Performance Mods

[Blk_Ronin]

Can anyone share their experiences with doing performance mods on there LR Freelander. Thinking of doing some on my 04 V6, but would love to get some inspiration.

[Disco]

Depends on how much extra performance you are looking for. Horsepower increases = $$$$. Supercharging or Nitrous are two options, or perhaps you might just skirt around the edges, such as a chip, ignition, fuel upgrade.

[deeker]

I will be the wet blanket...

There's not much available for the Freelander. With unlimited resources, sure, but realistically you are stuck with an air filter and different muffler.

I swapped out the muffler on mine to a small oval muffler like a DynoMax or something like that - to get more rear clearance off-roading. (I kept knocking the big, fat, stock muffler off the rear hanger.) The slightly better exhaust note was the only 'performance' upgrade I noticed.

I kept the stock air filter - it flowed well enough to get me over the speed limit on occasion, so I figured it was fine.

[Blk_Ronin]

What I'm actually looking at achieving is an improvement in HP and acceleration. I'd love to be able to free any restriction on the air intake and exhaust. In terms of off-roading, also looking at installing a lift kit.

Only problem with all this, is that with the research I've done thus far there limited to no accessories of these types available for the Freelander. That truly sucks...

[deeker]

It does suck, but maybe if there were as many FLs running around as there are Civics or VW Golfs the aftermarket would take a little more notice.

With such few numbers (comparatively) on the road, the cost for R&D and production would be too prohibitive. So, we're left to come up with stuff on our own or hope someone else does (BearMach, DAP, SD, Ironman, who else am I missing?). With little in the way of engine performance upgrades aside from exhaust and filter, stick to the off-road mods. Remember that larger, heavier tires will slow the FL down as well as decrease fuel economy.

Get out and have some fun in your little Rover, it will surprise you and others with what it is capable of when set up nicely.

[beforethevision]

If you want it quicker, there are lots of things you can do, but they all cost dollars, often big ones.

If you just want a little more poke, a cam grind or new cam with a new ECU will give a fair bit more excitement. After that a new intake manifold and throttle body, as well as porting and OD valves. After that you are really looking at either huge compression and a hella lumpy cam for NA, or forced induction. anything over around 300hp will need a reinforced bottom end.

Only reason why i know this is because i have started this process with a 1.8 freelander.... :P

Cheers mate.

[300bhp/ton]

Originally Posted by Blk_Ronin

Can anyone share their experiences with doing performance mods on there LR Freelander. Thinking of doing some on my 04 V6, but would love to get some inspiration.

ok the BIG question, what country are you in?


There are a lot of simple mods you can do to get more power. However remember that HP is a function of torque at speed, represented by this equation:

HP = torque x rpm / 5252

This means to get more HP you need to either increase the torque which is difficult without either forced induction or bigger displacement. The only other option left is to increase the rpm at which you make the torque.

This means the more HP you get the less low end grunt you'll have, this isn't good for off roading or towing but if you use the Freelander mainly on the road it won't matter much.

Simple mods include improving the induction and exhaust. This should increase air flow and breathing, adding extra fuel to match will also help.

So a simple Cold Air Intake kit would be a great starting place. Not sure if anyone makes one or not (Piper Cross, k&N, etc.) Failing that you could easily make one, all you need is a decent cone filter and use silicon hose as ducting. Very easy and very effective. And often cheaper than off the shelf items aswell.

A custom exhaust will work well also, there are lots of places that will make one off custom exhausts tailered for the vehicle. Slightly bigger bore, with a free flow CAT and free flow mufflers will make it sound mean and pick up HP.

Tuning, this can either be custom done or the usual way is to get the ECU chipped. Be careful with chips, as many are designed to alter timing and fueling but for a stock setup, if you've added a intake and exhaust these chips may mess up the ECU and actually lose HP, so get one designed to work with you mods.


Other things to consider are a bigger throttle body, not sure if anyonemakes one or not though.

The 2.5 Rover KV6 is used in the MG ZS180 and ZT190 cars so in the UK there is likely to be plenty of performance parts if you look in the right places for these and many parts will work on the Freelander.

My brother has a MGF with the 1.8 Rover VVC engine, a CAI, exhaust, TB and fuel pressure regulator have total changed the car, for the better

If you want even more you will have to delve into the internals, ported heads and wilder cam profiles. I suspect most of this will have to be custom and it will be expensive.

Or alternativly fab up a form of forced induction. Procharger sell universal supercharger kits or you could make a custom rear mount turbo system and run low boost. Plenty of power to be had, but again could get pricey and you run the risk of blowing the engine if you get too friendly with the boost.