Rebuild a 3.5 a 3.9 or something else?

**fonfe** · 20th April 2013, 12:19 PM

Bit torn as what to do.

Going to get my bike registered to go to and from work on in the next month or so....that will enable me to do some work on the classic.

The camshaft on my current 3.5 is nearly dead (surprised the car still has so much grunt!) I get a nice bit of smoke at WOT too so suspect the rings.
The apprearance of the valley is dark brown tarnishing but if I'm going to use that engine I feel a full strip down and rebuild is the best route to go.

Or do I buy a 3.9 and do the same

Or do I fit another brand of v8 engine.

Land rover tech by trade so building isnt a problem allthough not done much with the old rover v8s as don't exactly see them very often in dealer.
I'm a competent TIG and MIG welder so fabbing up stuff to make another engine fit wouldn't be a massive issue nor would using an aftermarket ecu as I've worked on a dyno so can do some basic mapping on my own....but I just don't know what to do!

Opinions very much appreciated but only if you have carried out the work/conversion....your mates mates story is not so good

sheerluck · 20th April 2013, 12:26 PM

And cue the 4DB1T lovers in 3......2......1.....

**fonfe** · 20th April 2013, 12:34 PM

Nah want a v8.
I didn't move from one side of the globe to here to just use a non v8....I love being able to afford fuel living in Australia so with a v8 I shall stay, question is which?

sheerluck · 20th April 2013, 01:14 PM

Well if you fancy a challenge, they've got a brand new 4.4 V8 for a D3 at TRS in Adelaide!

As for real live conversions having been done, there's a few LS1s knocking around (i'm sure their owners will pipe up shortly), and a Gen3. Rovercare on here seems to be a specialist in doing such conversions.

A sample thread here: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/modified-z...gen-3-rrc.html

**Mick_Marsh** · 20th April 2013, 01:35 PM

I had my 3.5 rebuilt a few years back. Although I am very happy with the rebuild, general consensus has been I should have dropped in a s/h working motor. You can pick them up for a few hundred dollars, apparently.

My preference has been to replace with a similar motor, however, if you want to put in a different motor, why not? I've read of LS1 conversions that have gone quite well and Rover market a V8 twin turbo diesel, don't they?

**fonfe** · 20th April 2013, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by sheerluck

Well if you fancy a challenge, they've got a brand new 4.4 V8 for a D3 at TRS in Adelaide!

As for real live conversions having been done, there's a few LS1s knocking around (i'm sure their owners will pipe up shortly), and a Gen3. Rovercare on here seems to be a specialist in doing such conversions.

A sample thread here: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/modified-z...gen-3-rrc.html

Funny you say that....was doing an air con compressor on a l332 charger on Friday at work and thinking to myself hmmmmm this would look so good in my classic

but alas that is one expensive costing just to buy the engine!

Tombie · 20th April 2013, 04:08 PM

I'd be going 4.6 if you have the coin.

**bee utey** · 20th April 2013, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Tombie

I'd be going 4.6 if you have the coin.

Yup. This is the nicest Rover engine that you can just bolt in, no engineering hassles. I wouldn't touch a 3.9 with a 40 foot pole unless it was brand new or fitted with top hat liners. Nearly every 3.9 I've had to work on in the last 3 years has had liner problems. The 4.6 (ditto on the liners) but you spend the pennies and get a nice tractable torque engine that won't eat your driveline. I fitted a fully reco high compression short 4.6 from Triumph Rover Spares to a customer's soft dash RRC last year, it was a very easy job compared with an engine conversion.

As for the 3.5, if you are happy with it, that's the most reliable stock LRV8 you'll ever get so a freshen up is worth the effort.

**fonfe** · 23rd April 2013, 07:37 PM

Thanks for the input guys, I shall strip the 3.5 and see what condition it's in then decide which route to take

**aRRon** · 24th April 2013, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by bee utey

Yup. This is the nicest Rover engine that you can just bolt in, no engineering hassles. I wouldn't touch a 3.9 with a 40 foot pole unless it was brand new or fitted with top hat liners. Nearly every 3.9 I've had to work on in the last 3 years has had liner problems. The 4.6 (ditto on the liners) but you spend the pennies and get a nice tractable torque engine that won't eat your driveline. I fitted a fully reco high compression short 4.6 from Triumph Rover Spares to a customer's soft dash RRC last year, it was a very easy job compared with an engine conversion.

As for the 3.5, if you are happy with it, that's the most reliable stock LRV8 you'll ever get so a freshen up is worth the effort.

Whenever I read these 3.9 liner stories the fear comes back. I read one not long ago that said 50k after a recondition if you're lucky, before a slipped liner will occur due to weakness in blocks, cracks and leaks behind the liner wall etc. So I'm right on 51k since a rebore and new pistons, bearings, valve gear etc inlcuding a new liner in No1 cylinder. The original liner got deeply scored by a piece of tin head gasket that failed. Hadn't slipped or suffered cracking/corrosion behind it. Now I'm sure a head asket has gone again after a mild overheat about six weeks ago (broken fan belt and gauge did not reach maximum before stopping - no loss of coolant). Gobs of cream under rocker covers, water in intake plenum, steam from exhaust.
Heads off tomorrow! Expecting the worst.

Thread: Rebuild a 3.5 a 3.9 or something else?

Thread Tools

Rebuild a 3.5 a 3.9 or something else?

I'm scared of my 3.9

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions