From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Sun Jan 1 02:39:17 2006 From: FOSmith@aol.com To: dan@thecarringtons.net, tr8@mercury.lcs.mit.edu Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2006 04:39:12 EST Subject: Re: [Wedge] TR7/8 FI air intake In a message dated 12/31/05 4:49:36 PM, dan@thecarringtons.net writes: > FYI, now in California, you can change out your air filter on a FI > engine if nothing emissions related is in front of the air flow sensor. > Thus you can trash the whole air filter box and put on a cone K&N if you > want. (save the filter box for future) But if you have a carbed car, > This must be new because last year a friend of mine failed the smog inspection because the original air filter box had been replaced by a K&N type filter attached to the air flow meter. I had to help him track down an original filter box and brackets so that he could renew his license tags. Fred Smith Orinda, CA /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list /// From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Sun Jan 1 23:51:05 2006 From: FOSmith@aol.com To: dan@thecarringtons.net, FOSmith@aol.com Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2006 01:50:51 EST Subject: Re: [Wedge] TR7/8 FI air intake In a message dated 1/1/06 10:31:30 PM, dan@thecarringtons.net writes: > Very odd. I had contacted the California BAR (Buero of Automotive > Repair) before my convertion to V8. I asked a bunch of questions. When > I went to the smog inspeection at a state inspector for certifying the > V8 conversion, they were questioning my K&N. I called the BAR home > office, they spoke with the local guys I was dealing with and all was > OK'ed. That was in 2001. I have had to be tested by local test places > which are not state run twice since then and have had no questions or > even odd looks at the K&N filter on the car... > > You know it could be that the K&N filter is actually legal but the smog test station operators are so paranoid about CARB stings that they reject anything that even looks like a modification. They have so much money tied up in the new test equipment they can't afford to jeopardize their license so they look at everything. Last time on mine, they checked for the restrictor flap beneath the gas cap even though it's only there to prevent leaded gas (which hasn't been availble for decades) from being put in the car. Fred Smith Orinda, CA /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list /// From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Thu Jan 19 22:08:34 2006 From: James TenCate To: tr8@mercury.lcs.mit.edu Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:08:08 -0700 Subject: really early ECU? There are probably only a handful of you who will be interested in this posting but it looks like I was just mailed an interesting bit of history! Jon recently sent me an ECU (4CU) to try and repair. I finally had a look at it tonight. The Ferranti chips inside had numbers I didn't recognize and I started looking at all the other markings. Build date: 35th week of 1977! Board serial number 0470 (really low... the other one I just grabbed for comparison has serial number 6487 and I've seen some around the 20000s). By the way, the engineering diagrams I have here of the 4CU are dated 1976 and 1977... I wonder when the first one really WAS built? Is this possible? According to Des Hammill's book (How to Power Tune Rover V8 Engines) the Lucas 4CU fuel injection system was first used in 1974 (about the time Triumph engineers first put a Rover V8 into a prototype TR7 as I recall from one of the loads of things I've read on this subject over the years). The Australian version of the ECU was introduced in 1977 but apparently didn't have the lambda sensor circuitry. This one from Jon DOES have lambda circuitry so, if Des Hammill's sources can be believed, this ECU is a very early 4CU and probably meant for North America. What sort of car would it have been used in? I know of one very early prototype FI TR8 (who's got that one now?). Any others? Otherwise, this is likely a North American Rover 3500 ECU? Not sure what's wrong with it but I'll photograph it and add it to my archives of interesting stuff. I think this is the earliest ECU I've ever seen. Fun! Jim /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list /// From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Wed Jan 25 18:43:27 2006 From: "jay snavely" To: "TR8 List" , Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 08:36:28 -0500 Subject: EFI tweaking I read in the Rimmers catalog that they will repair and modify the TR8 EFI modules to increase power, both hot wire and flapper controls, original and modified engines. They say the original programming was strictly for emissions and not power or economy. I am sure this was true. Does anyone have experience sending their EFI to them, or someone else, and having modifications made? I was under the impression that this was done insitu. I am looking to retain the original appearance of the engine, but a few extra HP without opening the engine would be convenient. Thanks. Jay Snavely 1980 TR8 /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list /// From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Thu Jan 26 06:42:47 2006 From: James TenCate To: jay snavely Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 06:41:22 -0700 Subject: Re: EFI tweaking On Jan 26, 2006, at 6:36 AM, jay snavely wrote: > I read in the Rimmers catalog that they will repair and modify the TR8 > EFI > modules to increase power, both hot wire and flapper controls, > original and > modified engines. They say the original programming was strictly for > emissions and not power or economy. I am sure this was true. Does > anyone > have experience sending their EFI to them, or someone else, and having > modifications made? I was under the impression that this was done > insitu. > I am looking to retain the original appearance of the engine, but a few > extra HP without opening the engine would be convenient. > Be sure to keep us all informed on what you find out. How about contacting Rimmers and see if you can learn something more about what they do from talking directly to them? Will they do US spec versions too? I'll be happy to send them one of the TR8CCA club's emergency ECUs and get it "done" and then report what they did and whatever else happens! Jim TenCate, 1980 FI TR8... /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list /// From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Thu Jan 26 16:31:14 2006 From: James TenCate To: Kent Kinard Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 16:29:46 -0700 Subject: Re: EFI tweaking On Jan 26, 2006, at 2:39 PM, Kent Kinard wrote: > Franc Buxton at the University of Warwick has been > rebuilding 4CU boxes to Vitesse spec for many years. > This eliminates the Lambda sensor and will work very > well on North American 4CU applications such as TR8 > and SD1. Do a Google search for "Stunned Buffalo" and [note, the Rover was called a 3500 here in North America for some reason...] > follow the email link. His charges are very > reasonable and turn-around is pretty quick. I just > had an email from him the other day. He also works on > 14CUX boxes if you prefer. > Here's the link to the site below. So now we know of three places that "tweak" ECUs. Rimmers (apparently), Stunned Buffalo, and Mark Adams (Tornado Engine Management systems) and we have some direct information from Kent about Stunned Buffalo. Kent, can you tell us more? What's in your car, what year, etc etc... how much was the upgrade, etc etc. Curious minds want to know. Have any idea what was done? http://www.stunnedbuffalo.demon.co.uk/sbr.html Curious because I know a lot about the 4CU and have been dying to try some things out (ever try running an early TR8 FI car at 7000 feet above sea level?) but may not if I can just ship it off to someone and have it "tweaked" ... I smell the necessity for a FAQ entry here for the WWWedge, or at least an article for the TR8CCA... Jim /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list /// From buick-rover-v8-owner@autox.team.net Fri Jan 27 13:54:12 2006 From: Barrie Robinson To: mgb-v8@autox.team.net, british-cars@autox.team.net, Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 15:44:19 -0800 Subject: Weber/Edelbrock The Edelbrock(Weber) 1404 is one carburettor that suits the Rover V8. My MGB GT V8 seems to be running rich and thus I wonder if I should try leaner jets and/or rods. I have the Edelbrock intake, 10:1 compression pistons with composite head gasket, mild cam (RPi), 2" 4-2-1 exhaust manifold through wings (fenders) to 2 1/4 secondaries. Petronix ignition Below is a table I have made on examples and if you have a 1404 can you contribute to the table and say how your engine is configured. PRIMARIES SECONDARIES METERING RODS Simon 3.5L .083 1422 .089 1424 .065 x .052 1441 RPi UK .080 1421 .095 1426 .065 x .052 1441 Edelbrock (stock) .086 1423 .095 1425. .065 x .052 1441 Many thanks in advance for your responses Regards Barrie Robinson 705-721-9060 MGB GT V8 Aston Martin DB 2/4 MkII in the wings Purveyor of O-ring kits for Smith and Jaeger gauges ------- and of stainless steel mesh grilles for MGBs ------- and of bitumastic soundproofing /// /// buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net mailing list ///