How do I make it fit?

[Geoff Corker]

My 2000 vintage 1800 K Series has been altered to EP3 from EP2.  Now the plenum chamber is too high so that it fouls the bonnet and prevents it seating properly.  There are some very clever people out there so what is the answer?

 

[SM25T]

The VVC engine has a different mount one side to lower it. Maybe that is what you need ?

[revilla]

Yes you need the VVC right hand engine mount as Ian says, it drops the engine a bit to allow the aluminium plenum to clear the bonnet. This one, assuming it's S3 (there's another one for SV): https://caterhamparts.co.uk/engine-mounts/2485-engine-mounting-bracket-rhd-vvc-a-18-xpower-rover.html

[Geoff Corker]

Thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[Geoff Corker]

Thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[rj]

One thing to bear in mind:

If your chassis is a race chassis there may not be room enough when using the lowered engine mount as the plenum will foul with the diagonal.

[revilla]

... in which case I have seen plenums which have been filed down on the top to clear the bonnet. From memory I think it's just a shaving off the outside edge. You would need to be careful not to break through.

One thought that might help:

I have noticed that there are two different shapes of aluminium inlet manifold. I've never quite tracked down the explanation, but I have two spare engines at home and the plenums sit quite differently on the two of them. They are both plain aluminium plenums (not the earlier EU2 ones with black powdercoat and the VVC logo embossed) on EU3 VVC 160 engines, but the top of one sits roughly parallel with the top of the cam cover and the top of the other is angled, so lower on the outside edge.

Looking on Rimmer, the MGF (so EU2) had different lower manifold https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-LKB107030 as well as a different plenum to the MG TF (EU3) which used https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-LKB107031. My guess is that these are a slightly different shape and explain the way in which the plenum sits, and on my second spare engine (which was built from bits collected from all over the place) I've ended up with an older style lower manifold even with the later style plenum.

I'm not 100% sure it's the lower manifold that makes the difference but I can check when I get home.

I was just wondering - if you happen to have a plenum that sits parallel, that may make the problem worse and swapping the manifold to roll it over on the outside edge might make it a much better fit. I can take measurement when I get home to see if it does effectively lower the part which would foul the bonnet and by how much if you want.

If you find yours is the kind which sits higher, that spare engine has got to come apart soon anyway as a I want to do some headwork so I'd be happy to swap manifolds with you if it helps, as the engine actually in my car has the higher parallel style and I know it fits fine so I'm happy for my spare engines to be identical.

Cheers,

Andrew

[Geoff Corker]

Angle grinder and friendly welder seems to have resolved most of the problem.