Date:         Sat, 23 Mar 2002 13:17:17 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Using American engines for Vanagon swap - Rover V8
In-Reply-To:  <F204HOpykaWpzTqBSGF000034cd@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>I have thought this myself from time to time.  I would love to see the early
>'60's vintage Oldsmobile 215 cu inch aluminum V-8 (I think it kicked out
>around 190-230 hp depending on state of tune) in a Vanagon if it would fit.
>I put one in a Chevy Vega back in the 1980's and it was a GREAT engine, and
>actually lighter weight than the iron block I-4 that it replaced (and three
>times the horsepower!)   I think I got the complete engine out of a wrecked
>'61 Olds for about $200 complete.
>
>This motor was sold to Rover in 1964 and is still in use today as the 3500
>cc v-8 that they use.  It was also used in the TR8 AFAIK.  I would love to
>drive one of those!  (After knowing the HP and torque of that engine)  :-)

The Rover 3.5 has been dead a long time now. It grew, though
derivatives are still in use in RangeRovers. The Aussies designed a
new car which went on sale in 1975, the Leyland P76. Big & ugly,
extreemely poorly-made, but V8 versions used a 4.5liter version.
These can suffer block-warpage!

I actually fitted a pushrod alloy Toyota 4V engine, the 3.5liter V8
from a Japanese-market-only Century limo, to my 1800 75 Bay. It
trashed the trans in short order (the 091 with Albins gears wasn't
ready in time). The converter could NOT figure out how to get the
advance/retard to work (and nor could anyone else... something
strange about the 4V/5V distributor), so it was no go to about
3500rpm, then ALL go. A rocket once it got going! Even with the
Albins/091, with its 0.73 fourth. This was a MUCH better engine than
the Rover; it was a hemi (unlike the so-called chrysler "Hemi").
Carburetted versions gave about 175hp, EFI considerably more. The
factory 4-barrel carb was a poor one with smog gear removed... on
corners it suffered total fuel-starvation and cut completely! I put a
Holley on it, and guess it put out much more than 200hp.

>The ultimate problem would be the transaxle - as Sudhir has reported with
>his Buick V-6, the Vanagon transaxle is not up to the task of standing
>behind a 200+ hp engine for very long....

Some would argue this (not me, I'm fitting a G50 trans).
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut