Engine - V8
Engine - V8
Engine - V8
V8 Engine
Description
General
The V8 petrol engine is an eight cylinder, water cooled unit having two banks of four cylinders positioned at 90
degrees to each other. The engine comprises five main castings - two cylinder heads, cylinder block, timing cover
and the oil sump, all of which are manufactured from aluminium alloy.
Cylinder heads
The cylinder heads are fitted with replaceable valve guides and valve seat inserts with the combustion chambers
formed in the head. Each cylinder head is sealed to the cylinder block with a gasket. The exhaust manifolds are bolted
to the outside of each cylinder head whilst the inlet manifolds are located in the centre of the ’Vee’ and are bolted to
the inside face of each head. Inlet and exhaust manifolds are sealed to the cylinder heads by means of gaskets.
Each cylinder has a single inlet and exhaust valve. The exhaust valves are of the ’carbon break’ type, a recess on the
valve stem prevents a build-up of carbon in the valve guide by dislodging particles of carbon as the valve stem moves
up and down the guide. Inlet and exhaust valve stem oil seals are fitted at the top of each valve guide. Valve operation
is by means of rocker arms, push rods and hydraulic tappets. Each of the rocker arms is located on a rocker shaft
which is supported by means of pedestals bolted to the cylinder heads. A spring, positioned on either side of each
rocker arm, maintains the correct relative position of the arm to its valve stem. The rocker arms are operated directly
by the push rods which pass through drillings in the cylinder heads and cylinder block. The bottom end of each push
rod locates in a hydraulic tappet operated by the single, chain driven camshaft.
The rocker covers are bolted to the cylinder heads and are sealed to the heads by a rubber gasket. Stub pipes for
crankcase ventilation hose connections are fitted to each rocker cover, the pipe in the right hand cover incorporates
an oil separator. The engine oil filler cap is situated in the right hand cover.
Timing cover
The timing cover is bolted to the front of the cylinder block and is sealed to the block with a gasket. The disposable,
full flow oil filter canister is screwed on to the timing cover which also carries the oil pressure switch, oil pressure relief
valve and crankshaft front oil seal. The gear type oil pump is integral with the cover which also has an internal oilway
to direct oil from the oil cooler to the filter.
Oil sump
The oil sump is bolted to the bottom of the cylinder block and the timing cover and is sealed to both components with
a one piece gasket. A removable baffle to prevent oil surge is fitted in the sump. The oil pick-up pipe and strainer
assembly is positioned within the sump and is attached at the pick-up end to a stud screwed into number four main
bearing cap and at the delivery end to the oil pump. The oil drain plug is located in the bottom of the sump and is
sealed with a washer.
Oil is drawn from the sump through a strainer and into the oil pump via the oil pick-up pipe. Pressurised oil from the
pump passes through the oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator and returns to the full flow oil filter element. Oil
from the filter passes into the main oil gallery and through internal drillings to the crankshaft where it is directed to
Hydraulic tappets
1 Clip
2 Pushrod seat
3 Inner sleeve
4 Upper chamber
5 Non-return ball valve
6 Spring
7 Outer sleeve
8 Lower chamber
The hydraulic tappet provides maintenance free, quiet operation of the valves. This is achieved by utilizing engine oil
pressure to eliminate the clearance between the rocker arms and valve stems. When the valve is closed, engine oil
pressure present in the upper chamber, passes through the non-return ball valve and into the lower chamber. When
the cam begins to lift the outer sleeve, the resistance of the valve spring, felt through the push rod and seat, causes
the tappet inner sleeve to move downwards inside the outer sleeve. This downwards movement closes the non-return
ball valve and increases the pressure in the lower chamber sufficiently to ensure that the valve is fully opened by the
push rod. As the tappet moves off the peak of the cam, the non-return ball valve opens thereby allowing the pressure
in both chambers to equalize. This ensures that the valve will be fully closed when the tappet is on the back of the
cam.
Crankcase ventilation
A positive crankcase ventilation system is used to vent crankcase gases to the air induction system. Gases are drawn
from the left hand rocker cover to a tapping in the throttle body. An oil separator is incorporated in the hose
connection stub pipe in the right hand rocker cover, gases from this connection are drawn to a tapping in the inlet
manifold.
EMISSION CONTROL - V8, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION, Crankcase emission control system.