Disco 1 V8: should I?

I would love a megajolt kit but its both the cost and the complexity that worries me.

I love the idea of a v8 but if i had the option i would love a v8 defender 90 instead of my 200tdi.

Owned a 110 the past 3 months, didn't like it so going back to a Disco

Megajolt isn't that expensive really and I have to be honest mate, it is SO worth it to get rid of the dizzy and become waterproof.

I cannot explain how much of a different car it is now it is squirted, and most of it is down to the timing and spark. Actual power output is due to the fueling but everything else is down to timing and spark production. Ultra well chuffed.

If you're not a wiring guy then I wouldn't recommend jumping in there feet first, but if you're just apprehensive then don't worry, you get diagrams.

Anyway mate tbh I think if you're thinking about it at all then you're a v8 guy anyway, get one jolted or better squirted and they're just better than a diesel hands down, so apart from double fuel costs its a no brainer, but a jolted/squirted v8 is double the car that a diseasel is so I think it's fair.

I put £50 in mine minimum and it gets me about for a few days if I've decoded to drive it about for some reason, or it'll get me to a pnp and hour away and back, or it'll get me over for a medium length laning Sunday over Derbyshire or something close enough.

It's a lot for fuel to drive A CAR don't get me wrong, but its not a lot for a day's activity, if you don't HAVE to drive the landy it's already a no brainer, you only buy diesel because you use the car everyday (which is completely fair enough) and as I've outlined before the v8s are so much cheaper than diseasel that the difference pays for the Megajolt kit anyway plus a load of fuel aswell.

Let me know when you've bought one

Dude your not helping!
So is there a site showing the pro's and con's of Jolt vs Squirt? Feel you've given me so much information already, I'll have you typing for days if I carry on lol.

It's alright, I get online when I've got the time so don't worry. I enjoy a bit of gassing about Megasquirt anyway

Basically it's like this:

The rover v8 is a v8. It's not a great v8 by modern standards but its good for its time, perhaps even better than its time. It's also aluminium which is great cos its lightweight. As we know this isn't ideal for people who think that they're standard 15 year old radiator will be ok. I spent £200 on a new HD radiator and its cool as a cucumber. A very noisy cucumber.

Now, as far as the land rover owner goes, He probably wants to fix his own car. Firstly because it is cheap to do so and secondly how else do you gain that bond with the vehicle?!

The rover v8 with is old fashioned ways and parts list you can count on your fingers and toes is absolutely awesome for this. Such a beautifully simple engine. It's crap cos its simple apparently but I think it's awesome cos old stuff is cool.

The problem is that the old fashioned accessories that are fitted to the engine are not cool.

The EFi system was pretty reliable and this pretty cool but it was limited regards producing top power. Otherwise it was cool.

The dizzy however is not a cool guy. Far from it. He's an old fashioned chap that makes a spark in a clockwork manner, and a serious issue is that he is a long way away from the crankshaft so the timing can have quite a lot of delay. And this is quite frankly ****ing ****. The fact that there is an air gap in the dizzy is bad for your spark at the plug!

So

This means that we have a good old engine, with a bit of a crap way of running.

Solution?

Fit a trigger wheel to the crank! Bang on timing now.

Then fit a coil pack or two and fire them directly to the plugs with no gaps or jumps. Also use waterproof connectors, wayhey!

Control these with an ECU which is lightning quick and has tuneable spark control and **** me you've got a simple old engine with a really rather cool modern way of running. So now it runs like a new engine, just uses fuel like an old one.

Hang on, phone about to die!

Ok I'm on charge!

So, that's your ignition sorted, and tbh you've probably made around 50% if not 60% improvement to drive ability.

BUT it's still running 14cux. Bit of a shame cos Megasquirt can make your car more powerful! It can get rid of the dodgy MAF and stepper and give you a more modern management system, but still running that simple old engine! The release of power is wonderful to behold, it's just a different car!

I haven't driven a jolted v8 so I can't compare exactly but I know for a fact that the addition of a crank sensor and getting rid of the dizzy with all its play and slackness will have made the most noticeable improvement, but the Megasquirt is for the man that really wants a performance rover v8.

I had a long chat with my pal trying to decide what I should do, was originally going to jolt because I like 14cux seeing as it never let me down, but decided that it was guaranteed better to do the full job if I was going to the effort in the first place.

Can't repeat enough that I'm glad that I did, but if you're looking for the simple solution that sorts most of your problems then Megajolt is for you, Megasquirt solves ALL of your problems but could give you more of you're not quite up to it.

Lots of help available from me and from Nige at Megasquirt-v8.co.uk and also in the Megasquirt section on lr4x4.com

Go on there and read my intense MS build thread

In fact, here's a link, it is pic HEAVY by the way!!

Sam's 3.5 Disco MEGASQUIRT START/FINISH INSTALL THREAD! - MS-Megasquirt/Jolt - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

Cheers

Top man, so much information there thank you very much.
Its certainly a very tempting thought and I can see your reasoning on why it is great not just for the waterproofing but performance as well. Something I need to consider with the fact I loose a bit of power through the auto box and that it will be called upon for the heavy towing from time to time.
Will have to have a good read through your thread as well as find out the price difference between the two kits. Oh and I gotta buy a Disco too

Go forth and refuel!

Best of luck pal, cheers