3.5 v8 engines......

[dixono]

just wondering if any one atall has ever put a b.o.p. (buik, oldsmobile, Pontiac) 3.5 litre v8 in a range rover as I am considering this option. thanks guys any info or advice is greatly appreciated.

[swamijake]

I don't know. I can't imagine the buick 215 being in any way (power, reliability, cost, availability) better than a rover v8 for a swap. I've never seen a rover with a buick 215, but have seen a rover v8 used for small hot rod swaps.

[red90]

It should work. I've not heard of it happening either. The engines would be 50+ years old now.

[sailourboy]

What is the difference between the buick 215 and the 3.5?
My understanding is they are basically one and the same. LR bought the rights to them way back when and put them in early range rovers and my 101's at least. Definitely lack get up and go and lousy gas mileage but then dragging around 2T of metal in the shape of a brick doesn't help either.
Cheers
Ted

[swamijake]

I think the 215 and the early 3.5 is basically the same. Issue is there were never many of the 215's made, and any that were are now at least 50 years old. Remember that this is an aluminum block with (on the buick engines), cast in liners. Also it has been 50 years with people not thinking about dissimilar metal based corrosion. Fill one of these with regular water the liners won't last long. This isn't an all cast iron 2.25 that can sit in a field for couple decades and be just fine after filling the cylinders with WD40 for a few weeks.


from this link: http://www.aluminumv8.com/tech/tech.htm

Original "215" Configurations

The original 215 aluminum V8 appeared in the Buick Special and Skylark models, while the Old's version was offered in the Olds F-85, Cutlass, and Jetfire models as well as the Pontiac Tempest.

The Buick version used only five bolts per cylinder to mount its heads, and the heads had a combustion chamber following contemporary Buick practice. The heads were also angled "upward" to create a "flat top" look common to Buick engines of the day. Buick altered compression ratios via piston height and design. You can bolt a Buick head to an Olds block.

Olds engineers went their own route with cylinder head design, preferring a Chevy small block-like combustion chamber and an extra bolt (six in all) around each cylinder to mount the head. The valve cover was also more conventional looking. (Ken Costello built his first MGB V8 using an Olds engine picked up in Belgium !). The valve train is also different. Old used different heads with the same pistons to produce higher compression ratios. An Olds head will not work on a Buick block because of the extra head bolts. For performance applications, you'll want either 829 heads (10.25:1 C.R. for '61-'62 4 bbl auto and manual cars, '63 4 bbl manual cars), or 534 heads (10.75:1 '63 4-bbl automatics). Two bbl heads (No. 746) have low compression ratios and aren't suitable for any performance work.



Rover Configurations

Managing director William Martin-Hurst purchased the rights to the Buick version of the 215, and set his engineers on improving production techniques. Rover began installing an improved version of the 215 in the ancient P5 Saloon (sedan) in 1967. The same motor was installed in the more modern P6 2000 to create the 3500 (3500 cc or 3.5 liters). It soon found its way into the new Range Rover of the 1970πs.

A 3947 cc unit (created by increasing the bore to 94 mm) appeared in 1988 in the Range Rover, and later in the 1993 Discovery. A 4.2 liter motor soon appeared as the result of a longer-stroke crankshaft. In 1995, Rover launched the 4600 cc engine, using an even longer-stroke crank and a reengineering block with cross-bolted main caps.

Components for early engines are virtually interchangeable with the 215. The 4.6 liter engine, however, is different.

[swamijake]

TL;DR version: If you have a good BOP 215 and a rover to put it in, it should fit and bolt in pretty easily. If you want to go buy a BOP 215, you're better off finding a decent rover engine.

[red90]

IIRC, Rover did a bunch of changes to the engine in the 70s. They always talk about the pre and post SD1 engines. It is all explain in one the books on the engines that exist out there.

It will all bolt in. Just not sure I see any advantage. If you want a core to rebuild, they are more or less free from a dead Discovery and you get the 3.9 liter.

[dixono]

ok thanks for the info. I am told that this is a newer 3.5 out of an 80's buick... not sure if that changes things

[dixono]

does anyone know of a 3.5 range rover v8 for sale on the island? if so id be interested

[red90]

ok thanks for the info. I am told that this is a newer 3.5 out of an 80's buick... not sure if that changes things

Then no. They were used from 61 to 63 only. Buick has never had a 3.5 l V8 past that point. Not sure what engine you are being offered, but it can't be a 3.5 liter Buick engine. Not even there V6 engines came in that displacement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V8_engine#215

Also the Buick 215 bellhousing pattern is specific to that engine and the Rover engines only. It was not used in other GM engines.

[dixono]

ok sorry I was mistaken it was out of an 80's rover

[Rob]

There's a 3.5 for sale on Used Nanaimo right now, listed for $800, not mine, not affiliated with it but it might be what you are looking for.

Cheers, Rob