Questions for everyone.

Does anyone know of someone who actually purchased and built up a motor using Arden's expensive 4./2L stroker kit?

They must have sold at least one somewhere in the world?

Anyone no of anyone with an Arden built stroked AJV8 engine? Even in a race car?

 

isn it just a 4.0 with a 4.2 crank?
if if so ive done it years ago on a xkr

 

Or do you mean the 4.5L stroker Joe?

 

Their 4.5L stroker kit...

 

Honestly, I've never seen a car online with one fitted. Not that i've been looking.

 

I have those parts somewhere at my office Been there almost one year....

This local car is Arden AJ20 with engine stroked from orginal 4.2 to 4.5 ( 4.45 ) litre with special forged crank.

 

hmm - i'm building a 4.0 ( rebuilding - reman - whatever we should call it ) from scratch, for a shop car. This might be FUN - never thought of stroking it.

Not going to be sold, just personal use as a parts-runner. Anyone have some ordering info - #'s that I can track down?

 

Arden AJ 8 S7 Leistungssteigerung für 4.2 l mit Hubraumerweiterung auf 4.5 l.

Price was listed as 3900 Euro, but it looks like they removed the price listing.

Good to read that another enthusiast is taking on rebuilding an engine.

I found that one can get a custom billet crank and rods manufactured for far less than what they want for their stroker kit. Expect to spend at least $4.5K on the the crank and rods.

 

Arden Xk aj 20

"As far as the normally aspirated engine is concerned, Arden rebuilds the V8 from scratch, increasing its displacement to 4.5 litre. In conjunction with the modified intake and exhaust systems and sports catalytic converters, the recalibrated Engine Management System produces a noted hike in power, while retaining the original emissions classification.

The 4.5 litre displacement generates almost 100 extra brake horse power, with a total of 392 bhp (288 kW) and a torque of 475 Nm at 3,800 rpm. Sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) is just 5.3 seconds; that's just under a second faster than the production version. And the top speed of 285 km/h (177mph) is pretty impressive too."

 

How much does it cost?

 

Maybe I can tell about the kit a little bit more.... Late 2012 I sent an email to Arden and asked if they could sell me some parts they use for the stroker engines. They were obviously not available for other purpose than their own engine rebuilds. No response. Then after several months I re-sent the email - still no response. Sometime October-November 2013 I wanted to send one more email and after a few days I finally got response and they informed that a crankshaft and set of conrods could be available. I had a feeling that it was from their old stock since less and less people wanted to invest such a big amount of money, like €30-35K, for full rebuild including other parts and labor. Price was ok and even they did not want easily to tell even exact stroke lenght I made oder. They told the lenght after the money came into their bank account. Big, heavy package arrived after a small delay because they needed order order rod bearings from somewhere. They were not cheap and came with extra price. I checked a couple rod weights and they were exactly same. Fine. I noticed one very important miss, no data sheets for rods or crank. Since I had no quick need for the kit and it was Chistmas time I did not contact them for a long time. Maybe early 2014 I noticed that they have put the kits for sale on their website. So, they still had a least few sets left. When the rebuild finally started I needed exact measurements for custom piston order, block machining etc, I met very big communication problems with Arden. They just wanted to sell a kit and buyer is on his owns. They don't care. If I order crank, rods or pistons directly from a manuafacture, I always get data sheet - the information which is always needed. Arden just said that there is no info available, or their tech guy is ill, not available for many weeks etc. They just wanted to keep as much as possible "secret" information in their own hands since selling of these kits is not real business for them. When I checked all the eight rods - six of them were inside one gram and two of them also inside one gram, but quite far from the first set - so, they were from two different sets made by manufacture. They were balanced to the lighter ones. Well, now when the engine is ready I could write a book about the project since had same kind of problems with several "midmen". Anyway we got right pistons made and machinery shop made great work to measure a lot of things but all this meant a lot of wasted time, energy and money.

 

I've done all the conversion into US dollars as they deal in euro

I was quoted $4200 for the basic kit and was assured the original ecu would work with power gains of 45-50hp

For $7200 I would be provided the basic kit plus exhaust, sports cats and modified ecu pushing the power up to it's claimed 95hp increase

 

.....and most probably you do not want to use old pistons anymore...$2000 for new pistons and rings...boring/honing and other needed block/heads machinings ...ou yes, torque plates have to be used and since nobody has them available....you have to ask someone to make a pair for maybe $500-600. All rotating parts has to be balanced carefully and it costs also. New bearings, bolts, maybe timing chain parts,gaskets etc...and if you are in the EU, add 19% for the VAT.

 

Expensive excursion there is really no point going the n/a path unless your willing to
a) showcase your business ie engine builder or
b) are in a restricted race category