Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club

Hello 1st post, may as well dive right in... be gentle !

Ok got a 1998 414S 102 BHP version (twin cam with the dizzy cap). Great car but... on a run temp gauge rose up and it got hot, all the water in the expansion tank disappeared and now mayo in the oil so head gasket gone i suspect.

Now, i could replace the head gasket, timing belt water pump, get head tested for cracks/skim etc etc but i was thinking it might be a chance to give it some more power by swapping a bigger capacity engine over from another Rover, would still like to keep the K series, nice engine when its not broken. Injection only, don't want any turbo stuff. Looks the same/similar when you lift the bonnet etc.

Whats my options ?

What is there that i can bolt in from another car? I would be looking out for an mot fail, rusted out car etc as a donor. Probably having to use the ecu etc from the donor car, also the gearbox , shafts and brakes.

The bit thank mainly concerns me apart from it all bolting in is the ecu, alarm and wiring.

Anyone done this before, must have ?

Can i take a vvc engine etc out of a rover 200vi and it all bolts up, plug in the ecu from it and it all works, what happens with the alarm module and keys etc, will it immobilise itself if the ecu is swapped and the existing alarm module are used ? Sorry i don't know anything about those bits.

Another thought, using another Rover engine, if it fits, the car definitely has a low bonnet line, will i be able to close the bonnet without having to add power bulges etc ?

Hopefully someone can advise.

Thanks

Craig

Looking about at other threads i believe Rover Revival is the person to speak to ?

I can't seem to find him to tag in this post, can somebody help with that please ?

Thanks

Craig

Before considering an engine swop for more power, you need to look at the brakes. Do you have the vented larger front disks, or solid disks and what size are they 232 or 262mm?

Mr Teddy Bear wrote: ↑Wed Aug 27, 2025 9:53 pm Before considering an engine swop for more power, you need to look at the brakes. Do you have the vented larger front disks, or solid disks and what size are they 232 or 262mm?

Thanks for the advice and its exactly the same as i would give others, i would be an idiot if i wasn't upgrading the suspension and brakes, suspension is already done the uprated brakes will hopefully come from the donor car, if not i will upgrade them anyway another way, i have decades of experience modifying/upgrading and restoring the odd car here and there, just never one of these.

Still looking for some advice on an engine swap on one of these please ?

Anyone ?


Thanks

Craig

Simplest (upgrade) swap of course would be to a 1.6 K series from another 200 or 400, as it uses the same gearbox and most of the electrics will be the same.

Once you go on to the next generation (25, 45, ZR, ZS, 75 etc) you will come up against later versions of the engine management system, distributorless ignition etc. Whatever route you go down, the engine ECU will have to be programmed to the alarm/immobiliser module on your car, unless you take the whole lot (including key fobs) from a donor car.

1.8 engines and upwards all use a different gearbox (Rover PG1) and you would need the matching driveshafts to go with it: if you used a 1.8 Rover 45 or MG ZS 120 as your donor, it would give you everything you need. If your donor car was a 25 or ZR, this range has a cable-operated clutch instead of the hydraulic system used on your 400, so you would need the matching operating arm and brackets from a Rover 45 or MG ZS to transfer on to the gearbox. You may also find the gear linkage from the 25/ZR to be unsuitable, although fabrication and adaptation might sort that. You would probably need the Rover 45 driveshafts too.

I know very little about Rover 75s, but I would think there would be driveshaft differences at least.

Another option would be a 2-litre T-series engine and PG1 gearbox; there was originally a 420 version of your car available and if you could find one of those rotting away somewhere you could swap everything over on to your car.

I am surprised you haven't had many more replies, maybe it's just because it's the holiday season. There are others in the club who will have more knowledge of this than me, so hopefully one or two will come along with more advice for you.

*Dalek* wrote: ↑Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:37 am Looking about at other threads i believe Rover Revival is the person to speak to ?

I can't seem to find him to tag in this post, can somebody help with that please ?

Thanks

Craig

That company no longer exists good idea ran bady unfortunately.

If your gearbox is in good condition then a 1.8 will work unless less you doing burn outs , ran a car like this for 10 years same gearbox r65 .

But 1.6 is the easiest way you wouldn't even need to take the engine out just get new liners and pistons or I can supply secondhand good ones .

The 1.8 vvc in my opinion is not worth the hassle you can get the same bhp with a 1.8 that as been map ,more if you port a vvc head and go for solid cams , the later mem 3 is also straightforward to up grade but all costs .

As I said 1.6 is the cheapest and easiest and in my opinion good on fuel and performance.

Brake wise if you have 262 vented on the front then that same as a 2.0 turbo ,rears if drum leave them much more reliable than vented and give very little trouble .

Or buy a 1.8 already done I know were there is a vvc 25 project coming up for sale .

Any ECU matching, we can help with in the Rover Coupe Owners Club