2.015" I'm still looking for that Isuzu piston, though.

I did find some other options besides the Chevy 305 that I sort of settled on years ago, Holden V6 3.6L, Buick 3.3L, Chevy 265. Ford 255....


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Ported Rover 3.9L heads
Posted by: mgb260
Date: May 20, 2016 05:29PM

Carl, The Honda size is outside of bearing shell. If I recall it is 1.85 crank pin size. Eagle makes replacement connecting rods that have small journal SBC rod bearing(2.00) in 6.00 length with 3/8" ARP rod bolts for around the same price as reconditioned SBC 283/327 11/32" rod bolt 5.7 rods. You would still have to take .050 off each side of the big end to work. This is for stock stroke 3.9. .003 out of the hole gives almost perfect quench with the composition gasket. Check out 2.3 sohc Ford 1.74 intake, 1.5 exhaust valves.Will require new seats. Round top exhaust porting a good idea also. I still think the 305 Chevy pistons and the aftermarket SBC rods are the best bang for the buck. The 3.3 Buick pistons would be my second choice but then you have to deal with a dished piston and different pin size.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2016 07:53PM by mgb260.


Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.