Engine and Transmission Tech

I reread Glens article and found "The stock E.C.U. has a rev limiter of 5200 RPM"
This would explain why i can't rev above 5200 RPM!!!!

What options do I have?
Rechip the ECU?

Any recommendations?
Thank you

Ian,

I don't think there is any advantage to reving over 5,000. If you really want to, I sure you can find someone to rechip your ECU.

Al

If you have a stock cam and no head work in these Rover V8s then there is no need to go above 5,000rpms. If you have great modifications, cam, porting, headers (4-2-1) your still going to hit the wall at 6,200rpms unless you go to different heads and exotic internals and 4-1 headers.

Headers can make a really big difference. With a Comp 280 series cam, 600 Holley and a good set of equal length headers the old Buick 215 can definitely make good power all the way up to 7 grand.

JB

Thanks for the replies

Ian,

It does seem that you have the Landrover 3.5 litre V/8 with that great Brit Rover designed Inlet Plenum and Manifold?

What an interesting little engine so light so compact and often overlooked as a power plant for car enthusiasts toys.

That wee engine in Rover format was revving to 6500 RPM in the first variants of the Rover P6B, which incidentally had smaller valves then the Rover SD1 and on variants.

I know the P6B Rover V/8 revved to 6500 RPM because I worked on them when they were in production, I have 2 x Rover P6B's the early one with 10.5-1 compression is an Auto variant with no power steer,the other is a 4 speed manual with power steer, the auto variant will valve bounce at about 6750 RPM, the 4 speed variant with it's lower compression engine does same. both have SU's.

The EFI with the larger Plenum design in std format is a good bit of kit and far better then any Holley and manifold combination one could ever find, your probably going to be fighting back the put a Holley on it brigade although they are probably not raising there heads as much these days as the younger ones that are more into EFI and ECU's have clouted the old Holly mob around the ears a bit.

Be aware there is those that are capable to jump on Brit made V/8 enthusiasts heads often with tales of big old US made V/8 engines in tiny 4 cyl cars such as the Triumph Spitfire, yeah ok smoke the rear tyres sort of stuff but overtaken by pushbike riders around the turns, each to his own, for me the wee Rover V/8 engines to a large extent set the benchmark for others to catch upto.

As for your problem with engine not revving over 5000 RPM and a limiter in the ECU, I thought the only 3.5 litre RoverV/8 engine variant that was rev limited was the off road vehicle that went to places like Arabia but I admit I'm not certain of the models / of later engines and their rev limited ECU's.

Our old workhorse 1994 Landrover Discovery 3.9 revs to near 6000 RPM, I after reading your post road tested it to see how it revved, mind you it was not seeming like it was happy at 5800 RPM but I put that down to the plugs air filter etc that have not been attended to for some years. It's basically a Farm vehicle now but is also a back up tow vehicle just in case the Landrover Discovery TD5 should ever break down.

When one thinks about it the Rover engine has been in many European Race cars and in each form producing far more power then what GM ever had from their variants, today the late 3.9 on engines are often the bases for many club race car engines, the post 1982 3.5 V/8 Rover stiff block is the one that is used by many Historic Race Folk as the basis for their race engines as it looks period and does not flex and carry on like the US and early Brit variants.

Let us not forget GM had abandoned the wee 3.5 V/8, Rover continually made it better perfected it and the Brits were responsible for GM being able to manufacture etc the late GM 5.7 on alloy V/8 versions, fact of life all those late model GM alloy engines were developed by the Brits for GM, Rover and 5.7 litre GM blocks were cast in same factory, not in the US today maybe the GM blocks are cast in China?

The Aussies to an extent stuffed it with their 4.4 variant, rev those things too hard and you going to have bunch of troubles down below unless some drastic mods are done, the 4.4 variant cranksaft can be groud down and fitted to a 3.5 block but why bother the later Rover 3.9 and 4.6 prepped properly is a better and more affordable thing.

The OZ made EMS ECU works very well and this is the one I have chosen for when I update my primarily road going TR8 but in the short term I will use the std 1994 Landrover Discovery 3.9 V/8 it's EFI and ECU system, ok you figured the Disco is a farm vehicle so pull it's 3.9 and refit the Disco with a 3.5 ...

Regards
from Down Under