Help with decision

[Rokkitt]

Hi all,

The saga so far; Been fixing up an old county for the past few months with a completion deadline set for Easter (big family weekend) - been running well ahead of schedule even with a few upsets including the clutch dying on me. Well sent it over to Les Richmond in Melbourne for a tune up, I just couldn't get the engine running right. They called me this morning and said the Cam may be buggered and it would cost me $1200 to fix it!! brought tears to my eyes!!
Well not wanting to spend all that money I have a decision to make: at home I have an old unregistered series 3 stage 1 V8 that runs great, has a new clutch and generally purrs like a kitten, I also own a third V8 engine with blown rings but it does have a new cam and lifters!! - had plans to build a worked motor eventually.
The Decisions:
1: Do I just swap the engine out of the series 3 into the county?? will the splines be the same?? - one has a five speed and one a four, any other problems I may encounter??
or
2: Put the cam from the blown motor into the county?? not 100% that this will solve the probem though as it may end up being something else causing the problem (not that there is anything else).

There goes my long weekend....:mad:gggrrrrr

Thanks again in advance
Rokkitt

[isuzurover]

I am by no means a V8 expert, buy AFAIK, the Stage 1 and County V8s are basically identical, except that the Stage 1 had restrictors in the intake to detune it. If it was me I would swap engines but use the county manifold.

[I Love My Landy!]

I reckon you should just put a cam and lifters into your current motor. You won't have to pull the motor out, just take out the grill and radiator. Saves pulling out and swapping motors.

You could use the cam and lifters from the blown motor, however a new cam and lifters are pretty cheap anyway. $8-9 each for lifters and roughly $200 for a cam.

Edward :)

[I Love My Landy!]

I am by no means a V8 expert, buy AFAIK, the Stage 1 and County V8s are basically identical, except that the Stage 1 had restrictors in the intake to detune it. If it was me I would swap engines but use the county manifold.

I'm pretty sure it is a simple task removing the restrictors, so you don't have to change the intake manifold.

Edward :)

[I Love My Landy!]

It'll be wise to change the timing gears and chain if you're changing the cam as the original fibre gears wear pretty quickly. Go for a double row timing chain and gears. They come as a kit. Your blown motor may even have a new timing chain and gears.

On the other hand, if you know the stage 1 motor is running well you could always swap motors. Up to you how much work you want to do really.

[Rokkitt]

It'll be wise to change the timing gears and chain if you're changing the cam as the original fibre gears wear pretty quickly. Go for a double row timing chain and gears. They come as a kit. Your blown motor may even have a new timing chain and gears.

On the other hand, if you know the stage 1 motor is running well you could always swap motors. Up to you how much work you want to do really.

The engine is a pretty easy swap - how much is involed in swapping the cam?? should I say which would be easier?? - do the heads have to come off to do the cam??

[rangieman]

The engine is a pretty easy swap - how much is involed in swapping the cam?? should I say which would be easier?? - do the heads have to come off to do the cam??
If your never changed a cam and lifters before i would,nt suggest you do it , One stuff up and it all has to come apart again , It all depends how mechanicle minded you are ;)

[Rokkitt]

If your never changed a cam and lifters before i would,nt suggest you do it , One stuff up and it all has to come apart again , It all depends how mechanicle minded you are ;)

Get a few friends over, have a beer or three and voila the cam will be in....lol - I wish!! I would work it out - just never swapped a cam on a rover v8.

[I Love My Landy!]

You have to remove the radiator and grill. You also have to remove the tappet covers, distributor, intake manifold, valley gasket, the rocker assembly, as well as the timing cover from the motor. To take the timing cover off you have to remove the harmonic balancer (big round pully thing that the belts run off). This can be a real pain to remove because the bolt that holds it in is tightened very tight. A heavy duty rattle gun is often needed. Remove the timing chain and gears, then the lifters, then slide the old cam out.

Slide in the new cam, chain and gears, then lifters, then fit the rest of the parts. One important thing to remember if using the cam and lifters from the blown motor is to put the lifters in the same position on the cam lobes. Pushrods and rocker gear should also go back in the same positions in which they came out from.

If you are taking the cam and lifters out of the blown motor you will have to do this process twice, which will add to the time taken to complete the installation.

Phew! Looking at all these steps it probably would be easier to swap motors afterall, especially considering that you won't have to go out and buy new gaskets etc..

Regarding the splines of the different gear boxes, I wouldn't think they'd be different, but i'm really not sure.

Edward :)

[Hardchina]

You have to remove the radiator and grill. You also have to remove the tappet covers, distributor, intake manifold, valley gasket, the rocker assembly, as well as the timing cover from the motor. To take the timing cover off you have to remove the harmonic balancer (big round pully thing that the belts run off). This can be a real pain to remove because the bolt that holds it in is tightened very tight.

A heavy duty rattle gun is often needed. Remove the timing chain and gears, then the lifters, then slide the old cam out.

Slide in the new cam, chain and gears, then lifters, then fit the rest of the parts. One important thing to remember if using the cam and lifters from the blown motor is to put the lifters in the same position on the cam lobes. Pushrods and rocker gear should also go back in the same positions in which they came out from.

If you are taking the cam and lifters out of the blown motor you will have to do this process twice, which will add to the time taken to complete the installation.

Phew! Looking at all these steps it probably would be easier to swap motors afterall, especially considering that you won't have to go out and buy new gaskets etc..

Regarding the splines of the different gear boxes, I wouldn't think they'd be different, but i'm really not sure.

Edward :)


X2 It's a much easier job to change the motor.

The trick to the balancer nut is to wedge the spanner / socket wrench against the chassis rail and just turn the motor over with the starter :twisted: