V8 Dolomite

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Laverda · #1 Post by **Laverda** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:37 pm

Having just bought David's V8 Dolly he's recommended the first area requiring work are the manifolds/exhaust due to the limited ground clearance. Can anyone else with a V8 advise on what they've used.
I see that Rimmers do manifolds for TR8s & for Stags with Rover V8 conversions,does anyone know if they'd work on a Dolly?
Thanks

Nick C · #2 Post by **Nick C** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:17 pm

Where do the downpipes run on it? I'd have thought the hardest bit would be the right one, as there isn't much space around the rack/column to run it over the subframe, and you don't want it underneat due to the ground clearance issues. It might be worth looking at LHD sprints for inspiration....

Lewis · #3 Post by **Lewis** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:29 pm

The real problem is that on YYD the exhausts go under the subframe - this is what creates the clearance issue....and unfortuntately, without custom work, it's pretty much unavoidable.

The problem with the MGB V8 (which is what it's fitted with)/some other Rover manifolds is that they exit either side, so you're still stuck with crossover pipes running under the subframe regardless of which tack you take...

IIRC Rover V8 Stag manifolds run forwards then under on one side, like the original, so you'd still have pipes under the subframe which is where the horrendous ground clearance comes from....(Had one of those too but can't remember!)

Standard Rover manifolds tend to sweep back or down which clashes with the steering gear and subframe/rack on the Dolly. One option is TVR manifolds as they run forwards, avoiding the steering gear and etc but might hit the ancilleries, plus you'd still be under the subframe when you loop back....

So, custom it is then!

Practically everyone I spoke to said it'd have to be a custom job. No other alternative will fit properly and to get the best you'll probably need some subframe/tunnel mods to hook the pipes back into the car a little to create some clearance.

A bit of custom work might see the LHS bank (viewed from the front) exit at the same point as the RHS exhaust, which would improve the situation as it'd stop the front pipe grounding out all the time on compression but it'd still be low.

I'll come back if I come up with any ideas or anything I've forgotten

I had some recommendations for quality exhaust manufacturers who'd do manifolds as well - but they may have disappeared into the echolons of time. Expensive stuff though...

Laverda · #4 Post by **Laverda** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:46 pm

Thanks Lewis. I've contacted a custom exhaust maker in Sheffield, I'm waiting for them to get back to me. Surely someone must have done one before? The only other alternative is to fit big chuffing wheels & turn it into a Dolly Bigfoot!

Lewis · #5 Post by **Lewis** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:50 pm

There are about 3/4 that I know of but I've never looked at how they run it - I suspect some more dedicated ones would have done bulkhead mods and run the manifolds through into the transmission tunnel before splitting them off under the chassis - or channeled the subframe to run them through it.

It's damned tight down there though.....(fnaar!)

Good call on getting a custom guy involved though - they'll have dealt with similar before so know the best way to approach it and what usually works

Laverda · #6 Post by **Laverda** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:39 am

I may have accelerated the need to find a solution. Exiting the motorway last night the car cut out at the lights & once restarted wouldn't tickover or run low revs. I think I may have holed the exhaust, the M62 is more like a ploughed field than a motorway & it ground down a few times. Too dark & too late to investigate when I got home, will have to wait 'til weekend really...
Think I'll fit a 1300 badge to the boot, that should surprise a few BMW drivers!

Lewis · #7 Post by **Lewis** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:17 pm

Do tell us how you get on - I had that problem when I first got it.

At the time I thought that it seemed to be heat related in some respect. I suspected a sensor was getting thrown off due to the heat soak (or may be a dry joint somewhere?) and that's what leads to it cutting and stumbling at idle.

I never 'fixed' it per se but the problem never showed it's head after I'd fully serviced it, adjusted the idle mix and fitted the fans.

Just occured to me that it could be dirt or wear to the lower end of the throttle pot - might be worth throwing a voltmeter on it and seeing how it's doing.

Laverda · #8 Post by **Laverda** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:27 pm

I've run the car 5 or 6 times since & it's been fine? Tickover seems to change every time I take it out though?
Had a quick look under the car at weekend & I'm not conviced it's the exhaust that's grounding, there's a shiny ring round the propshaft though. I think that it's coming into contact with something protruding through the floor when the suspension compresses (& it's definitley worse when you have passengers in the back), tapping the prop with a spanner seemingly produces the same 'ting' to my tone deaf ear!
Can't see enough though without getting the car up on ramps & having a proper pike at it.

David6214 · #9 Post by **David6214** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:33 pm

I was pretty sure it was the front exhaust clamp amongst other things. I gues sit would be worse with people in the back as its just more weight in the car. It could be the propshaft though....be worth getting underneath it of just driving two weels up on a high kerb!

On the idle, as a thought you may still be using that lower octane fuel that I put in. I put some higher octane stuff in 97 I think (Adam might remember) just before you bought it dave but there may well be some of the older stuff around. When it ran on 100 or whatever optimax is it idled fine.

Might be worth cleaning that air filter too if you haven't already.

Above only applies if it is idling badly? oh and if so is the oil level ok?

Not sure how much the above helps.

Lewis · #10 Post by **Lewis** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:41 pm

Don't trust the dipstick - it relates to sweet FA! Forgot about that!

A bit of trial and error is required when topping up .....It's a bit of a tricky one! IIRC I'd settled on about 1/3rd of the way up from the low point as the 'optimum'. I can't really remember now though as the oil change was a long way back but I do remember fussing about with it a lot

Could be worth bunging a bottle of Wyns injector cleaner in the fuel tank and having a root around for any air leaks - Rover EFi plenums are notorious for them and it'd only have to be a twee one

It's very sensitive to adjustment on the idle mixture screw as well (in the flapper unit) so worth having a fiddle with that and as David mentions, it may not like the lower octane fuels. I always ran it on Optimax and a bottle of VSP whenever I tripped over one.......

Lewis · #11 Post by **Lewis** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:44 pm

Cross-axle pipe used to hit the bodywork as well (and get trapped between the axle and the bodywork sometimes) - and that axle clamp was notorious for rattling so worth poking about there

Laverda · #12 Post by **Laverda** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:54 pm

Lewis? David? I'm filling in my insurance bumf & can't find an engine number! Its not where it should be according to info on the net (should be on the block next to the dipstick). Do either of you have any documents giving the engine number, insurance docs, anything like that?
Cheers.

Lewis · #13 Post by **Lewis** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:01 pm

I just used the one in the V5c.

IIRC I did actually find the engine number in the end - but can't remember where it was - so not much help in that respect

David6214 · #14 Post by **David6214** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:35 pm

Who are you with? Adrian Flux?

I explained to them that finding the engine number meant taking parts of the engine apart and the engine number on the V5C was a triumph one (IMHO) They said teh one from the V5c would be fine. I gave them that.