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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Winning combinations

Good morning to all,
I'm finally at the stage in the V8 conversion where I'm ready to purchase all my ancillary items and start putting together the engine. I've spent months scouring through the archives and have collected a great deal of information, but I want to get a few last opinions on what I should be looking for. The motor is a 1988 range rover 3.5L and the transmission is from a tr8. The front timing cover is from the range rover, and I was hoping to stick with that. I have 2 range rover hotwire EFI fuel injection systems sitting here, so I plan on using parts from both to create 1 good system. At this point, I'm looking for recommendations on a distributor, an alternator, a water pump, and a front pulley. The alternator will have to sit on the passenger side of the vehicle, as the other side is occupied by the airfilter and airflow meter from the hotwire efi. I still have the original range rover water pump, and front pully, but I'm afraid they'll be too long and want to occupy the same space as my radiator. While we're at it, what are people using for an oil pump rebuild kit? I understand the buick kit has less capacity then what range rover is using, but I cringe when I think about buying parts from a range rover dealership. I don't want to remortgage the house -- yet. I'll probably get a remote oil filter housing, so I'm not real worried about that right now, but if anyone wants to throw in a recommendation there, I won't complain ;)

Thanks in advance for everyones help, hopefully I'll be driving by the end of April!

Justin
Justin

Justin,
I'm using a '91 3.9l block. Glen Towery sent me a front cover that has slightly deeper oil pump gears than Range Rover. The cover appears otherwise identicle to the 215. The front seal housing is designed for the old rope type, but the rope has been replaced with a modern rubber seal. I think the cover may be from a Buick 300. It wasn't real cheap as I recall, but nice and shiny and the pump came packed in Vaseline. One of the locator pin holes on the cover had to be drilled out slightly- no biggie. The dist. drive off the pump shaft is of the Buick type- not the Rover way around (just get a dist with a Buick drive dog). I have also seen kits to deepen the 215 oil pump (and early Rover) to Range Rover standard. These seem to include deeper gears and a distancing plate that goes on under the oil pump cover. With my engine set back 1.5" from stock and slightly modified steering rack mounts on a chrome X-member, it appears that I have room for either a Buick or '91 Range Rover pulley. I havn't tried lining up the pulleys yet, but something must work with all those grooves on the Range's pulley!
Angus

I don't think there's any way you're getting a rover front cover to fit under the hood. That water pump stick up too high.

I have an 88 RR engine as well. I went to JC Whitney and bought a front cover. They list it as a Buick V6, V8 front cover. It doesn't have the 215 listed, but it fits. They should also have a pump rebuild kit. You can use the pump base from the Rover on the new cover. Cost was around $80

You can then go to the V8 suppliers for the pulley and water pump, but i'm pretty sure you can get the pump at a local parts supplier.

One last thing about the rover water pump. My engine didn't come with the pump, so I tried to find one early in my conversion. None of the parts suppliers had them. Rover wanted $300 for one!!!!
Michael Hartwig

Justin,
The current British V8 Newsletter has an article by Barrie Robinson. Barrie found a guy in Los Angeles who made him a shortened (by 1") water pump (for free, he says on the phone!). This allowed Barrie to fit a 14" high flow puller fan with clearance on a 1 1/2" set back engine. Please mention Barrie's name to "Don" and tell him that if he made a bunch, we would all be very interested. I'd do it myself, but I'm not there yet (I'll try the Buick 300 A/C pump I have first((My'n is longer than Barrie's)). I'm just waiting on my Ozy headers from Barrie. I'll let y'all know bout the fit after I fit em. The headers look like they'll flow better than RV8 with long primaries and secondaries. Hope they fit OK.
Angus again


Angus,

A second on that suggestion to Don Lopez to offer more short water pumps. I'd be a buyer. I'll be doing everything that I can to provide maximum airflow. The clearance for the 14" puller fan will be critical.

What are the "Ozy" headers that you mention?
Michael Willis

Michael,
Barrie Robinson in Ontario reps for the two piece through-the-fender headers with long secondaries. They look like 20 bhp in pictures, though he didn't send 'after installed' pics. They are fabbed in and shipped from Oz. Barrie says his were professionally installed on a 1-1/2" setback engine and "went in without a hitch.". There's a pic and Barries info in th MG V-8 Newsletter Issue VIII vol. 1 (blue cover) under 'new products'. They come in mild and stainless with 1-5/8" or 1-3/4" extractors for racers. "Jet Hot" is recommended for all sets. From the headers back is your job. Barrie recommends mild 1-5/8" for the street. Also, he has some great rust proofing and short water pump tips in the current British V8 Newsletter.
Angus

I think a winning combination is a cold beer and a beautiful woman.
James Johanski

I hope to god the winning combination this Thursday is going to be dinner, a bottle of wine, and roses, but lets not get into what winning entails..... ;)

Angus, I did read the article about the water pump and it intrigued me. The only question I saw unanswered was the front pully situation. If we're moving the waterpump pulley an inch closer to the engine then assumably it ever had been before, what was done about the crank pulley? What changes had to be made there? Additionally what bearing does this have on the alternator and its pulley?

Questions questions questions....

Justin
Justin

Justin,
About the crank pulley. What I did was cut a groove in the crank pulley on a lathe so that it fits a V-belt.This is as in the book on how to install a V8 in an MGB.
Werner
werner Van Clapdurp

Certainly mods would have to be made to line it all up. Crank pulley and alternator positions have traditionally been dictated by factory water pump dimensions.
Angus

Have you thought of using an electric water pump, and blanking off the belt driven one? A company called EWP do one with a controller. It will release a fair few horsepower (when you most need them) as well.
Regards... Phil

Have a look at for more info. http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/08/electricwaterpump/index2.shtml
Phil

This thread was discussed between 08/02/2002 and 18/02/2002

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