My D2 Project

[PhD_Polymath]

It has been awhile, but I am now on course to start rebuilding the engine in the Disco. With the insane weather here in Massachusetts, I have not been able to make any headway. I dream of the day that I can get a place with a garage. Anyways, I may have a friend who will allow me to use part of their garage for pulling, rebuilding, and reinstalling the engine.

I plan to do a complete refresh on the engine, while fixing some flaws from the factory engine build. I am going to install flanged liners in my block with an o-ring seal at the bottom. If the block has any concerns that the resleeve isn't going to remedy, I will source a new block. From there, I am having the crank, rods, and pistons checked and machined or replaced if necessary. I will check the cam and lifters for wear and replace if necessary. I have a new timing set, gaskets, radiator, thermostat, motor mounts, oil pump gear, plug wires, water pump, ARP head studs, and some other stuff coming from Lucky8. Once the machine shop lets me know if any bearing surfaces need cutting, I will order bearings accordingly. I will also have the machine shop clean and correct the heads for flatness as well as do a valve job. Spark plugs, etc. will be purchased locally. If the heads have any cracking the machine shop is not confident in repairing, I will also source replacements. Once I button up this engine, I plan to use standard green coolant. Hopefully the rebuild will at least give me a few years of reliable service.

In the true spirit of Land Rover owners, I am going to watch every system like a hawk upon completing the engine rebuild. Aside from the engine rebuild, I plan to get an Ultragauge to monitor coolant temperatures. I have an app that I was using, but feel the permanent gauge will get used all the time (I used the app most of the time, but not always). All of this stuff is costing a bit (hence the amount of downtime so far), so I will probably hold off on any mods for awhile after this. However, if I can swing it, I may order up the Ashcroft CDL kit. I think that would be the best next change to make with the Disco for improving its capabilities.

As I do the engine work, I plan to document the process with photos if possible. I have seen some tutorials on head gaskets here and there, but no really thorough Land Rover D2 V8 engine overhaul from pulling to initial firing and it may be neat to have something like that for reference. I have experience in overhauling engines, but have never done such work with a Land Rover engine. It will be quite a learning experience for me. Cheers!

 

[Mr. Pickles]

The weather is brutal! I can't fit my disco in my garage, so lots of little things have been neglected. It's just too cold out!
God luck with the engine rebuild and keep us posted.

 

[film842]

Yes, good luck with the rebuild. I guess I'm one of the the lucky D2 owners. I've owned my 2002 for 12 years and have run the wheels off of it with only a water pump replacement and normal maintenance so far. (140k)

It sounds to me that you've got your head around most of the common rover engine issues and will address them in your rebuild. The rebuild prices that you mentioned in an earlier post are insane. I can get the same work done out here in Oregon for about half that price. Although, I will admit that were I to call four or five shops, probably three of them would come up with your prices.

I think you'll find that if your rebuild goes well and you keep up the maintenance, you can take your rover anywhere, anytime. They have a reputation for being problem vehicles, but that is not been my experience. I spent some time at a farm in Devon England a few years ago, and I used to marvel at the way the english farmers abused their discos. They used them like tractors one day, then would take off on high speed trips to london the next.

They just kept up the maintenance and used them the way their supposed to be used. Good luck with your rebuild and if you were to successfully document your work with pictures, you'd make a lot of friends. I've never been able to find a fully documented start to finish documentation. Most threads stop about half way through. Head gaskets are something we all have to face sooner or later.

 

[PhD_Polymath]

Mr. Pickles- thanks for the interest and luck. Yes, this weather really puts a damper on my ability to do any work with the Disco. I was waiting for decent clear days to work even in the cold, but it looks like I will have to tow the vehicle to a friend/co-worker's garage to get some shelter from this messy weather. film842, thanks also for the interest and luck. I found a machine shop nearby that was highly recommended on a racing forum as being the best in the region. Even though their prices are not cheap, their work on the block and heads coupled with my assembly and pull/install will come in at a fraction of what the indy shops were asking for the build. Though I know shops need to make money and this is no small job, I can't afford to have them do it. I will also have the satisfaction of doing it myself (with the help of friends on occasion, who will certainly be paid with frosty beverages, etc.). Assuming I do a good job, I hope this truck runs forever on a solid maintenance schedule and with lots of love that Land Rovers always need. I can't wait to start the build and will try my best to document the process.

 

[superbuickguy]

I love Buicks (my first car was a 1962 Buick with a 215), but, for the life of me, I don't get why British Leland was so hot about the 215. I know you love the Rover, but consider your other option - a crate LS motor - a 4.8 is cheap, and would solve all of the engine-related manufacturing woes of the GM 215... and honestly, at least in my book, you'd simply be updating a GM block (yeah yeah sacrilege I know). Mind you, and in the interest of full disclosure, I'm building a 455 Buick that fixes all of its problems for a twin turbo build.... and it only costs slightly more than a blown LSx motor from GM - so I get the sickness, but I really don't want you to be sick when you put this all back together with the updates and find out that the fundamental problem (poor block strength) puts you right back to where you were before - just a lot poorer and with a wife who has a fodder for more grief.

 

[PhD_Polymath]

I love Buicks (my first car was a 1962 Buick with a 215), but, for the life of me, I don't get why British Leland was so hot about the 215. I know you love the Rover, but consider your other option - a crate LS motor - a 4.8 is cheap, and would solve all of the engine-related manufacturing woes of the GM 215... and honestly, at least in my book, you'd simply be updating a GM block (yeah yeah sacrilege I know). Mind you, and in the interest of full disclosure, I'm building a 455 Buick that fixes all of its problems for a twin turbo build.... and it only costs slightly more than a blown LSx motor from GM - so I get the sickness, but I really don't want you to be sick when you put this all back together with the updates and find out that the fundamental problem (poor block strength) puts you right back to where you were before - just a lot poorer and with a wife who has a fodder for more grief.

Thanks for the suggestion. I tossed around the idea of doing just that, but unfortunately cannot go that route. Though I can fab up mounts, etc. and am not too worried about the mechanical end of the swap (except maybe adapting the LS engine to the Rover's bell housing), I am worried that integrating the harness with all the systems on the truck would be a nightmare. Not to mention that Massachusetts has such stringent emission standards (which I think preclude such a swap), that I may end up with a high-dollar paperweight (or trail-only rig, but I need the Rover for getting to work during bad weather/winter months). The cost of doing the swap would likely be way more than sinking a lot of parts into the stock engine plus the time involved would be prohibitive for my schedule. I love the LS series engines and would probably go with one for an application such as a trail-only rig, but will pray that the 4.0 Buick/Rover V8 is reliable once I overhaul it. I don't want to think about if this rebuild goes bad, but will cross that bridge if I get to it. Gosh, that would certainly be a nightmare. Positive thoughts, yes. And after buying the Rover, I knew I was afflicted. What is it about them that makes them so attractive? We have our reasons for putting up with the temperamental members of the Land Rover offerings and I love everything about the truck when it is running. Through sickness and in health.

Oh, and I have been following your diesel D2 build. That is a dream power plant for me. Hard to beat economy and reliability! If I had the dollars, time, and could pass that off with emissions testing, that would be my ideal route for my build. Very cool.

 

[superbuickguy]

Here's some very helpful advice about British wiring... especially read the Q&A section
http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm

 

[PhD_Polymath]

Here's some very helpful advice about British wiring... especially read the Q&A section
http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm

That is a hilarious link. It appears to be written in the spirit of a true humorous british mechanic.

I have started the teardown of the Discovery for the engine overhaul/flanged liner rebuild. With some help today, I got the intake off and a few other bits leading down to it. I got started a bit late, so I stopped for the night to finish pulling tomorrow.

I broke all three studs on the driver's side exhaust manifold flange (where it bolts to the y-pipe). I have seen exhaust hardware that breaks when removing, but dang. Three for three is not too cool. I may take the manifolds to the machine shop too to have the old studs drilled and new ones fitted (if that is something that doesn't cost too much). After doing that and cursing the darkness, I cleaned up and organized my tools for round 2 tomorrow. I will post some photos up when I get them loaded onto my computer.

 

[PhD_Polymath]

Well, I finally got the engine out. Work has made it hard to get time to do the work, but now I can disassemble the engine and get it to the machine shop for them to do their thing. It felt great to finally have the engine out after contending with the bellhousing bolts.

 

[marin]

If you heat up the broken studs in the manifold with a torch and melt some wax on it you can turn them out with vise grips or a pair of channel locks. This works only if you have something to grab of course. Also, you can buy a new stud kit from a ford explorer for $7 for each side from O'reilly Autoparts it matches exactly. If you want I can give you the part number.

 

[PhD_Polymath]

Thank you for the info! I had read about the heat and wax trick before. I purchased all new studs and nuts for the manifolds before the work commenced. Lucky8 had good pricing for those.

I know it has been awhile. The machine shop I am using quoted me for 5 days turnaround (verbally). However, I am about a month out from dropping the engine parts off for machining and after calling last week, they stated they would start this past Monday on the block for re-sleeving. Supposedly, I can pick up the parts on Friday. However, they have not mentioned cam bearings (which are being replaced and I am supposed to get a heads up on pricing). Maybe they just ordered them and will charge me without asking beforehand. Ah, at this point, I just want the engine back to assemble and get my D2 back on the road. I miss driving it immensely and can't wait to get behind the wheel again.

Sadly, the photos I had taken during disassembly evaporated from the phone I used to take them with. I now have a new phone and a newfound sense of reluctance for I am embarrassed that I didn't back up such important photos, but I live and learn. I cannot wait to hear the engine running smoothly and knowing that the engine should by somewhat reliable. Updates to come!

 

[PhD_Polymath]

I got the engine parts back from the machine shop. It took 4 times as long and cost twice as much as the quote I was given. Now that I have the parts back, time to commence wrench spinning! More photos to come.

 

[da10A]

Make sure to use the higher end composite head gaskets, otherwise you are setting yourself up for frustration with soon to follow leaks.

 

[PhD_Polymath]

Thanks for the pointer. I definitely got the composite gaskets. I tried not to go cheap on the parts for the build and my wallet thanks me for it. I figure the flanged liners and ARP studs should help as well. My biggest fear is getting this all back together and having something go wrong requiring the engine be removed again.

 

[PhD_Polymath]

It runs!

Well, it has been quite some time since my last update. I got the D2 running 2 days before leaving on a road trip to marry my awesome wife. We spent two weeks traveling from MA to FL and had a wedding in Disney World, drove to VA to have a ceremony with my Grandmother (health prevented her from making it to FL), then back to MA, worked a week, had another ceremony for my wife's family in CT, then I got flooded with work. Life is great.

Anyways, we used a Toyota Yaris for the road trip and I have now put some miles on the D2. After getting it running, I thought "yay, no check engine light." Well, the light came on. Turns out the code was for an O2 sensor. When pulling the engine, I pulled the wires out of the plug for the front passenger side O2 and the wires were not completely reseated during the install. A few minutes of poking around solved that and the engine has been trouble-free so far. My wife and I even took the Rover to Vermont for a camping trip and had no issues, so I am happy with the rebuild.

Flash forward to this past weekend. I have noticed a squeaking noise that is only audible when driving by cars or buildings with the windows down. It sounds like I would expect a bad driveshaft to sound. However, I had replaced the front driveshaft just about 3000 miles ago with a unit from Lucky 8. I greased the shaft before installation and every 1000 miles, so I didn't think it would be bad. I decided to catch up on maintenance by replacing the transfer case and diff oils. The case and rear diff were okay with minimal metal particles on the drain plugs. However, when I drained the front diff, the drain plug had a huge lump of metal particles on it with a roll pin embedded. Looks like it's time for a new front diff... Luckily a local guy has a used one that I plan to pick up soon to get the Rover back on the road. Maybe I will get to use it for overland duty soon. I sure hope so!