Rover SD1 Vitesse on Unleaded?
- Thread starter keynsham1
- Start date
I still have a letter from Land Rover, dated Dec 1997, about this. At the time I had contacted them specifically about Range Rovers, however, their reply was that, and I quote: "ALL (their capitals) Rover V8 engines are suitable to be run on unleaded petrol with/without adjustment (NO [underlined] modification is needed to the valve stem seats); " End quote.
It then went on to specify the differing timing for 3.5 low and high compression engines, designed to run on unleaded/leaded petrol) for both super and std unleaded and also later 3.9 engines, designed to run on unleaded)
I have read elsewhere (many years ago) that Rover V8s from something like 1974 could use unleaded BUT there were never any technical changes that I'm aware of recorded anywhere, contrary to the well-recorded change in compression ratio for my1974 cars. However, I don't have any documentary support of this.
Haynes workshop manual for the Sd1, Efi supplement, states that only unleaded fuel must be used in those markets where cars are fitted with Lambda sensors. I doubt, but don't know, that they had different cylinder heads for USA and other markets.
I'll leave it to you to decide whether the information supplied to me by Land Rover is correct or not, as I don't offer any guarantee that it is accurate!
It then went on to specify the differing timing for 3.5 low and high compression engines, designed to run on unleaded/leaded petrol) for both super and std unleaded and also later 3.9 engines, designed to run on unleaded)
I have read elsewhere (many years ago) that Rover V8s from something like 1974 could use unleaded BUT there were never any technical changes that I'm aware of recorded anywhere, contrary to the well-recorded change in compression ratio for my1974 cars. However, I don't have any documentary support of this.
Haynes workshop manual for the Sd1, Efi supplement, states that only unleaded fuel must be used in those markets where cars are fitted with Lambda sensors. I doubt, but don't know, that they had different cylinder heads for USA and other markets.
I'll leave it to you to decide whether the information supplied to me by Land Rover is correct or not, as I don't offer any guarantee that it is accurate!
