A Minor Upgrade (VVC)

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Tony Reeves

Tony Reeves

Well-Known Member
Posts
633
Location
New Zealand
Finally ready to make a public commitment....

So far under the bonnet;
Started with 1999 1.8K manual Freelander.

Rebuilt gearbox and IRD, Freelender clutch and flywheel on 1999 (EU2) Rover 200 motor,
Relocated coil up up and out a little to clear IRD (may move it right out the side as it does not seem to be in a good place for a 4WD,
Top end of motor stripped, head flat and good (still ground a few though to make it dead flat and smooth) exhaust seats refaced,
liner protrusion 2+thou consistently,
shim saver (just in case) and multi-layer HG fitted,
Retained Freelander fuel rail, not sure how this will go as the VVC ECU expects lowered fuel pressure at low manifold pressure, may have to run a return line,
Matching engine loom to standard Freelander loom and plugs, so far under control, about 50% complete. Budget is two wires a day,
Next biggie is the ECU mobilisation. I don't have the matching 5AS, plan to update the eeprom in the MEMS 2J to match the current security output, or remove mobilisation.
 

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Which head and ECU are you using, 145 or 160, do they match? [1999 (EU2) Rover 200 motor] That'll be the 145. What are you hoping to gain?

Depending on the freelanders current power, I'm guessing 120? the 99 car is too early for the 135. You will get more power, but only at the top of the rev range. Normal driving will be the same, possibly a little sluggish compared to the OE motor.

The VVC doesn't start to become active till 3800 rpm and full power isn't till 6900rpm (red line 7200). Only useful for overtaking, but most people never allow their engine anywhere near those kind of revs even when overtaking. No good for towing or general driving, unless you are intending to go along in second or third most of the time.

Got to be an interesting experiment though. Very interested to learn how it works once completed, whether you think it was worth all the effort in putting it all together. Can't help thinking a turbo kit would have been more viable and a lot more fun.

I have the MGTF 160VVC and believe me, it only becomes interesting when you literally rev the tits off it. Up to that point it's just a small car with uncomfortable suspension. Even that doesn't come in to it's own till you are over the speed limit, or going fast round tight bends.


Val.
 
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Very interested in this one. I have a MGF VVC and a K series Freelander so know both engines well (did the HG on both) Others have talked about doing it but not sure if any succeeded. Disco Mikey put a turbo K series in his and it seemed to be a great success.
 
Val. h said:
Which head and ECU are you using, 145 or 160, do they match? [1999 (EU2) Rover 200 motor] That'll be the 145. What are you hoping to gain?

Depending on the freelanders current power, I'm guessing 120? the 99 car is too early for the 135. You will get more power, but only at the top of the rev range. Normal driving will be the same, possibly a little sluggish compared to the OE motor.

The VVC doesn't start to become active till 3800 rpm and full power isn't till 6900rpm (red line 7200). Only useful for overtaking, but most people never allow their engine anywhere near those kind of revs even when overtaking. No good for towing or general driving, unless you are intending to go along in second or third most of the time.

Got to be an interesting experiment though. Very interested to learn how it works once completed, whether you think it was worth all the effort in putting it all together. Can't help thinking a turbo kit would have been more viable and a lot more fun.

I have the MGTF 160VVC and believe me, it only becomes interesting when you literally rev the tits off it. Up to that point it's just a small car with uncomfortable suspension. Even that doesn't come in to it's own till you are over the speed limit, or going fast round tight bends.


Val.
Click to expand...
Hoping to gain a running Freelander and some interesting time spent (I am retired so no shortage of that). I did some remedial work on the original engine which had been well cooked, but I had no confidence in it.

The VVC engine is the 145HP combo. I have opened the ports a bit and tidied the flow a bit so maybe it will be up to near 160HP, but that really does not matter. Cat will be removed, it is worth more at the scrap yard than on a vehicle.

In terms of performance, all the torque curves I can see show the MPI engine as having no more torque at any point than the VVC engine. I know some say that low down the VVC has less, but the evidence suggests otherwise.

Turbo kit would be nice, I have done a lot with turbo's in the past, but it would need an expensive re-certification here in NZ to use it on the road.
 
Not much progress, apart from using an oscilloscope to try to identify the comms protocol between the security system and the ECU so I can identify the 16 bit code the security system is using. More thinking and calculating required.

Waiting for Zero Insertion Force sockets for the SOIC eeproms to arrive, then I can start looking at the codes in there.

Overall delay due to an unfortunate happening. Got the fuel pump circuit running and found a displaced O-Ring on one injector which dropped quite a bit of fuel on the garage floor. The garage is also our laundry and has internal access to the house. She Who Must Be Obeyed said that petrol smells in the house are not acceptable and she has difficulty getting to the washing machine, also does not like her wee Fiesta sitting outside in the frost. She did not see that putting the washer outside in the drive would help, so I need to take a week out to do some re-org.
 
LOL, keep the boss happy at all costs.
Are you going for a 52mm TB as well? It probably won't make much difference to overall performance but should feel a bit more pepy as more air getting in for a given movement of the loud pedal.
As you said the VVC will give no more torque but shouldn't be less either. All the gains are above 4k rpm (ish) but to be honest I don't go there that often in my Freelander. Improving the torque seems to be the holy grail of K series Freelanders.
 
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Alibro said:
LOL, keep the boss happy at all costs.
Are you going for a 52mm TB as well? It probably won't make much difference to overall performance but should feel a bit more pepy as more air getting in for a given movement of the loud pedal.
As you said the VVC will give no more torque but shouldn't be less either. All the gains are above 4k rpm (ish) but to be honest I don't go there that often in my Freelander. Improving the torque seems to be the holy grail of K series Freelanders.
Click to expand...

I will stick with the stock TB, at least for now. Have had some thoughts of reducing the rolling diameter with different tires, which would effectively increase delivered torque and make better use of the higher revs, but for now focus is just to make it go.

I now have all the electronic bits I need, so on to fiddly bits next week.
 
Tony Reeves said:
I will stick with the stock TB, at least for now. Have had some thoughts of reducing the rolling diameter with different tires, which would effectively increase delivered torque and make better use of the higher revs, but for now focus is just to make it go.

I now have all the electronic bits I need, so on to fiddly bits next week.
Click to expand...
I suspect it would be tiresome at motorway speeds and you'd be forever looking for another gear. Unless you plan to tow heavy caravans I wouldn't worry, I like driving my K series and don't find it slow at all.
 
She runs, had it going for a minute or two. Was not expecting that but it appears my MEMS2J is set to not need an immobiliser. I knew that was a possibility, but Murphys' law being what it is I gat all the gear to reprogram it before I tried it.

No revcounter or other important stuff yet, but that will come. No water either which is why it has not run for long. I don't want to water it up yet, I want to check a few things (like drive train) first and we are having frosts and don't want to waste anti-freeze.
 
Well done mate! Aways good to hear the engine run after major work, be very careful though, K series will overheat in seconds without water (I believe).
Will you recondition the VCU yourself?
 
Alibro said:
Well done mate! Aways good to hear the engine run after major work, be very careful though, K series will overheat in seconds without water (I believe).
Will you recondition the VCU yourself?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the warning, I am aware...

I tested the VCU a few months ago, it is just on the loose side of the Land Rover spec, so quite happy with that.
 
Tony Reeves said:
Thanks for the warning, I am aware...

I tested the VCU a few months ago, it is just on the loose side of the Land Rover spec, so quite happy with that.
Click to expand...
That's odd, never heard of a VCU that was loose unless it has been replaced recently. If so your very lucky, my 2nd Freebie took 2 minutes to do the 1WU test and the third took nearly 3 minutes. :eek:
 
Just wondering, if it is possible to adjust the settings for the VVC mechs, so it comes in at lower revs?
Would make it a whole lot more useful wouldn't it.


Val.
 
Val. h said:
Just wondering, if it is possible to adjust the settings for the VVC mechs, so it comes in at lower revs?
Would make it a whole lot more useful wouldn't it.


Val.
Click to expand...
Technically, it would be possible but it would require reverse engineering the map in the eprom, burning a new eprom and refitting it. But I don't see the point. All it would achieve is lumpy running at low speed and less torque, exactly what an off road does not need.
 
She Moves!
Went for a brief test drive, about 2 Kms. All as expected, plus a rumble in the gearbox has gone.

Seems to rev better, went over the Freelander red line on the rev counter quite easily.

Still plenty to keep me occupied though, the list of motor stuff:

Connect Air Con
Engine Warning Light not working
Connect Fan/Relay
Mount ECU
Mount Fan and main Relays
Mount Engine to Chassis loom connectors
Check Oxy Sensor Connectors
Read Engine Faults
Replace Oil
Replace Oil Filter
Tape Alternator Leads
Top up Power Steering
Retape Harness as Reqd
Install induction pipe and air cleaner

Until I get the induction pipe and air cleaner connected it is hard to judge how it is really going.
 
Brilliant! Keep the updates coming, I don't often get to drive my K Series as it is the wife's motor but was out in it today and I love driving it. I think the lighter engine makes the car more nimble.
 
You are correct on torque curves. The 118 BHP Freelander has a peak torque lower in the rev range then the VVC 143. However the 118 peaks out a couple Ftlb lower than the VVC at the same Rpm. There's a tiny bit more torque below 2000 Rpm from the Freelander engine but not much.
The VVC is a great engine and should make an interesting power unit for the Freelander. Turbo charged is the ultimate power unit but it's not an easy conversion, but worth it in the long run.
I still give you a big thumbs up for the VVC though;)
 
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