Thread: S-1 Engine swap info

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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