S-1 Engine swap info

[landyfromanuthaland]

Was having a think about what engine I could put in the S-1 as the original is siezed solid, I was wondering if the motor out of Morris Major would possibly fit, it is highly possible I maybe able to strip down the original motor and unsieze it I will investigate this option before I go mad swapping other engines,I thought the Morris motor was a good option, staying with the British theme, any other known conversions worth exploring?:p

[101RRS]

I do not know about that engine - but what about a Holden Starfire 4 cylinder engine - was a dog in the Commodore but would probably be a good Series 1 engine (you should put a landy engine in though)

The Starfire is the Holden blue 6 cylinder engine with 2 cylinders removed so a holden conversion kit can be used and as the engine is shorter than the 6 should fit the engine bay easily - should be cheap at the wreckers as no one wants them.

I have no experience with them but a landy guy told me this week that it was a good option for early landies.

Garry

[JDNSW]

It all depends what you want to achieve with the restoration. Anything other than a more or less contemporary Rover engine is going to be a fair sort of a job to fit. Any of the Rover four cylinder IOE engines would be easy to install and would go quite well, but these are probably all pretty scarce.

A four cylinder engine would be easier to fit, although most would not have adapters available, and a lot of them would have problems with things like clearance between the sump and the front axle. There is probably little advantage in the Morris Major engine - while it would possibly fit, it would be just as hard to fit as some of the more modern engines that are easier to find parts for.

I would be inclined to try and find a genuine Series 1 engine or to do up the existing engine.

John

[landyfromanuthaland]

Yeah too true John, I should pull down the old one first, my 3 had a seized motor and a mix of oil and kero and a week of leaning on the crank handle had it freed up but she wasnt opent to the elements, the motor in the 1 is open to the weather andhasbeen for years so its most likely shot, the starfire engine is worth a look, they went into some coronas too, it doesnt have to be a speed demon, just trying to avoid the cost involved with rebuilding the original motor specially if pistons and valves are needed, keep on scratching with this I think.

[ellard]

Hi there

I would also be sticking with the original Land Rover engine - the series I are becomeing a real collectors item and few extra dollars spent now will be returned if sold later.

Wayne

[Blknight.aus]

Id repair the existing one.. t lip steel sleeves in and theres some wonderful new tech in bearing repair including machined block inserts that replace the original journals to say nothing of doing the build up with face hardening weld then machine back for the crank. good as if not better than a new crank from the day.

[JDNSW]

Yes, as Dave points out, it is likely that the existing engine can be salvaged unless it has a rod sticking out the side or something like that. Might cost a bit, but so will adapting another engine.

John

[landyfromanuthaland]

I guess with some love the original motor could live again, the bottom may well be ok, have to strip it down and try and get the pistons out without doing too much damage, I can always source some different pistons to fit the block , amazing what will fit these days with some sniffing, hopefully the head will be salvagable valve wise, I have got old sidevalve v8s running again that engine shops said would not ever run again, I have a lead on another little series 1 so perhaps its engine may be ok to rebuild or at least provide parts

[JDNSW]

Note that because this engine has the inlet valves in the head and the exhaust valves in the block, the pistons look rather like two stroke pistons - there are not all that many other ones will fit. But with a bit of looking around new pistons are probably findable.

Note that there are three distinct Series 1 petrol engines, all of similar design - 1.6l, and two different 2.0l engines, the earlier one with the bores siamesed in pairs. Some parts will be interchangeable between these engines, but a lot won't.

I would strongly recommend getting a parts book, and not just for the engine. Should be available (e.g.http://www.motolit.com/trucks-make-landrover.html), possibly on-line. Anyone know?

John

[landyfromanuthaland]

I have heard of an place in Adelaide that will turn up new pistons for anything vintage or odd ball and for a realistic price, werent the early willys jeeps of the same configuration with valves inhead and block, sound like a bugger to dismantle, need a workshop manual I guess, what year did this typeof motor end, these were updraught carbies werent they?

[JDNSW]

I have heard of an place in Adelaide that will turn up new pistons for anything vintage or odd ball and for a realistic price, werent the early willys jeeps of the same configuration with valves inhead and block, sound like a bugger to dismantle, need a workshop manual I guess, what year did this typeof motor end, these were updraught carbies werent they?

Early Willys Jeep engines were side valve, changed to Overhead inlet/side exhaust as a conversion to the side valve engine some time in the late fifties.

This type of engine was used for all Series 1 petrol engines from 1948 to 1958, and a similar six was used in Series 2 & 3 from about 1968 to 1983. The engines are not particularly hard to dismantle, although they ARE a bit different (for example the piston won't fit through the throw of the crank, and the big end won't fit through the bore, so you have to remove the gudgeon pin and take the piston up and the rod down). A workshop manual is a good idea, as you say. The carburetter is a downdraft Solex.

John

[Blknight.aus]

the best way to get the pistons out is with a modded spark plug and a grease gun.

Drop off all the bottom end then put the engine back right way up with the head firmly on

Grab an old spark plug that fits, knock the guts out of it and save the ring weld a grease nipple onto it, thread it in and start pumping grease in.. dont force it too much you dont want to shatter the bores let the grease and the pressure from the air trapped in the head do the work for you.

the grease will press the piston down and when it wont move any further the pressure will force it into the spaces forcing the skirts of the piston inwards. letting more grease in to do the work...

Tis how I seperate single cylinder steam or kero burners.

[landyfromanuthaland]

Sounds like a good idea Dave I will give it a go

[Lotz-A-Landies]

If you can't find a bit for an S1 engine in Oz, Ian Cox - from Cox N Turner Engineering in the UK has just about everything you need to restore one of these engines.

A friend recently bought an 80" landy which was sitting a paddock for years without moving. He cranked the engine over a couple of times by hand then connected a battery and a drop of fuel down the carb and it started to first go. He then drove it around the paddock (after changing the tyres of course). You can be lucky. I would have put a drop of oil down each spark plug hole first.

The best of the Series 1 engines are the spread bore 2 litres. They don't suffer from the problems of blowing head-gaskets between 1&2 or 3&4, have a proper seal at the rear of the crank and a bit more power. By swapping the engine mounts / flywheel / flywheel housing and starter motor from the 1.6 litre or Siamese bore 2 litre the late 2 litre engine will fit in exactly the same as the original engine. You then use the original manifolds, linkages and hoses.

What you should be on the look out for is a 1955 - 1958 Land Rover (some early S2's had the 2 litre S1 engine) with a dead body or chassis but a good engine. Then you cannibalise the engine out of it.

With a seized engine, have you tried pouring diesel into the each piston and leaving it there for a few days/weeks. It works it way through and lostens everything up if it is just a piston stuck in the bore. Then take the head off and see if you can get some movement, even if you have to use a lump of wood and heavy hammer, tapping each piston to till you start some movement.

As a last resort dump the block into a molasses bath (10:1 water:molasses or maybe a stronger, I have used 3:1 ) for a few weeks. It will eat all the "white" metals, lead/diecast/aluminium and leave you with a cast iron block with conrods hanging in space and rings still in the bores.

Diana

[dunno]

Stick with the original engine. I did a very early 1597cc motor that had had the head off and was frozen solid. Company in Perth did the rebore to 40' over and I had obtained a set of pistons to suit. The steel back in those days gets a lot of surface rust but doesn't pit like the new stuff.

dunno:beer:

[landyfromanuthaland]

Yeah I guess i should try and free the old donk up and see what its like, if the bores are okish I can probably get away with a cylinder hone and ridge remove and maybe able use the original pistons if they arent too badly worn or sloppy in the gudgeons but there are tricks one can use on pistons, lets not jump the gun till I have a good look, I have heard of the mollasses bath before know a guy who dunks vintage tractor parts in them to clean up