K-series engine

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K-series engine

Postby Alan D. » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:39 pm

Hello all,

Since owning my Rover 200 BRM LE, I've become a big fan of the K-series engine. I've found the 1.8VVC to be a very quick and torquey engine. It has a bad reputation, but this can be sorted! Whilst doing some research I came across this report:

http://www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elise/t ... kingk.html

If you read this report, it gives a good insight into the engine. Basically the way that I interpret the report, is that Lotus tried to improve the engine, but cocked it up! So the engine with various improvements is as good as it gets, at that point in time, obviously technology has moved on since then. But for us Kit Car people, who basically just try to recycle components on the cheap, I think it's a good option. But the point I think is of the most importance, is that it is the lightest engine available.

But I will leave you to make your own mind up!

Alan
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Re: K-series engine

Postby Hans Efde » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:58 pm

I've owned a Rover 214Si and I am not positive about the K-series. In 60K km's I had 2 waterpumps replaced and years of starting trouble. The injection system is a very old design that can't be read out. So it's a lot of shotgunning to find the fault. In the end we replaced the TDC sensor and that cured the mysterious intermittent non-starting. The MPI 1400cc engine has a lot of power (125BHP) but no torque at all. It needed a lot of revs to get going and therfore was also quite thirsty. To make matters worse I found it also a very noisy engine. If I had the choice I would go for a Japanese engine.
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Re: K-series engine

Postby Stuart » Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:25 pm

Here's one ready to fit in a mk2 ;)

Image
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Re: K-series engine

Postby wolfie » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:06 pm

useless info for all of you. People slag off the 1.8 VVC but rave about the Honda type R Civic engine, guess what......they're pretty much the same engine. It was developed whilst Rover had the tie up with Honda. When the tie up finished Honda took the Rover engine stripped it, tweaked it and hey presto an engine everyone raves about which is pretty much the same engine as 1 people slag off
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Re: K-series engine

Postby b1zbaz » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:14 pm

i fancy an engine transplant but would not know where to start i would like more power but its not a necessity the refinement would be nice though im gonna save up and take it to z cars in 5 years see what they are saying
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Re: K-series engine

Postby Alan D. » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:52 pm

A111 wrote:Here's one ready to fit in a mk2 ;)

Image


Where is this one from Stuart, I would like to see more picture of the subframe? It looks as though it could be an Allspeed frame.

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Re: K-series engine

Postby Stuart » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:13 pm

Yes it's Allspeed Alan, I found it on google images, that's the only picture on Rob's site, I've seen a site with a few more images on but can't seem to find it now, one of Matt's web sites I think.
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Re: K-series engine

Postby manifold » Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:50 am

Looks more like a generator cradle than a subframe that one (i.e. very agricultural). :?
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