Individual performance components allow incremental upgrade of the standard 3528cc Rover V8 without the cost or commitment of a full capacity-increase engine. Cylinder heads, camshafts, valvetrain components and supporting items can be fitted to a standard block to give measurable performance gains while retaining the factory engine's external character and driveability.
Performance Cylinder Heads
Performance cylinder heads with revised port shapes, larger valves and improved combustion chamber design provide better breathing than the factory heads at higher engine speeds. They are typically fitted as a matched pair, with appropriate gaskets, head bolts and valve gear. Choosing performance heads requires consideration of the rest of the engine specification, they work best when matched to a complementary camshaft and inlet/exhaust system.
Camshafts
Uprated camshafts shift the engine's torque curve to suit performance use. Mild road camshafts give modest gains across the rev range while retaining good driveability and idle quality. More aggressive cam profiles deliver greater peak power but typically at the cost of low-speed driveability and idle stability, and may require revised carburettor jetting or engine management adjustments. Camshafts should always be selected to match the intended use of the car and the rest of the engine specification, and the V8's flat-tappet hydraulic-lifter arrangement requires that any new camshaft is fitted with new tappets and run in on a high-ZDDP oil to bed the cam-and-tappet interface correctly.
Valvetrain Components
Uprated valve springs, retainers, pushrods and rocker arms support higher engine speeds and more aggressive cam profiles. Where a performance camshaft is fitted, the valvetrain should be reviewed as a complete system rather than upgraded piecemeal, mismatched components can result in valve float, accelerated wear or component failure at the operating speeds the cam is designed for.
Specification Advice
Performance engine work benefits from a complete specification before any single component is ordered. The parts team can advise on the appropriate combination of head, cam, valvetrain and supporting items to give a coherent specification matched to the car's intended use, retaining good driveability where required and meeting the intended performance targets.
MGOC Spares
MGOC Spares supplies performance cylinder heads, camshafts, valve springs and retainers, pushrods, rocker arms and associated valvetrain components for the MGB GT V8.