There has been many discussions on getting more power on the existing Vantage engine and over the weekend I saw a BMW E36 with a tuned up LS3 Supercharged engine pushing some big power figures. Got me thinking whats to stop a Vantage engine transplant.

I know the Vantage has got complicated electronics which I think some tuners had problems with piggy back ECUs and the like with warning dash lights etc.

What if a tuned Jaguar 4.2 Supercharged (Keene Bell) engine was dropped into the Vantage producing over 550bhp with a separate aftermarket ECU or Jaguar ECU. Since these engines derive from the Jaguar AJV8 engine lump that the Vantage engine is also related to it should be ‘slightly’ more compatible then other units. To get around the electronics warning problem what if the dials was replaced with an aftermarket LCD display. I think the Aston GT4 cars have a modified LCD dash (used in Caterhams) which also doubles up as a data logger.

 

Off the top of my head, I'd imagine it'd have problems fitting under the hood. The Aston 4.3L is dry sump and sits very low. I'd assume the Jaguar 4.2L is wet sump, so it'll sit higher up due to the oil pan. The overall height of the engine might be more as well, depending on the size of the supercharger (compared to the height of the AM's intake manifold). I don't have any dimensions for the engines, but that'd be the main issue just thinking off the top of my head.

 

It may be easier to transplant the Aston body & interior to an XKR.

 

Might be simpler to just supercharge the current Vantage engine

The main issue with Aston's is sufficient production numbers (and demand from owners) with which to amortize the development costs. There are tons of E36's, and I have a friend with an E36 M3-LS swap. Quite nice, and with the all alum donor, no real weight gain.

This past Friday, I saw a Miata with an LS swap being completed. These are becoming more common.

Absent sufficient vehicles/demand, larger shops with capable engineering won't bother. However, anything is possible, given sufficient $$$$, and resources

 

I remember a forum member a few years back had a supercharger installed.. Not sure if it ever made it into an off-the-shelf kit or not

 

If you google V8 Vantage supercharger you can get some info on existing kits.

 

You would have issues to overcome with boost management, fuel metering, and spark ignition/timing.

Not sure how high you can go with the compression in the cylinder of a 4.2L AJV8 engine. This is one reason why the 5L AJV8 Gen III engine was produced for 2010+ MY XKR's.

There is talk that a Jaguar F Type is coming around 2017 that will have an engine producing over 625 BHP.

 

Lingenfelter LS7. Well over 600 tractable, NA, emissions-compliant horsepower, with less weight and bulk than the factory engine. It would be more than worth the electronics and mounting hassle...

 

Three years ago the recently retired Chief Engineer at Jaguar told me the engine in his brand new supercharged Jaguar would "bolt right up" to the motormounts in my Vantage...make it a lot faster.

He declined to commit to the connectivity of the respective electrical systems, however.

 

Bring on Mercedes Engines. So much tuning potential with them....

 

+1

 

first does anybody know how much torque the factory trany , diff, axles etc etc etc can take?

 

Run a dry sump LS7 427! This would be a bad *** conversion!

 

fyi alot of aftermarket superchargers are basically turbos (not the roots type) that run off the drive belt off the front of the engine (where v8v seems to have alot of room )and therefore no need for tampering/moding that perfect body

 

I vote LS7 with T6060 6speed. Boom!