What's up with it?

mordzy said:

Perhaps it is what it is and my expectations are to high?

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Nope. Mine's an 8.13 on Stombergs and it goes fine. Easily up with modern traffic off the lights, pulls up hills well and tows a trailer just fine. It certainly wasn't running like that when I got it but even so the dealer who sold it to me was rather proud of how well it ran compared to others he had seen. Just goes to show the general standard out there I'm afraid!

most ive met find the defender low comp disappointing

jamesmartin said:

most ive met find the defender low comp disappointing

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Nearly all low comp Defenders I have seen are running like a bag of sh*te and are very disappointing I agree.

Interesting to know. Yeh I dare not pull a trailer and there is definitely no pull.. It's more of having to work the gears to keep it moving.

I guess I'll keep looking. I don't fancy a huge distance trip to a rolling road in the state it's in... Catch 22.

In terms of disappointing... My expectations where that it would be better than my M reg 300tdi. It way worse

Vintage-and-Classic said:

Nearly all low comp Defenders I have seen are running like a bag of sh*te and are very disappointing I agree.

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even when running well ,and the engines that were removed from the ni fleet were generally like new some actually were,which is why a great number were converted to h/c

jamesmartin said:

even when running well ,and the engines that were removed from the ni fleet were generally like new some actually were,which is why a great number were converted to h/c

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Fair enough. I must be imagining that mine is keeping up with modern traffic in the hills then. Point taken.

Vintage-and-Classic said:

Fair enough. I must be imagining that mine is keeping up with modern traffic in the hills then. Point taken.

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you might find it so ,but the h/c is noticeably better than a 300tdi the l/c in std form is not

Just by way of a comparison. Years ago I had a motor magazine article covering a road test of the (then) new Stage One V8 station wagon. Bearing in mind this was heavily detuned (91 bhp) by virtue of both low compression & manifold restrictors, the performance was deemed to be on par with a standard 850cc Mini.

To try to get this fellas V8 at it's best what should he do now? Where are the pesky restrictors and how does he get rid of them? Should he first do a compression test? Is it smokey with a few oily plugs? Assuming the carbs are wrong which ones should he have? If all else is sound will a low CR block get there with a different cam/carbs? Mine is low CR [Ex 101] but I've got a decent cam, headers and Edelbrock - fast enough for an early One Ten.

Come to think of it the timing may be well out as well - worth checking...................

Well I fear this thread has dried up somewhat - still concerned about your V8 though and have been giving it some thought, TBH I know nothing about the restrictors so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will advise. My thoughts are still more simple - are you certain that you're throttle cable is correctly adjusted? Throttles opening fully? Second thoughts are timing, my V8 was a gutless pig until I got a new electronic distributer - however hard I tried I couldn't get the bugger set up on points - by all accounts the original distributers were crap. Another thing, the timing mark on your crank pulley may well be out - look at the RPI website [but don't buy anything] Hope this helps - we now know it's not filters but a cheap vacuum gauge might be money well spent..................... keep us posted

waldamar said:

To try to get this fellas V8 at it's best what should he do now? Where are the pesky restrictors and how does he get rid of them? Should he first do a compression test? Is it smokey with a few oily plugs? Assuming the carbs are wrong which ones should he have? If all else is sound will a low CR block get there with a different cam/carbs? Mine is low CR [Ex 101] but I've got a decent cam, headers and Edelbrock - fast enough for an early One Ten.

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if they are fitted they sit in manifold just behind carbs

Worn timing chain causing erratic timing?
Ignition timing slightly off,
cam worn
carbs need work?
The one i bought had the lot so probably a good place to start.... just try not to throw money at it like i have once you start theres always something expensive to stick to it

Ok so I plan to take the carbs off to look for these restrictors but before that I'll check the throttle cable. It's an electric modern distributor not points. I'll pull the plugs and take photos. And all so check timing with my timing gun. Taking pictures where possible.

It's worth noting I had it serviced/checked by a landrover specialist as part of its MOT and they only picked up that it could do with a rolling road/carb work... Not saying they are right or that they missed something. I just thought the it worth mentioning

All sounds hopeful - be sure to check that your TDC mark on crank pulley is actually TDC - many are not resulting in timing being virtually impossible to set. How old is the distributer? Electronics might be fine but they've still got some mechanical bits and bobs. Is it the right distributer for the engine? Again research I'm afraid - good luck

I guess if tdc is off I've got no chance. As for the distributor I'll do some googling. Would I not be correct in thinking that if tdc or timing was off it would would like **** rather than whipping cream? It does sound very smoot.

Perhaps an audio file or a video would help?!

No problem really, TDC can be found then marked with tipex - iirc TDC can be found by removing the drivers side rocker, number one spark plug, mark on dizzy body number one lead position. With a long screw driver GENTLY poked down the plug hole turn the engine over by hand [socket on crank pulley] When number one valves are closed, screw driver ought to be up as high as it goes and rotor arm pointing to number one lead position - do it twice just to be sure then make a white mark on crankpulley in line with the pointer - TDC found. Now you can time it up. Timing out can lead to the gutless symptoms you're engine has - good luck - of course where your timing needs to be depends on your dizzy but I'd start with just trial and error.

With a breaker bar / torque wrench 24mm socket, turn crank pulley clockwise till a bit before tdc on bottom pulley lines up with reference pointer. Remove plug 1 (front nearside). Put a probe down plug hole. Turn crank past tdc and confirm piston reaches the top of its stroke. If it is out, mark crank pulley with new reference.
You said it passed emissions test so it is probably somewhere near correct.
Remove VAC advance hose and check timing on plug lead 1.

You do not need to remove rocker cover, though it would help time it on compression stroke and not 180deg out on a new build

mordzy said:

Perhaps an audio file or a video would help?!

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A health sounding rover v8

cooltide said:

A health sounding rover v8

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Funny.

It's tdc highest point of piston? Or just before? Yes passed emissions so can't be too far out like you say