Vitese 4.2 V8 how different to 3.5?

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Have been talking to a mate today about a 4.2 litre V8 fitted to a RRc by Vitese Developments and it struck me that I know very little about them.

Are they a development of the 3.5 V8 or the 3.9 V8 and how do they achieve the capacity increase?

Anything to look out for with one of them?

Thanks for any info people may have.

Diana

[p38arover]

Diana, I'm sure I have either an article on them or an advert from the '80s. I'll have a look over the next couple of days.

Do remind me so I don't forget.

[justinc]

hi diana, iirc they used 3.5 (early on) , which had a stroke increase, then i think later based on 3.9 with a stroker crank. they used omega 9.5:1 pistons, and early motec injection. they are a very well thought out and built engine.

jc

[PSI250]

my old man has a vitesse developements 4.2 in his rangie, very balanced and rev happy engine. used to run an early motec system, but now runs megasquirt ecu.

as JC said; well sorted engine.

[justinc]

Have been talking to a mate today about a 4.2 litre V8 fitted to a RRc by Vitese Developments and it struck me that I know very little about them.

Are they a development of the 3.5 V8 or the 3.9 V8 and how do they achieve the capacity increase?

Anything to look out for with one of them?

Thanks for any info people may have.

Diana

yes, if it needs a rebuild/ bore, omega pistons are no longer available:(:(
last one we did, (a 3.9) original pistons were perfect condition so resleeved block and reused them, had to find compatible rings which meant machining ring grooves slightly. worked out well and years later still going well:) bore was std 3.5 so crank/ rods were the capacity increase.

jc

[Lotz-A-Landies]

OK makes sense stroked 3.5.

If the pistons are no longer available, could you re-sleeve to 3.9 bore and use 3.9 or other compatible pistons?

What does a stroked 3.9 come out to?

[justinc]

OK makes sense stroked 3.5.

If the pistons are no longer available, could you re-sleeve to 3.9 bore and use 3.9 or other compatible pistons?

What does a stroked 3.9 come out to?


the stroke increase, high compression ratio and motec 'map' gave these engines some impressive torque, yet they still revved well :)
careful of gudgeon heights if using the original rods, may have issues finding the right pistons, but i have never delved that far. TRS were getting out to 5 litre by stroking and a slightly bigger bore/ liner, and forged pistons, Scat rods etc.

jc

[loanrangie]

OK makes sense stroked 3.5.

If the pistons are no longer available, could you re-sleeve to 3.9 bore and use 3.9 or other compatible pistons?

What does a stroked 3.9 come out to?

About 4.7ltr i believe :D.

[justinc]

About 4.7ltr i believe :D.

Agreed, mine was about 288 cu in.

JC

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Good news, my friend bought the engine and Motec and we removed it from the donor vehicle yesterday.

Would it be O.K to use the standard 3.5 flywheel and pressure plate or should he use an upgraded pressure and friction plate?

[justinc]

Good news, my friend bought the engine and Motec and we removed it from the donor vehicle yesterday.

Would it be O.K to use the standard 3.5 flywheel and pressure plate or should he use an upgraded pressure and friction plate?

yes, standard flywheel and clutch will be fine, what vehicle is it going into? what trans?

jc

[Lotz-A-Landies]

yes, standard flywheel and clutch will be fine, what vehicle is it going into? what trans?

jcStage 1 on LT95 was intending on using the RRc t/f ratio.

(Prob disk brake front end)

[justinc]

it'll be fine, the 3.9 vitesse rrc i spoke about uses a std clutch and towed an 18 ft glass boat happily for many years.

jc