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Tripp Westbrook (Tripp)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 05:01 pm: | 
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I've been wondering what people have done to give their Disco's a little more power. Are there many options (aside from pushing it off a cliff)?
Has anyone ever measured actual gains from exhaust upgrades? ECU remapping? Intake upgrades?
Maybe it's just me, but I think the Disco could use a bit more oomph. Perhaps it's not necessary for off-roading. What do you think?
T- |
weldkid
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 05:08 pm: |
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lol its def not just you!
start with a good filter, K&N is good. then add a high performance coil, like a mallory or jacobs. then add high performance plugs, bosch platinum plus 4 is good. then add high performance 8mm plug wires. then a high performance exhasut, borla or custom (i like custom). after youve done all that i would say add a set of hedman headers.
oh yeah if youre feeling daring you could also take your cats and blast out the honeycomb, that will improve flow a lot but you may only get trhough emissions if you know a dirty inspection guy like me  |
Mel A. (Krawlrovr)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 05:39 pm: |
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K&N won't do anything except mess up your MAF sensor in the long run. Performance gains are so minumal that you will have to make yourself believe you are going faster. A Borla exhaust will give you some performance gains especially at high way speeds, but the longer you drive, the louder it gets. I too would recommend a custom system with a better flowing muffler. Maybe a Flowmaster 3 chamber. Headers will probably give you an extra 20hp, but they are $$$. I'm not sure about the high performance coil idea (I think LR stopped using coils in 1995), a coil is a coil, nothing special except if you have some major high performance stuff under your hood. You can get like +15hp from getting a new camshaft, but those will be found on the other side of the pond. Maybe a 4.6L conversion with a re-mapped ECU is what you need. |
Mel A. (Krawlrovr)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 05:44 pm: |
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oh yeah, go here: http://www.rpiv8.com for some performance parts.
You can get a Borla cat-back system for your Discovery here: http://www.summitracing.com for under $400. I doubt they have it on their web-site, but you can call them.
have fun. |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 05:50 pm: |
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Cut off the mud flaps!!!!!!!!!!! |
Tripp Westbrook (Tripp)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 06:02 pm: |
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Well, I understand that this truck ain't no hot rod. Nor will it ever be.
What I was looking for was something that gave reasonable gains and didn't effect the durability.
Sounds like just the basics are what's out there. I'll check out RPI just in case.
T- |
Neal Glessner (Nealg)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 08:58 pm: |
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tornado |
AsphaltGypsy
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 09:27 pm: |
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Yes, if a tornado picks up your Disco and tosses it, it will go faster! |
Henry Enriquez (Discoinla)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 09:47 pm: |
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Hmmm...how advanced is the engine management of Discos? I've only owned one a couple of months, so I'm not entirely familiar with the down and dirty. Which of these mods could conceivably work: control air/fuel mix via fuel pressure regulators (assuming the Discos use a fuel return line) and fuel computer (i.e. Apex'i S-AFC, etc), larger or additional injectors, upgraded ignition system (i.e. Electromotive's TEC II, but DO NOT USE JACOBS ELECTRONICS!! I've been in the import scene [i.e. Toyotas, Honda/Acuras, etc] for quite a while and they have the worst reputation!) overboring throttle body & port matching the intake manifold, port & polish the intake/exhaust ports, headers, hi-flow cat/cat back exhaust, "gapless" piston rings, and Extrude/Hone the cylinder walls. As for an intakes, K&N's system of using oil on its filters turn everything from the intake box in into big piles of sludge, so I would use a "universal" type hi-flow intake element (i.e. cone filters), or just keep the OEM one. Hehe...if you spend that much money, how about putting in copper gaskets, low compression pistons, and a .5 bar boost turbo system?? |
Christopher Dynak (Adtoolco)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 10:03 pm: |
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I have seen supercharger kits for the defender 4.0 but I don't know what you would have to do to make it work on a disco. I have seriously thought of getting one but the $$$ have been spent on more important stuff like tires, protection, bumpers, and recovery. One day though :-)
-Chris |
Neal Glessner (Nealg)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 10:06 pm: |
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I would like to know more about putting a supercharger on a disco. |
Henry Enriquez (Discoinla)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 11:39 pm: |
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From what I've read around the web about LR's and forced induction (see the link for RPi above), it doesn't seem like a plausable idea without major modifications to engine management. The fuel system is completely inadequete and the engine will be detonating and causing severe damage. Also, I think that turbocharging is a better alternative because you don't have to worry so much about the placement issues with a shaft driven compressor. Another thing is that the LR engines ABSOLUTELY need intercooling when doing forced induction, and superchargers are a B*TCH to intercool (except for centrifugal superchargers, which is basically a turbocharger with a shaft driven turbine wheel as opposed to exhaust gas driven wheel), IMHO, of course |
Jess Brandt (Disco285)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 12:01 am: |
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check this place out:
http://capa.com.au/main.htm
i don't know if anyone has any experience with them...but they sound the most promising...peace,
jess |
Peter Matusov (Pmatusov)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 12:21 am: |
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lol... not another mo powah bettah gas mileage thread...
peter |
Peter Matusov (Pmatusov)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 12:43 am: |
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but, to regurgitate the WeldKid's suggestions...
- K&N ain't going to net you any power gains unless you're really good at making yourself belive in something. but, as Mel A. pointed out, there's a good chance that a well-oiled K&N filter will shed some of its oil onto the MAF sensors, and you're hosed for a few C-bills. Not well-oiled K&N filter (like I have) will let dust into the engine. My airbox past the K&N is all covered with very fine dust.
- you didn't say which year Disco you have. If it's 96 and later, forget about Jacobs and such. There is no aftermarket quad ignition coil for a GEMS D1, AFAIK.
- forget the Bosch Platinum plugs, (unless you're really good at... see above). If your engine has some significant mileage on it, the tiny electrode of these plugs will foul up in a day or two. I was silly enough to buy a set, under the hype of these commercials. The only plugs I'd use (besides stock) are Champion Truck plugs - and this only for the size of their electrodes. I've run them on some oil-burning engines with MSD-6 ignition, with the gap opened up to 0.06". If your engine is in a good shape, forget about it.
- "some good quality 8mm wires". The ignition wire resistance does make an enormous difference, much more bang per buck than any aftermarket ignition box. There's some simple and solid physics behind it. Lower resistance per foot means thicker wire wound around the dielectric core, and thicker insulation - enter MSD 8.5mm Super wires.
The typical downside is increased radio interference; however, I haven't seen ANY noise from ignition on my vehicles that have low-resistance ignition wires. MSD doesn't have a custom set for Rover V8s of any vintage, so you'd have to spend $80 on a generic set at Kragen/Checker/whatnot and crimp the terminals yourself.
FWIW, land rover people firmly believe in Magnecor wires, but I haven't heard anything but emotions there.
- borla is nice, but loud and flimsy. I'd get a FlowMaster, but not because it is silent or improves the airflow, but because you can bang the shit out of it, and it'll be together forever.
With any exhaust modifications, starting with chopping off the resonator, any objective power gains will be offset by the subjective feeling from the exhaust ("the thing's roarin' like mad but still ain't goin' nowhere"). That is my long-standing BTDT impression.
- you can get modest power gains by getting a reprogrammed chip from RPI, maybe some more - by fitting a fuel rail pressure regulator set up a bit higher (at a cost of likely decreased life of your cats and fuel pump), etc. All low-buck (within a grand) modifications aren't likely to take your engine past 195-200hp.
- on the big-buck scale, sure, get a supercharger. That thing alone will set you back about 25 C-bills, plus you'd _really_ have to know what you're doing if you don't want to burn the crap out of your engine by leaning it out.
- the other big-buck alternative, the 4.6. Sure thing. look at the prices of a long block before you embark into it.
- for the real power, git yerself a Chevy Vortec V8. Depending on your taste, get either a crate motor (about 3-5k from different sources, still likely cheaper than 4.6 even with all the mods required to fit it in). The first thing to go will be your ZF 4HP22 transmission, and you can get a quote from your friendly dealer or "cost-effective" alternative like Atlantic British or others. Axle upgrades look like small change here.
BUT, it's all just blabbering... if a Tornado gets you 20hp, by all means stack'em up three stories high and be the fastest disco on the block.
peter |
Alen
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 12:46 am: |
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N20 |
Jason Vance (Jason)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 01:35 am: |
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How about instead of boltin' sh*t on, you send your heads out to get refreshed, 3-angle VJ and some port work, pick out a mild-duration, greater-than-stock-lift cam, and maximize your engine's output *within the RPM range you will be realistically driving it through*. Or has Sport Compact Car mag and all those NOPI adds completely pulled the whole over your eyes? There isn't a 25 hp box out there for you to buy and install.
Plain and simple, the power is in the heads. You can talk throttle-body this, headers that, but until you address the restrictive port design and minimal stock valve lift, you can bolt on crap until the cows come home and it's not going to help a lick down low in the RPM CUZ' THE FLOW THROUGH THE HEADERS/THROTTLE BODY, AND LOAD PUT ON THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM IS NOWHERE NEAR PEAKED OUT!
BTW, the 3.9 in my Disco hasn't fouled my +4s yet; my Magnecor 8.5mm wires don't screw with my reception; my K&N filter doesn't affect the performance...but I sure look cool reoiling the thing in my garage every oil change. If you've got the earlier distributor-equipped engine, nows the time to check the vacuum line running to the distributor (replace if necessary) and reset the timing. Incorrect timing and lack of proper advance will make your engine run like a dog.
If you really want to bolt-on a "sure thing," look into the JS Safeguard; this is a knock-sensor+black box that retards your timing preventing detonation. So what, you say...my engine has no detonation anyway? It allows you to advance the timing beyond what you would normally set it at, and the Safeguard retards the timing at each cylinder accordingly, preventing detonation...leaving the timing at the optimal spark advance per combustion cycle. Probably more money than most are willing to spend, but speed costs money...how fast do you wanna go? |
Alen
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 09:07 am: |
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Better intake to port match your setup Jason is the Callaway 4.6 intake looks like a big box instead of having runners. |
jim
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 11:46 am: |
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I have a Eaton m90 supercharger on my disco and it runs great. I have put over 90,000 miles which includes 5 cross country trips on it and no oil leaks. Just routine maintenance. Runs better and is quicker than the 4.6 in the new 03. It will run even better once I get it back to the stock ratio. looking to swap in 4.1 r&p to work with my 235 85 16 |
Jason Vance (Jason)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 12:56 pm: |
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Alen, I can't quite figure out what you're saying (punctuation), but intake manifolds/plenums are also black magic. The plenum functions as a resonator of sort, and the correct design may aid the way the engine breathes (see BMWs new M5). The length of the runner also affects the power-band; you can argue that the Callaway doesn't have runners, but it does (e.g. individual intake ports are *very short runners*). It is easier to use the parts we already have (stock manifold and plenum), modify them (port matching), to work better with a set of ported heads than it is to bolt on a plenum/intake that may not have been designed for the 3.9. Not saying it will not work, but not all good ideas are interchangable and it takes more research than just seeing what's on the next guy's vehicle to determine what is optimal. Still, once the restrictive ports on the stock heads are addressed, I'd imagine some intake redesign would benefit the engine. |
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