ROVER SD1 MANIA - Since 1997 a club for all enthusiasts of the SD1

The Rover V8 is based on an American 215 cubic inch (3.5 litre)

engine which first went into production in 1961.

The variant adopted by Rover was known as the Fireball V8 in Buick and Pontiac cars,

Oldsmobile used a slightly different version called the Rockette.

The basic Fireball delivered 155 bhp at 4,800 rpm and produced 210lbs/ft torque.

The engine was a bit of a damp squib in its homeland, where manufacturers

soon reverted to conventional cast-iron blocks, and production there ceased

after three years and about 750,000 units.

The Rover Car Company liked it, though, and bought the manufacturing rights

from General Motors in 1965.

In 1967 it made its first UK appearance in the Rover 3.5 Litre,

followed by the Rover 3500 in 1968, the Range Rover in 1970,

the MGB GT V8 in 1972 the Rover SD1and Land Rover V8 in 1979

and the (US only) Triumph TR8 about a year later.

The engine has been developed continuously by Rover since they

first acquired it. The first incarnations put out between 140 and 160 bhp.

Significant mainstream developments have been the fuel-injected

SD1 Vitesse engine (improved head design), the 3.9 litre Range Rover/MG RV8

engine (increase to 94mm bore), the 1972 4.2 litre Range Rover LSE

(77mm stroke), the 1994 Serpentine engine and the latest 4.5.

V8 Engine
Compression Pressure	9.1 bar	130 Lb/in2
Spark Plug Types	Unipart GSP 131	Champion N12Y
Spark Plug Gap	0.8 mm	0.030 in
Spark Plug Gap 1982 on...	0.9 mm	0.035 in
Firing Order	1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
Number 1 Cylinder	front left (left-odd, right-even
Distributor Rotor Direction	Clockwise
Timing Marks	pointeron timing cover	scale on crankshaft pulley
Pick up air gap	0.35 to 0.40 mm	0.014 to 0.016 in
Ignition Timing - Static		6degrees BTDC
Ignition Timing - 1200rpm	vacuum disconnected	10 degrees BTDC
Idle speed (auto in P)	725 to 775rpm
CO level at idle pre 1982	2- 4.5 %
CO level at idle 1982 on	3 3.5 %

Pistons, Rings and Conrods
	mm	in
Piston Clearance in cylinder (above rings)	0.73-0.88	0.0296-0.0350
Piston Clearance in cylinder (below rings)	0.040-0.071	0.0016-0.0028
Piston Clearance in cylinder (skirt bottom)	0.018-0.033	0.0007-0.0013
Big end running clearance	0.015-0.055	0.0006-0.0022
Conrod end play	0.15-0.37	0.006-0.014
Piston pin clearance (In Conrod)	press fit
Piston pin clearance (In Piston)	0.002-0.007	0.0001-0.0003

Piston Ring Gaps

Oil Control Ring	0.38-1.4	0.015-0.055
Compression Ring gaps	0.44-0.57	0.017-0.022
Compression Rings to grooves	0.08-0.13	0/003-0.005
Conrod to Conrod Clearance	0.15-0.37	0.006-0.014

Tightening Torques
	Nm	Lb ft
Cylinder head Bolts numbers 1 to 10	95	70
Cylinder Head Bolts numbers 11 to 14	67	50
Timing wheel to camshaft	61	45
Timing cover to block	27	20
Inlet manifold to head	40	30
Exhaust manifold to head	22	16
Main bearing cap bolts	75	55
Main bearing cap rear bolts	95	70
Conrod cap bolts	47	35
Flywheel to crankshaft	81	60
Drive plate to crankshaft	81	60
Manifold gasket clamp bolt	20	15
Oil pump cover to timing cover	20	15
Oil relief valve cap	40	30
Sump drain plug	47	35
Sump to cylinder block	11	8
Rear sump to block	24	17
Rocker cover to head	7	5
Rocker shaft brackets	40	30
Damper to crankshaft	290	210
Crankshaft pulley nut	211	150

or injury caused using this information, if in doubt, consult a qualified mechanic.

Valve Stem to Guide Clearance
	mm	in
Inlet at top	0.02-0.07	0.001-0.003
Inlet at bottom	0.013-0.0635	0.0005-0.0025
Exhaust at top	0.038-0.088	0.0015-0.0025
Exhaust at bottom	0.015-0.10	0.002-0.004

Oil Pump
	mm	in
Clearance between rotors and cover	0.05	0.0018

Crankshaft
	mm	in
Crankshaft endfloat	0.10-0.20	0.004-0.008
Maximum main bearing clearance before grind	0.075	0.003