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SD1 Diesel, talk to me....


ianamk

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VM produced marine and plant engines, frequently used commercially. Seperate heads were common for this type of application since it reduces costs for the manufacturer (modularity) when engines with different numbers of cylinders are used and the operator can have an engine with a damaged valve or similar back in use more quickly.

 

Rover chose the VM as they said it was the smoothest and best available at the time, they installed it terribly in the RR which made they were prone to air locking and overheating (dunno about in the SD1) and overlooked the fact that they needed regular servicing by someone with a smidgen more than the lowest level of aptitude, not something common to the British who are famous for skimping on routine servicing, compared with our continental cousins.

 

The installation of the 2.5TD in the Rover 800 showed lessons had been learned - a cylinder head temp sensor, low water level sensor and header tank higher than the water pump. I'd actually choose one over a Land Rover 300TDi lump, they're better designed, tougher and simpler.

 

 

In the early 80s Rover were aware of the rise of the diesel and were preparing "The Iceberg" - a diesel V8. Only when the govt at the time suggested* a profit was a good thing, and V8s were transferred to the main engine assembly factory was it axed.

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Nitrosilvia on YouTube is currently restoring one, well worth a watch:

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/nitrosilvia

 

 

 

The same guy has a thread on retro rides. He previously restored an SD1 police car that was a total basket case and has an SD1 drift car

 

http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/207136/1983-rover-2400-turbo-diesel

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I think there has been a few that have been preserved. Craptical Plastics had an SD1 feature a few years ago and there was a freshly restored example there along with a base 2000. So they are out there! Could be wrong but I think the late Granadas has a VM fitted.

Yes, I had an M reg 2.5TD Ghia in 1999, it kept up with motorway traffic well enough but acceleration was a bit leisurely. The killer for me was that it was no more economical than the 2.0i Carlton that I had before it, I got rid of it, after less than a year, traded in against an Omega 2.0i 16V CD that was much faster and used less fuel.

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No, the Maxi diesel was a 2.25 Land Rover engine, mounted transversely and with the gearbox dropped into the sump.

 

The diesel Allegro did use a VM unit, but it was the 1700 3-pot as used in the Alfa 33.  Being a triple it was short enough that they could keep the end-on gearbox.

 

 

Disclaimer: some or more of the above may be bollocks.

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This. It was a pioneering turbodiesel when it came out in late 1982. Diesel was mainly a Peugeot and Mercedes thing back then; the only Granada diesel at the time was the special order taxi version with wipe clean seats. There was no UK diesel Passat, Carlton, Senator or any shape of BMW.

 

Peugeot would do you an oil-burning 505 or 604, Renault a 20, Audi a 100 and Mercedes a W123, but the Rover 2400SD Turbo was considerably faster and more economical than any of these normally aspirated cars.

 

 

Peugeot 604 diesel was a turbo diesel from the start. It was only a matter of days between the 604 and Mercedes as to who released the first turbodiseasel. If my memory works, Peugeot showed the 604 first, but Mercedes got their turbo diesels on sale first.

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Peugeot 604 diesel was a turbo diesel from the start. It was only a matter of days between the 604 and Mercedes as to who released the first turbodiseasel. If my memory works, Peugeot showed the 604 first, but Mercedes got their turbo diesels on sale first.

 

Were the turbo W123 / W126 ever sold here?

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