Which engine to use????

[Slatter]

Right guys i need your help,

I have 2 engines for my Off road racer and i dont know which one to put back in, or if i should swap bits around from engine to engine, i want to end up with 2 complete engines still though !

The first i have been rebuilding i was going to put in is a 4.8 John Eales Engine, X Bolted block, Forged pistons, It has grind marks on rods and underside of pistions to suggest its lightened and balanced. (Very nice heads ive been told) with larger valves bronze guides very opened up ports, The inlett manifold has all be ported and larger trumpets put in. It was running on a standard hotwire system with a John Eales ECU. Its got serpentine front end and had head studs not bolts.

I was planning on rebuilding the above and putting an Emerald Ecu and Crank position sensor on it and spending a bit of money........

However !!!!!!

Today i took the sump off the old engine to put on my rebuilt one and just had a look at the crank and it looks a bit special,
I dont know exact spec but was told it was a 5 ltr engine ... what i can see is... The block ISNT X bolted, however it does have Studs holding the Main bearings in as well as head studs, It isnt The sepentine front end, From looking under it looks like there has been alot of work on the crank you can see its been lightened and balanced more so than my other engine, its also has forged pistons in, the exhaust ports have been opened up alot so i guess its got pretty good head on, dont know if they are as good as the other ones though.

I really dont know what to do, ive got a few possibilities...

1) Use the 4.8 engine ive been rebuilding and put it back on the standard injection system and uses the JE ecu again. Then when its rebuilt and in racer running again rip the old engine apart and see what it actually is. and go from there.

2) Use the 4.8 engine ive been rebuilding and put a Emerald System on it. And forget about the old engine.

I really dont want to have 2 engines stripped at 1 time. Im racing in 8 weeks and i want it to be at least running.

Is a Non X bolted block with Main Bearing Studs going to be as strong as a X bolted block with bolts??
If i did use the Non X bolded block how hard is it to put a serpentine front end on ???

I really dont know what to do

Any help or advice would be gratefull

Thanks James

[katanaman]

Personally I would go for the JE engine with the emerald. JE has a very good name in Rover engines and I don't think it will disappoint you. The emerald will mean you can tune it yourself and probably to match your install better. That said unless you know what the tune of the engine is it might be useless in an off road racer without a cam change course this is easy sorted since you have the engine on re-build.

[Slatter]

Forgot to say ... Both engines have been in off roaders .... and the 5ltr i have taken out of current racer is also a JE one but obvioulsy older ... as it hasnt got the X bolted block im thinking???

The one i have rebuilt was in my old heavier landy based racer.

[katanaman]

still think the 4.8 is the better bet.