Rover V8 Engine Numbers

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

Unfortunately, In this case it may need some fixing.

I’ve got a Rover V8 for measuring and set-up purposes. I’ll strip it down, see what it needs and if it’s not too far gone, rebuild it.

It looks like a late SD1 block and it was a manual. As to it’s capacity and true condition I’ve got some reading up to do. – I’ve started below…

The injection system seems to suggest that it was from a Vitesse. The heads however do not have any stamped markings, just casting numbers. So the injection maybe a later addition. It looks like it’s been standing for quite some time.

The later large capacity Range Rover V8’s have twin plenum injection systems and distributor-less ignition, this one is only a single and has a distributor. That suggests it is only a 3.5 or 3.9litre.

The big capacity Range Rover motors don’t have huge bhp figures as they mainly benefit from higher torque. With the car hopefully weighing in at around 700Kg’s, torque is not my priority.

I have a couple of old magazine articles with mildly tuned Westfield Seights and they were both around 3.5seconds 0-60.

If I can get this beast to turn, I’ll try rebuilding it with pretty much standard internals. – maybe?? Surely 190bhp is enough??

Identifying A Rover V8

The photo below shows the engine number stamped into the face where the block and head meet.

The top row of the stamping shows the compression ratio (9.75:1)

The second row has 3 numbers blurred out but starts 30A0xxx7  – This means that the engine is a 3528cc EFi engine from a SD1 Vitesse with a manual gearbox, Made between 1982 & 1987.

See the table below:

The cylinder heads only have the casting numbers visible:

These heads have the markings

• ERC 0216
• Y 5 E 652
• 28F84N

This unfortunately does not tell me whether they are standard SD1 or the Vitesse SD1 heads that featured, flowed valves; with a 30° back cut and wasted stems on the inlet valves.

The only way to tell this engine’s true condition, is to take it down it it’s last nut and bolt.

A long term project I think.

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