Thread: Leyland 4.4L V8

Originally Posted by discoIIdan

Hi, Im planning a leyland 4.4L V8 conversion into a late 70's rangie. The rangie is manual. The 4.4 V8 has come out of an automatic P76, are the bolt patterns different between auto and manual engines? Will i need an adapter kit to bolt the engine up to the rangie?

Thanks

Auto and manual engines are the same. The P76 engine front and back faces are identical to the 3.5. You will have to have the 3.5 flywheel machined slightly. The centre locating hole is bigger on the P76 and the bolt hole PCD is larger. The holes are drilled between the 3.5 ones. This is a straight forward job. You will also need a custom spigot bush to fit the P76 crank. All the front housing off the 3.5 needs to go onto the 4.4. The engine mounts will need to be modified a bit and the relevant points on the 4.4 drilled and tapped. The mounting bosses are all there.

Aren't the dowels for the timing case bigger on a P76?
I think a case of just drilling out the holes / or Viceversa on block.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Aren't the dowels for the timing case bigger on a P76?
I think a case of just drilling out the holes / or Viceversa on block.
Regards Philip A

Don't think so, I always buy Rover front timing cover gaskets from TRS and they fit accurately to the 4.4 front block face, dowel holes and all. I think they are 1/4 inch but I'm not ripping off my front cover this morning to check.

Locating dowels are different , bolts same for rover timing cover I can assure you.
I converted over 20 of these in the late 80's to mid 90's

There are a few minor details to address to make these great engine work very well in a rangie.

One thing they fail at is sustained high revving.

Did you know holden starfire or 173 pistons fit with a minor ream to the gudeon area.

Originally Posted by Rangier Rover

Locating dowels are different , bolts same for rover timing cover I can assure you.
I converted over 20 of these in the late 80's to mid 90's

There are a few minor details to address to make these great engine work very well in a rangie.

One thing they fail at is sustained high revving.

Did you know holden starfire or 173 pistons fit with a minor ream to the gudeon area.

I'll accept you wisdom!

Oh and they are a pig at overheating, especially from poor casting detail in the water passages at the back of the block, where the head gasket sits. They are frequently up to 30% blocked. A die grinder in the water passage when you have the heads off for a look-see is a good idea.



And the head gasket is poorly aligned with the water jacket, a slight trim off the inside edge helps cooling flow.

Oh, and cracked pistons are common. Go 173 holden or fit 8.13 comp Rover pistons. This raises the P76 comp to around 9.5:1, suitable for straight gas.

Thanks guys for all your help, im getting ready to start the rebuild of the engine and conversion. But i have 1 more favour to ask, would anyone know where i can get a manual or similar to rebuild the v8? with some performance tweeks would be nice.

Thanks again

Originally Posted by discoIIdan

Thanks guys for all your help, im getting ready to start the rebuild of the engine and conversion. But i have 1 more favour to ask, would anyone know where i can get a manual or similar to rebuild the v8? with some performance tweeks would be nice.

Thanks again

Torque figures, basic layout etc are the same as Rover 3.5litre V8's. There wouldn't be much special information. What makes a 3.5 go faster will help the P76, e.g. bigger (3.5 EFI) valves.

Make sure you have the engine fully balanced though, they are a bit rough from the factory and relied on balance weights on the flywheel for final balance. Most mechanics had no knowledge of this and swapped pulleys and flywheels at random destroying the fine balance.

Originally Posted by bee utey

Make sure you have the engine fully balanced though, they are a bit rough from the factory and relied on balance weights on the flywheel for final balance.

P38A engines are the same.