Twin engined Rover 25

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Just got back from helping a mate with his rover 25 project, was a bog standard 1.4 k series, will eventually be fitted with 2 (yes two) 2ltr Turbo T series engines (400bhp total if they stay standard). He's got all the subframes etc to fit the front engine (quite a standard conversion), but tonight we cut the front end off his old 620 turbo, to use to fit the rear engine.
Great fun was had by all, and here you can see a shocking photo of me between the two chunks of car, the rear end will be collected by the scrap man tomorrow.
 

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And I thought I had too much time on my hands..................

Before he gets in too deep, ISTR reading somewhere that it's illegal to have two engines fitted for road use if they are both used for propelling the car. (You can only use a second engine to power ancillary equipment, such as lifts or pumps.)

I may have got it wrong, but I would think it's worth checking.
 
It's not for road use, purely a track day job, however you are correct it's illegal to have two engines driving at once on the road. In theory you could seperate the gearchange linkages and knock one into neutral and turn it off, just running on the one engine SHOULD be ok. Failing that you have to remove the driveshafts to totally isolate one engine.
 
As the VW/Audi W12 engine is basically two V6 engines, you have to wonder what denotes two engines?
 
quattro said:
As the VW/Audi W12 engine is basically two V6 engines, you have to wonder what denotes two engines?
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I think this is a general misconception about these W engines that's around the net. They are no more two v6 engines than a Jag12 is. What VW have done to squeeze two banks of cylinders under one head is very cleaver, you seen the crank? The journals are offset by a few degrees so that two neighbouring pistons are in the correct place and the con rod is at the correct angle for TDC.
It is a wonderful bit of engineering.

As far as two engines driving the wheels, I was of the same opinion that only one is allowed, this was from a comment made on one of the ScrapYard wacky races, the Ice Cream van with two rover v8's in it. But a year or so ago in a kit car mag had a chap creating an F1 replica kit that used two bike engines had one engine for each rear wheel. And the prototype was road legal! Although the guy who tested it allowed it throw as there was nothing in there paper work for this kind of set up.
 
F1 replica kit that used two bike engines had one engine for each rear wheel
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Again I wonder how you link the engines as if they rotate at different speeds you'd go round in circles (quickly)
 
richarduk said:
I think this is a general misconception about these W engines that's around the net.
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Well, you learn something new every day.

I was under the conception that the V12 was two V6s somehow merged into one just as the Stag V8 was two merged slant four engines.

I have found a cutaway diagram of the V12 and have to wonder how complicated VAG want to be?

Surprised they havent fitted a couple of turbos and put it in a golf? :shock: (yes they have done this) :shock: :shock:
 
In terms of linking the engines, it's not a problem when each drives a diferent axle, they will naturally run at the correct speed, being linked by the road, obviously if one is producing more power at that speed then it will be doing more of the work, but thats kind of like a 60/40 torque split on a 4wd system. It helps if both engines are the same, with the same gear ratios.

Obviously the gearchanges need to be linked to ensure both engines are in the same gear at the same time, otherwise all sorts of pain could ensue !

It's quite popular in VW's have a look at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pT4EsuABSpc

I've seen a few twin biked engined cars where they basically link them directly together to make one engine that drives a single axle.
 
The W12 is more like a V12 really, just that the pistons are packed tightly together by offsetting them slightly about 15 degrees. Rather than 60 degrees for a typical V6 (90 degrees in the Honda v6 in the 827).
 
harveyp6 said:
And I thought I had too much time on my hands..................

Before he gets in too deep, ISTR reading somewhere that it's illegal to have two engines fitted for road use if they are both used for propelling the car. (You can only use a second engine to power ancillary equipment, such as lifts or pumps.)

I may have got it wrong, but I would think it's worth checking.
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Surely a Toyota Prius is effectively a two-engined car? And im sure i recall a two engined sports car been shown on Top Gear as well. Though i couldnt for the life of me recal which one it was.
 
I remember the twin bike engined car on Top Gear as well, and it was a Westfield, although I can't remember if that one was road legal, there is at least one clip of one on Youtube which appears to be running on the road, and several others at what look to be track days.

TBH if you wanted to do it, you're really only going to have to notify the change of capacity at DVLA, and most will probably not even bother with that, and just hope no-one opens the bonnet.

As for the Pious, who really cares...................
 
I wonder if it's just vehicles where the engines are not coupled together ie one at each end driving a different axle I dunno but Ford had road going D-Series prototypes way back in the late 60s early 70s with twin engines but they were linked together & drove through the same gearbox & axle
Regards Colin
 
zardoz said:
Surely a Toyota Prius is effectively a two-engined car? And im sure i recall a two engined sports car been shown on Top Gear as well. Though i couldnt for the life of me recal which one it was.
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Audi presented a twin engined TT which wasn't very good on the track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0kN_4YdhsI

(Don't call them 'Audi Tittys' as it annoys the owners.)

And don't call me Shirley 8)
 
It's time someone dusted off the old Rover 4cylinder plans of how to make a 6cyl engine, and had a go.
Take two 4cyl engines and do a bit of cutting and welding and you have a 6cyl engine.
Now if Rover had not aquired the V8, just think of what all 3500 drivers would be using.
Or even an inline 8cyl (interesting).
Philip :mrgreen:
 
A 6 or 8 cyl inline engine might look quite nice on a longer bodied front for a P6, sort of E-Type Jag look but a little taller.
Philip :mrgreen:
 
zardoz said:
harveyp6 said:
And im sure i recall a two engined sports car been shown on Top Gear as well. Though i couldnt for the life of me recal which one it was.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

There was a Brabus Smart Roadster which I think had two of the normal 3 cylinder blocks and heads wacked on to a bespoke crankcase to a make a V6. Can't remember if they then put two of those in the car too though.

Good luck with the new project, I assume the P6 Coupe is finished?
 
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