Rover L-Series engine
Encyclopedia
The L-Series engine
is an automotive diesel engine
built by Powertrain Ltd
, a sister company of MG Rover.
, Austin Maestro
, and Leyland Sherpa van sold by 'Freight Rover
' in the '80s, later by LDV. The L series is extremely versatile and has been fitted in the Land Rover Freelander
, Rover 200 Mk3, Rover 400 Mk2
, Rover 600
, and European versions of the Honda Accord
and Honda Civic
. It has been successfully tuned to produce much higher power than standard. A development of the L series engine (The G-Series) featuring a modern common-rail fuel injection system was underway when MG-Rover ceased production, but the company's closure prevented it from being fully developed and released.
The first is a non intercooled, mechanically controlled fuel injection system. This version is available in Rover 200 and Rover 400
models and the model designation ends in "D", i.e. SD, SLD etc., etc.
The second is intercooled and has an electronically controlled fuel injection system. This version is available in Rover 200, Rover 400
and Rover 600
models. The model designation ends in "Di", i.e. SDi, SLDi etc., etc.
The last and most recent engine is intercooled and also has an electronically controlled injection system which is slightly more advanced and produces more torque but the same power output as earlier intercooled models. This is the version that is used in the Rover 25, Rover 45, MG ZR
, and MG ZS
.
All versions use Bosch
fuel injection equipment of various designs.
The engine is extremely environmentally friendly in terms of its emissions
. It is quiet in operation owing to its two stage fuel injection & ECU
controlling fuel for most models and timing for them all. The engine currently satisfies ECD IIl derogated Diesel emissions legislation when installed with an appropriate specified oxidation catalyst
.
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
is an automotive diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
built by Powertrain Ltd
Powertrain Ltd
Powertrain Ltd was a British company based in Birmingham which designed, manufactured and marketed car engines and transmissions. It was a subsidiary of Phoenix Venture Holdings and a sister company to MG Rover...
, a sister company of MG Rover.
History
The L-Series engine commenced production in January 1995 and was the first Rover designed and manufactured direct injection diesel for use in Rover Cars applications and derived from the established Rover MDi / Perkins Prima engine used in the Austin MontegoAustin Montego
The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland , and its successors, from 1984 until 1994. The Montego was the replacement for the Morris Ital, to give British Leyland a modern competitor for the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall...
, Austin Maestro
Austin Maestro
The Austin Maestro is a compact-sized 5-door hatchback car that was produced from 1983 to 1994, initially by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland , and from 1988 onwards by its successor, Rover Group. The car was produced at the former Morris plant in Cowley, Oxford. It was initially...
, and Leyland Sherpa van sold by 'Freight Rover
Freight Rover
Freight Rover was a British commercial vehicle manufacturer based in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom.-History:The company was created as a division of the Land Rover Group of British Leyland in 1981, creating a new single brand for BL's panel van business.Under later company organisation...
' in the '80s, later by LDV. The L series is extremely versatile and has been fitted in the Land Rover Freelander
Land Rover Freelander
The Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV made by Land Rover.The current generation is sold as the LR2 in North America and as the Freelander 2 in Europe...
, Rover 200 Mk3, Rover 400 Mk2
Rover 400
The second generation 400 Series, codenamed Theta or HH-R, was launched in the summer of 1995 as a hatchback and later a saloon. This time it was based on the Honda Domani, which had been released in Japan in 1992, and was sold as part of the European Honda Civic range in five-door hatchback form...
, Rover 600
Rover 600
The Rover 600 Series is a compact executive car produced by the British car maker Rover from 1993 to 1999.The Rover 600 exterior was designed by Rover, a re-skin of the Tochigi-developed Honda Accord, also built in the UK by Honda in Swindon...
, and European versions of the Honda Accord
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....
and Honda Civic
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded...
. It has been successfully tuned to produce much higher power than standard. A development of the L series engine (The G-Series) featuring a modern common-rail fuel injection system was underway when MG-Rover ceased production, but the company's closure prevented it from being fully developed and released.
Technology
There are several forms of this engine.The first is a non intercooled, mechanically controlled fuel injection system. This version is available in Rover 200 and Rover 400
Rover 400
The second generation 400 Series, codenamed Theta or HH-R, was launched in the summer of 1995 as a hatchback and later a saloon. This time it was based on the Honda Domani, which had been released in Japan in 1992, and was sold as part of the European Honda Civic range in five-door hatchback form...
models and the model designation ends in "D", i.e. SD, SLD etc., etc.
The second is intercooled and has an electronically controlled fuel injection system. This version is available in Rover 200, Rover 400
Rover 400
The second generation 400 Series, codenamed Theta or HH-R, was launched in the summer of 1995 as a hatchback and later a saloon. This time it was based on the Honda Domani, which had been released in Japan in 1992, and was sold as part of the European Honda Civic range in five-door hatchback form...
and Rover 600
Rover 600
The Rover 600 Series is a compact executive car produced by the British car maker Rover from 1993 to 1999.The Rover 600 exterior was designed by Rover, a re-skin of the Tochigi-developed Honda Accord, also built in the UK by Honda in Swindon...
models. The model designation ends in "Di", i.e. SDi, SLDi etc., etc.
The last and most recent engine is intercooled and also has an electronically controlled injection system which is slightly more advanced and produces more torque but the same power output as earlier intercooled models. This is the version that is used in the Rover 25, Rover 45, MG ZR
MG ZR
The MG ZR is a high-performance MG-branded "hot hatch" version of the Rover 25 supermini-class car, produced by MG Rover at their Longbridge plant in Birmingham from 2001 to 2005...
, and MG ZS
MG ZS
The MG ZS is a sports family car. The ZS is essentially a badge engineered Rover 45 . The 45 in turn is a facelifted version of the Rover 400 which was launched in hatchback form in 1995 and saloon form in 1996. The Rover 400 had much in common with the Honda Civic of 1995-1999...
.
All versions use Bosch
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
fuel injection equipment of various designs.
The engine is extremely environmentally friendly in terms of its emissions
Automobile emissions control
Vehicle emissions control is the study and practice of reducing the motor vehicle emissions -- emissions produced by motor vehicles, especially internal combustion engines....
. It is quiet in operation owing to its two stage fuel injection & ECU
Engine Control Unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
controlling fuel for most models and timing for them all. The engine currently satisfies ECD IIl derogated Diesel emissions legislation when installed with an appropriate specified oxidation catalyst
Catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is a device used to convert toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine into non-toxic substances. Inside a catalytic converter, a catalyst stimulates a chemical reaction in which noxious byproducts of combustion are converted to less toxic substances by dint...
.