[Cantabro75]

Hi all

can some one tell me if the engine 3.5 V8EFI of 1985 can use unleaded fuel?
Thanks a lot
Alberto

 

[Guest]

Almost certainly -it had hardened valve seats in the aluminimum heads.

Try www.rimmerbros.co.uk they may have some info on their website.

in fact - see here: http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/cgi-bin/rimmer?sd1/v8/heads but I reckon that 1976 onwards is OK, going by what they say.

 

[Londonbabe]

Yes,
All Rover V8s can use unleaded, as they have aluminium heads with hard valve seat inserts.

I'm not sure about the octane. For a Land Rover I think you can use regular unleaded. For an SD1 or other 190bhp+ derivative you might need the high octane stuff.

 

[Guest]

Rimmers reckon that VERY early engines can't, but 1985 must be OK.

 

[RWD3M]

For what it's worth, I've been running my 1985 SD1 Vitesse (which is for sale BTW) on unleaded for the last 8 or 9 years and it's now on 196,000 miles with now signs of any trouble. The timing has been adjusted a couple of degrees to account for the drop in RON, but other than that no adjustments needed.Regards,

 

[ejefi]

As above comments, valve seats should not be a problem as they are inserts into an aluminium head and although they are not as hard as modern day inserts they should be had enough to run unleaded without valve seat regression occuring.


If the engine is out of a SD1 Vitesse or VDP EFi it has a higher compession ratio, of 9.75:1 which means you will have to retart the timing or use super unleaded with the higher RON.



Eric

 

[Cantabro75]

Hi,,Thanks a lot to all of you!
I have a 75 CDTI as every day car, but yesterday i seen on a classic cars show and inmaculate Rover 3500 Vanden Plas EFI June 1985 for sale, My father had this model and i still love it,I am thinking on buying !
Thaks al of you .
Greting from Spain and UP ROVER!

 

[RWD3M]

Get ready for 18 - 20 mpg!

Really!!

My Vitesse is a manual.... and it's for sale LOL.

PS. As the former Chairman of the Rover SD1 Club I can highly reccommend membership. Essential really if you intend to run one of these cars.

Regards.

 

[Guest]

Get ready for 18 - 20 mpg!

3 little letters:

L P G

 

[RWD3M]

Absolutely, providing you're going to do the miles to recoup the outlay.

 

[Guest]

£400 kit off ebay will pay off in no time at that mpg!

 

[RWD3M]

£400? I take it that's second hand?

 

[Guest]

New. Try a search for "LPG" under automotive

I got the kit for my 820 (to be fitted this coming weekend) for £210. Came froma chap who was selling up his installation business and wanted to offload some stock

 

[RWD3M]

F me that's cheap.

Might look into that when the 260 arrives.