Westfield V8

[Burno1]

HELP !!!!!

I have just been talking to a guy reference a V8 Westfield. He advises that the lump came from a V8 Landrover with approx 80K on the clock. Spec is roughly as follows: Holly Carb, Offenhauser Manifold, SD1 Gearbox. He advises that the engine and gearbox were overhauled ie: new rings, timing chain, oil pump etc.

My questions are as follows:

1. Is this engine source pretty common

2. Would you expect more definate overhauling to have taken place or is that described about the limit

3. Would this mileage be pretty typical - if it has been overhauled, is it relevent

4. Is there anything that I should be wary of

5. What MPG could I expect from this

The car is in Middlesex. Any assistance offered would be greatly appreciated.  

Many thanks

[scott beeland]

MPG....Don't expect anything over 20 mpg and you'll sleep easy

My 4.0 injected Seight has returned anywhere between 6mpg   (tanking it to the Manchester meets)  and 22 mpg (lazing through France)

[Darren B]

Hi Burno,

Whilst I don't have any specific advice for the engine you are talking about (I have a 3.9 injected car), have a look at the RPI site:

RPI Website

They have a whole wealth of information that will give you some good gen on what to look for with regard to the state of an engine and the tell tale signs to look for.

[Burno1]

Thank you both for the input. I am intersted in whether the source of engine ie: V8 Landrover is a common source. Not knowing a great deal about engines, is it the same engine fitted across all Rover cars ie: Landrover, SD1 etc etc

[Martin Keene]

Land Rovers are a very common source, primarily because Rover stopped using/biulding the engine well over twenty years ago.

[adamnreeves]

Burno,

Whats the capacity, 3.5 or 3.9/4.0 L or possibly 4.2?

There are only three different blocks and they are very similiar:

1). Early type as used in P5/P6s

2) Stiff block as used in later SD1s

3) Cross bolted block as used in later Range Rovers/Land Rovers

The factory capacities are 3.5, 3.9. 4.2 and 4.6 but you can get 5.0 and even 6.0!

The 3.5 and 3.9 (actually a 4.0) is achieved with bigger cylinder bore

4.2 and 4.6 the same respective bores but with longer crank stroke.

The other variances are achieved with different timing covers for cam driven distributor and/or oil pump. Crank driven oil pump. Carbs or EFI.

Regarding the gearbox, this could be an early LT77, a late LT77 or a R380. The R380 is the one to go for. The best would be a T5 not fitted to rovers but can be fitted with some adaptors. The T5 is stronger but also has better ratios. Also worth while asking what differential is fitted.

Hope this helps.

[Muttleys V8]

My 5L V8 will do about 24mpg on a run, thrashing it about 12mpg

[Buzz Billsberry]

MPG....Don't expect anything over 20 mpg and you'll sleep easy

My 4.0 injected Seight has returned anywhere between 6mpg   (tanking it to the Manchester meets)  and 22 mpg (lazing through France)

Scott I can't believe your getting such crap mpg, my 4.6 efi was doing arround 30mpg in le-Mans and around 9-10mpg on track days. Might be worth getting it set up at some stage

Buzz

[V 8]

thrashing it about 12mpg

Flymo, about 12 gpm

[Buzz Billsberry]

Thank you both for the input. I am intersted in whether the source of engine ie: V8 Landrover is a common source. Not knowing a great deal about engines, is it the same engine fitted across all Rover cars ie: Landrover, SD1 etc etc

Basically the are all the same aprt from the later engines 38H onwards are cross bolted but thats about a part from different front covers and inductions and the usual year on year tech changes try and keep away from the earlier engines as these can be quite pourous

Indeed RPi has a reasonably good website but thats all I'd only use RPi for service bits, Chris the owner is very flowery shall we say when talking about his engines.

For guys who actually race these engines and have built them for race teams speak with

Ray/Shaun

V8

Developments

John

John Eales

Don't know how good these are

DJE

Abbey Race Cars

Hope this helps

Buzz

[scott beeland]

MPG....Don't expect anything over 20 mpg and you'll sleep easy

My 4.0 injected Seight has returned anywhere between 6mpg   (tanking it to the Manchester meets)  and 22 mpg (lazing through France)

Scott I can't believe your getting such crap mpg, my 4.6 efi was doing arround 30mpg in le-Mans and around 9-10mpg on track days. Might be worth getting it set up at some stage

Buzz

Was set up by Mark Adams in 2002.

I've been speaking to him while rebody was getting done and I'm gonna get it to one of his rolling roads to have a check/ reset as needed now that I've got it back.

It REALLY is that bad on fuel though

[Buzz Billsberry]

MPG....Don't expect anything over 20 mpg and you'll sleep easy

My 4.0 injected Seight has returned anywhere between 6mpg   (tanking it to the Manchester meets)  and 22 mpg (lazing through France)

Scott I can't believe your getting such crap mpg, my 4.6 efi was doing arround 30mpg in le-Mans and around 9-10mpg on track days. Might be worth getting it set up at some stage

Buzz

Was set up by Mark Adams in 2002.

I've been speaking to him while rebody was getting done and I'm gonna get it to one of his rolling roads to have a check/ reset as needed now that I've got it back.

It REALLY is that bad on fuel though

That explains it then The guy who previuosly owned it may well have gone more down the performance route  wise, I went with more economy and I couldn't tell the difference.

I won't be using Mr Adams again I don't think. He's reassuringly expensive be prepared to spend £400- £500 for him to set it up probably & take around a couple of hours. ther'se £200 for him and £200 for the garage he uses. Plus a ton of fuel to get there and back as the two garage business he uses are in the deep south.He'll also try and push you down the bosch intectors road and he'll give the "Its got a better shapped fuelling cone" pitch and at £35 per injector well say no more and you want notice any difference

Buzz

[scott beeland]

Where else do you suggest then?

I don't think Derek had it set up more "performanxe" orientated rather than"touring" though.

How about we meet up and you take it for a run to see what you think of the set up?

[Graham]

Land Rovers are a very common source, primarily because Rover stopped using/biulding the engine well over twenty years ago.

Well, they actually used it up until 2004.

History is here -

Rover V8