Restore engine to original HP?

[Bopat]

I was wondering if it's possible to restore engine to original power, that is 170HP, which was originally projected.
Does the removal of catalyst increase engine power?
Or what is the difference between European and US models in engine?

[qwerk]

The catalytic converter is part of it, but I believe there is more to it than that. Not sure about the details.

[timothymoore]

i beleive that in the european models that the whole Lambda system was deleted from the car in order to produce that HP rating, im pretty sure i read that somewhere on this board but i may be wrong. i think timing was different too but i may very well be wrong on that too.

[dmc6960]

There is no "original" HP of 170 for the DeLorean. The original HP was 130. The car was made for an American market therefore got all the US emission approved versions of the PRV.

If you want a PRV as decked out as much as possible in 1981, then you need all European components for the engine. B28E camshafts, B28E Ignition Distributor, B28E Pistons (9.8:1), B28E CPR, B28E fuel metering venturi, B28E Fuel Distributor, B28E Throttle Body (or plates), and a CAT-less exhaust.

That will put you near 170hp.

[DeloreanJoshQ]

If you want a PRV as decked out as much as possible in 1981, then you need all European components for the engine. B28E Ignition Distributor, B28E Pistons (9.8:1), B28E CPR, B28E fuel metering venturi, B28E Fuel Distributor, B28E Throttle Body (or plates)

Where do you find these? Are they a true "bolt-on"?

[Michael]

Where do you find these? Are they a true "bolt-on"?

I would'nt classify pistons or camshafts as "bolt-ons"

[Delorean Industries]

Where do you find these? Are they a true "bolt-on"?

We buy these from the UK a lot for owners here by request. Not too difficult to find what you need if you know the right people.

[jerzybondov]

A stock B28E engine puts out 156bhp. This is the euro-spec engine the DeLorean would have had, should it have ever been sold in Europe. Not entirely sure where the 170bhp figure came from - although interestingly it is the output of the subsequent B280E engine (EFI) that came out in 1985 or so.

Jim was right with the different parts on the B28E - aside from the cams. We've compared them - they're the same as on the B28F.

From various dyno runs of cars in the UK with varying specs, it would seem that losing the cat and going to a freeflow exhaust can liberate perhaps 15bhp and adding the Volvo fuelling adds 5bhp. The higher compression is responsible for another 5-10bhp if you're lucky.

[Delorean Industries]

You can base circle cut american cams to be very close to the uk profile to a close duration. This is what we did at first. I'm a fan of a more aggressive profile due to noise providing output at higher RPM's where K jet naturally leans out in stock form.

If it wasn't completely distasteful I would post the specs for our three cam options, stegers, houstons stage II and euro cams with the degree drawings and dyno results. (These are framed in our show room on the wall behind the couch) Testing has concluded that more aggressive is not always better. Flow and velocity are crazy beasts. Its easy to kill one or the other with duration, porting, timing etc.


Hands down the best NA performance mod to date is a 2.8 bottom end, uk dizzy, aggressive cams in modified premier 3.0 heads running fuel injection only with an exhaust.

[DMC5180]

Hands down the best NA performance mod to date is a 2.8 bottom end, uk dizzy, aggressive cams in modified premier 3.0 heads running fuel injection only with an exhaust.

How about a DYNO Chart to with this Frankenstein ?

[Daniel81DMC]

Is there much point to stripping the cat from the car? I imagine the original, at 30 years old, is either hopelessly congested or not doing its job any longer.

I know that ripping the cat from previous, higher-displacement cars of mine has made an appreciable difference, but I'm not sure if it would make a difference on a DeLorean.

[Delorean Industries]

How about a DYNO Chart to with this Frankenstein ?

I will be finishing another one for a owner in Florida here shortly. It will be on the tuning block the week before thanksgiving probably.

[DMC5180]

Excellent! Stock Pistons or High-Comp?

[dmc6960]

Yea, 156 HP sounds familiar for the B28E. Perhaps 170 is close to the torque rating because it does have some familiarity as well.

Josh, in all your cherry-picking-testing, I'm curious if you've tried a Z7U manifold.
I'm also interested in some numbers from your builds.
Would you sell a B28e dizzy?

[Dangermouse]

Hands down the best NA performance mod to date is a 2.8 bottom end, uk dizzy, aggressive cams in modified premier 3.0 heads running fuel injection only with an exhaust.

Is the "uk dizzy" the Volvo one?

[jerzybondov]

Is the "uk dizzy" the Volvo one?

Yes, exactly. This gives better torque lower down the rev range. Swapped it onto my car before I did the engine swap and noticed the difference. Top end doesn't do much though.


Is there much point to stripping the cat from the car? I imagine the original, at 30 years old, is either hopelessly congested or not doing its job any longer.

I know that ripping the cat from previous, higher-displacement cars of mine has made an appreciable difference, but I'm not sure if it would make a difference on a DeLorean.

Dyno tests at the Eurotec event in the UK have shown catted cars to put out 125-130bhp and cars with the UK stainless exhaust system to put out 145bhp+

Not all of that will be due to the better manifold design, so yes - it is worth pulling the cat out and getting a de-cat pipe (or of course upgrading the whole exhaust system!).

[DeloreanJoshQ]

I would be interested in swapping in a B28E Ignition Distributor, B28E CPR, B28E fuel metering venturi, B28E Fuel Distributor, B28E Throttle Body (or plates) if it will help increase HP and/or torque on my setup. I'm not planning on swapping pistons or heads since I just put the motor together earlier this year.

Who would I ask to purchase these items?
What do you think I would gain doing this with my current set-up(see signature)?

Josh Q

[jerzybondov]

I would be interested in swapping in a B28E Ignition Distributor, B28E CPR, B28E fuel metering venturi, B28E Fuel Distributor, B28E Throttle Body (or plates) if it will help increase HP and/or torque on my setup. I'm not planning on swapping pistons or heads since I just put the motor together earlier this year.

What do you think I would gain doing this with my current set-up(see signature)?


You'll get perhaps 5bhp from the fuelling changes, and improved low end torque from the ignition dizzy.

Would like to say you'd get more than that - but this year's dyno proved otherwise - although comparing two cars with similar spec is always difficult as you don't know which are gaining/losing bhp here or there just due to age of components. So it could be closer to 10bhp if you're lucky, but I wouldn't put my name to that :D

[Delorean Industries]

Yea, 156 HP sounds familiar for the B28E. Perhaps 170 is close to the torque rating because it does have some familiarity as well.

Josh, in all your cherry-picking-testing, I'm curious if you've tried a Z7U manifold.
I'm also interested in some numbers from your builds.
Would you sell a B28e dizzy?

Next batch we get in here I can reserve one for you. Jerzey is right though on the no top end advantage. Z7U manifolds are more a convenience item IMO. You can get the same numbers out of a stock manifold or premier set up. It is truly in the end down to spark timing and fuel settings when it comes to EFI.

I'm quickly frustrated by the idea of bolting a compressor on these engines. Especially if they already have NA cams installed. Owners ask why we charge so much for a turbo engine. Its simple really. Forged internals, EFI, upgraded trans etc. If you want power out of the PRV NA is not the route. You can see decent numbers but it will cost a lot.

[opethmike]

Can some please educate me on how a different distributor affects horsepower + torque?

[Sidaries]

I found a few specifications for the DMC from 1979 November until 1981 April. Do anybody knows why these HP changes appeared?

[jerzybondov]

I found a few specifications for the DMC from 1979 November until 1981 April. Do anybody knows why these HP changes appeared?

I would expect that before the car went through the whole federal emissions process they were assuming they could simply drop in the euro lump. And even if they knew they couldn't - they probably used those figures as they'd sound better for PR :)