Hi
(this is my first post so please be kind)

does anyone have any links to, or good ideas for, upgrading the Roversd1 2000 engine?

I appreciate I can tune the twin SU's using better needles K&N filters and an induction kit to boot but how about cams etc? am I barking mad or has someone done this already?

and...does anyone have a peformance exhaust on this system either???

many thanks

Sorry... the 2000 engine isnt really worth tuning. Rather just stick in a V8 technics in there and enjoy that.

Helpful advise...

but for those of us that can't afford (or don't want the extra 4 cylinders) any better alternatives? how abouty the 2600cc engine, straight 6? are they fairly rare? or expensive

I want to recreate a 'what may have been MG'..I imagine for a SD1 a 2000 engine is pathetic, for an MG its likely to be a much better bet than a cast iron head with push rods...least the SOHC means that it may rev higher....

You'd probably be better off looking at the Rover 800 Vitesse Sport Engine, 2 lt turbo, 16v - 220 ps BUT they appear to have a reputation for head gasket failures (and I'm not getting confused with the 'K' series issue ).
and off course they are front wheel drive, but the base engine should fit on to a Rover 2000 gearbox (what it will do to the gearbox is debatable !!!!)

The direction you should consider I think should be a 2.0 litre 16v engine from a Rover 820, either naturally aspirated or turbo staying with a Rover engine unit.

I'm a dunce with the oily bits, but I don't envisage this being a cheap or easy conversion.

As the engine bay was designed for a V8, there's plenty of room for possibly any four cylinder engine you can get your hands on, the problems being I presume mating to the gearbox, exhaust, fuel systems and wiring of course especially if fuel injection is used.

Moving away from Rover units, how about a Ford Cosworth engine or a Ford 2.9 V6 with the four speed autobox?

Many will cringe but a friend of mine is replacing his shot 2600 engine with a 24v BMW 2.5 straight six in his 1986 Vanden Plas, engine's in, but the wiring is a real headache.

Jay

The straight 6 engine is smooth and powerful but has inbuild reliability problems, so I wouldnt bother, bear in mind the 2 litre O series engine in the SD1 was used in a host of other BL cars, montego and maestros for example, which were availabe with fuel injection and of course a turbo!

The problem is finding a montego turbo engine which if course is front drive so would take some doing, but it would give you 50bhp more and woudl make a interesting project. You will then nee dto upgrade the usual ibts and bobs so buying a V8 may be a easier alternative.

It seems most people are thinking along the same lines - go for one of the Rover 2 ltr iron block engines - 'O' series (montego), 'M' series (rover 400), 'T' series (Rover 800) - if you can get Pratical Performance Car Magazine, one of their staff cars (apart from the 27L Merlin powered Rover SD1) is an MGB with a Rover T16 turbo engine, the TI6 even fits the MGB gearbox, with a little modifying.

I really appreciate all those comments...I've been thinking about the engines for quite some time. Whilst I've thought about the alternatives and know undoubtly there will always be bigger and better (and I really do appreciate a good v8, I wasn't trying to be glib earlier) but what I'd like to do is work within my means and use the SD1 OHC...so has anyone ever tried anything with the SD1 2000?? or am I just mad?

...and yes I would love a Turbo T series and my friend is contemplating the same mod. but I have to be reasonable....shame : (

The SD1 2000 is the 'O'series engine, which can be injected OR turbo charged - the Maestro Turbo was a 150mph car and about that in BHP, so it can go, but I think that it is the only hipo version. I think Oselli Engineering (if they still exist) or Motobuild would be a good place to go, do bear in mind that for circa £500 you can buy a LR Disco V8 3.5L - I hate to repeat it, but the V8 is the easiest, cheapest route to power and torque, in a car that was designed for it.

any ideas where i can get one from then?
it'll cost me to overhaul the engine I have, then gear box, then prop, then brakes....hmm. i am thinking and i know what you are saying, i really do but i'm trying to work hard with technically making the 'what would have been car' as a)its a bit different b)i'd love to find out what i can do with a light-weight car with a difference.
I have a very early sd1 engine, dizzy at 90 degs to the head...the head isn't changeable for a twinOHC or later O series...who knows. I thought it might be a laugh.

I like v8's and the idea of supercharging which i read about on this forum is fantastic...however, i can't afford the extra insurance, extra fuel, the tweaks and mods necessary to make it all fit.

I'd just like to stick with the 4 cylinders and see what I can do with it...so...any mod ideas? I thought about vernier cam gear, pecco exaust, induction kit, EDIS.....that'll about do me.

the question is...and still is, would this work?

O-series turbo bits have got to be an easy route to fairly large gain as you avoid the need for an engine management ECU.

There's some discussion ov Rovertech.net at the moment about putting T16 turbos in older cars (MGB) and also RWD kit cars.

One thing I would do though is avoid Motobodge - at best they dramatically overcharge

Cheers for Rover tech as a contact, hopefully their experience with the T will help with the 'O'.

I do want to keep it as British as possible so sticking with the O and what I have is probably my best option at the moment.

Really do appreciate your help

Rover 2000 engine?
Why not go for the obvious upgrades without getting silly with putting Rover 800 engines & 6 cylinders in which is bound to be costly! Not every SD1 owner has a bottomless pit of cash!
Why not go for gas flowing & porting the cylinder head, or an induction kit with a K&N air filter. Also, get rid of the belt driven radiator fan for an electric one, that will release a few hp. Make sure your twin carbs are properly set up too,.
Took the radiator fan off my old 2600 over the winter months, & noticed a difference in the car's performance, so is well worth doing, but get an electric fan ASAP!
Am sure that the Rover 2000 engine was used in Montegos & Maestros too, so there should be a few bits & bobs you can stick on it? Maybe a turbocharger too?