Thread: Engine vs block replacement for 1985 4.4L RRC

Probably quicker and cheaper to just drop a complete 3.5 in out of an early D1. Should be some around for a few hundred bucks.

Originally Posted by sheerluck

Probably quicker and cheaper to just drop a complete 3.5 in out of an early D1. Should be some around for a few hundred bucks.

Yep good luck finding a 4.4 as the old P76 engine are very thin on the round these days.
You want a cheap and quick fix either a 3.5 or a d1 3.9

donor disco for a motor would be best bet. Or can put one on a pallet for you from Melbourne

Welcome to the Forum. !

General consensus is that the Rover 3.5 is a bit more tolerant to mis-treatment than the 3.9, comforting when you're buying an unknown second-hand engine.
Either will be fine.

I used to drive a dual-fuel 3.5 that had been fitted with a 'towing' cam, and from 0 to 70km/h with 2 tonnes behind....it was Very Impressive. - But died over 95.

Unhitched, it would have destroyed my (gutless wonder) 3.9 Vague. . . - which complains about a lightly loaded 4x6 box trailer....


The Lady Sarah, 3.9 '95 Vogue SE with working air suspension.

Was your P76 motor running carby's or injection?

You would be disappointed in the lack of power/performance changing from a P76 motor back to a 3.5 or even a 3.9

I've got a P76 engine under the house, its been sitting for a while and I think the heads have been removed so would need a freshen up. From memory it was removed from my fathers 2 door rangie when we changed to another P76 motor with automatic. In hindsight we should have kept the donor vehicle and stripped my fathers rangie

If you wanted a 3.9 I have either one from a 91 RRC with hotwire injection or one from a disco with flapper injection - this is currently fitted to an 87 rrc. Not sure when the injection started on classics but the wiring would probably be easier to adapt from the flapper injection than the hotwire.

If you just wanted the 4.4 block I could probably strip the motor and courier it to you.

I'm in SE Qld

The 4.4 are common for throwing rods...😠 need to lockwire the bottom end together in them or risk this sort of failure. The only ' rover' engine i have ever destroyed and that was at less than 4000rpm when it knocked the starter off the side of the block with an escaping conrod...

3.9 serpentine engine complete from a 1994/5 onward disco with hotwire injection would by a good upgrade, or build a 3.9 long engine with high compression pistons etc and a pair of SUs...

Auto or manual box?

Jc

GuyG - Running with a 350 Holley Carby and 5-speed manual gearbox - so don't thik an upgrade to fuel injection would be straightforward ?.. I'm going to pull the sump off over the weekend and have a bit better look around to assess the damage - which will give me a bit better idea whether or not I might just be able to change out the block, or if a complete engine c/o would be easier..
Lockee / Justinc - would the later model disco 3.9 work with the older RR 5-speed gearbox, or would I also be looking at having to change something out there?
ajp

Even if the 4.4 crank was still intact, it would be have to be crack tested and reground. Recently there was a wreckers in SA who advertised a whole pile of P76 engine parts for around $500. There was only one crank in the collection. They crack quite easily from rough driving.

LEYLAND P76 ROVER V8 ENGINES IN PIECES AUSTRALIA 4.4 LITRE | Engine, Engine Parts & Transmission | Gumtree Australia Morphett Vale Area - Lonsdale | 1102890791

Then there's this

Leyland P76 V8 dismantled 4.4 may suit range rover | Engine, Engine Parts & Transmission | Gumtree Australia Naracoorte Area - Naracoorte | 1103052147


Also be aware that main bearings in these things are unique and expensive to buy. There are currently some on ebay.

p76 bearings | eBay

If you end up fitting a Rover motor you will need a carby inlet manifold and a flywheel as the P76 ones will be different. It may be possible to reuse the flywheel if you can find someone to make a spacer ring to fit it back on to the RR. I wouldn't call an EFI conversion difficult but you need all the parts from a donor vehicle including the fuel tank, you'd be better off finding a running RRC and transferring your goodies to it.