May update
Getting a lot of progress done on the long list of items to get it running and driving. Finally got around to the gearbox mount, which will mount to the floor of the car close to the frame rails and the gearbox cover. I was uhming and ahing over what kind of mount to go with, but in the end I settled on some Volvo 240 gearbox mounts. Cut up a bit of 70x70x3mm box section and some 40x20x2mm and arranged it in a Vee arrangement so the bolts for the mount weren’t directly loaded.
Next, I finally got around to getting an ECU! I was all hung up on having sequential injectors and ignition which severely restricted my options but eventually saw the light and took that requirement off my list and went for a Speeduino ECU. It’s cheap, open source, and can run a 6 cylinder on a paired injector/ignition set up. But I do have to change the coil packs as the Jag ones are dumb coils with the igniters build into the ECU, where as the Speeduino can’t directly drive the coils, so I’ll be swapping to some VAG TFSI coils which are smart coils with inbuilt igniters.
You can get these ECUs either fully assembled or in a kit, I got a kit because it was cheaper and I don’t mind the extra work.
Then finally got around to the exhaust manifolds, which I knew would be a pain. I chopped up a pair of BRISCA manifolds for a Pinto to about the right length and arrangement so that it would sit just above the steering rack and be as tight to the block as possible. I chose the Pinto as it has a very large bore spacing and it’s only about 6mm off the Jag engine, and the BRISCA manifolds are designed to come straight off the engine block so it could be used on both engine banks with some considerable massaging. I got two, and made the mistake of assuming they’re all the same as one came with a 1 5/8 inch primaries and the second came with 1 3/4 inch
. Oh well, I knew they wouldn’t be perfectly symmetrical.
The drivers side one looks a whole lot worse because of the snaking between the steering rack and the block bing very very tight.
For the intake set up, I’m going with MG MHB000080 throttle bodies that will be modified slightly to reduce the profile of the throttle cable retainer. These are a 48mm throttle body, which is plenty big enough, if they end up too big, I can adjust the linkages to reduce the opening angle, which is what MG/Rover did on lower power versions of the K series. I modelled up the top of the engine and some of the significant features of the TB and threw an assembly together then modelled the profile of the runner I wanted and had a friend 3D print it. I’ve since coated the inside and sealing faces in epoxy resin to help with sealing and fuel protection. Just need to buy all 6 now, I’ve just got 2 for now.
I also got the fuel tank and fuel pump set up. It uses a Walbro 255 pump on a Subaru Liberty pump hanger that I cut down to length. It now fits into the fuel tank so the pick up point is as close to the old output pipe as I could get it. I couldn’t get it in the centre as there is a bowl for the fuel sender unit to sit in. I’ll have to add a baffle or something in the future to prevent fuel surge.