P38 4.6 What would you do?

**russa** · 5th November 2008, 09:00 PM

Hello Stu,

I recently had a 4.6 rebuilt for my LSE. I bought a slipped liner engine from A well known repair shop in Melbourne...they had a stock of them at the time. I stripped the engine and took to MotorImprovemnts in Melbourne’s south for some lovin'. Another mob in Melbourne’s east is Crankshaft Rebuilders, but any good engine reconditioner’s can do this type of work. Although I stripped crank out, I took it with rods and Pistons for cleaning...Now for list of work completed.

Remove all Welch plugs
Full chemical and Steam clean
Initial pressure test to identify leaking cylinder. MI have a bolt on kit that the can pressurise the engine with boiling water to about 50% more than what the engine would normally see. I had one leaking cylinder; mate John had 2 leak in his 4.0ltr.
Bore out leaking sleeve
Weld cracks behind sleeve
Rebore to suit new sleeve, prior I had asked MI if a normal sleeve was as good as top hat, he said of course, just some like the added security. He said they put them in tighter then Rover did and said he’s not had any return. I’ve done about 10k’ and a mate has had his several years so I think he might be right. But the beauty is the straight sleeves are cheaper..>!!
Of course if bores are badly worn like yours may be, you will need all eight done back to standard, or to suit your pistons. Oversize pistons were VERY expensive when I was looking so I opted for a light hone….all is good and cheaper option. Cost was a problem for me..
Decking. Will clean up mating surface for new head gaskets, but may also remove your engine number..!! They can do it without…
Final pressure test….for obvious reasons.

I also had my heads tested for hardness…or softness as it may be, by a ‘head mob’ in Box Hill. Apparently they fire a ball bearing at the head and inspect the dint..! Obviously a soft head will have a larger hole…result on your car is you wont be able to tension head down or they wont stay tensioned. Ask the head joint to clean rocker, rocker covers and heads in their baths.. Working with clean stuff is the way to go…

I don’t remember exact cost as they also supplied some other bits like shells etc. But I think a full set of 8 liners was about 8 or $900 fitted. Good option I think.

So bottom line is do it yourself, get it out, find out who Cooper uses…he might tell you…or someone here will know… mine took a week to do…all the best

Russell
LSE torque monster..! well compared to the old 3.9 anyway.

**81stubee** · 16th February 2009, 08:01 PM

Well here's an update:

I'm finally in a position to do something. Have been speaking to many different people, and have finally decided to have it rebuilt. The GENIII Idea was great while it lasted but in the end all I could see was $$$ signs and my other half ringing me everytime she broke down. I also had a friend of mine who's a mechanic have the heads pressure tested for hardness etc... I also asked advice on what to do with the heads. A week later the heads came back, ported and polished, completely re-done, I had not asked for this

but anyway here they are.

Is it normal for the ports to be left with the grind marks??

For the main work I have pretty much settled on TRS in Adelaide doing it. They seem to know what they're talking about, and have been very helpful.

They want me to just send them all the bits, including the heads and he will put it all together and I will end up with a very nice long engine, just bolt on the manifolds and flywheel. They will have to retest the heads, which is fair enough, i'm just wondering whether I should try and sell them and buy some 2nd handy's, I will find out tomorrow the final costs and details.

Should I go for High Comp?
Should I Chip it?

Any suggestions?

Stu

**PhilipA** · 16th February 2009, 08:58 PM

Is it normal for the ports to be left with the grind marks??

To me that is a VERY sloppy job, and I hope they have not had that grinder around your valve bowls. The apprentice must have had really weak wrists.

All they have done is take the entry to the ports out a bit. That is not a "port and polish" and really achieves very little unless you open out the manifold around the injector bosses to suit, and make sure that the inlet gasket does not intrude into the port.

Hey but you didn't PAY $1000 per head I hope for a real head modification and if that is all they did then it didn't do any harm..

Regards Philip A

**81stubee** · 17th February 2009, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by PhilipA

I hope they have not had that grinder around your valve bowls.

I can see grind marks right into the ports, behind and around near the valve stem. Can't actually see the valve bowls as it has been put together.

I am about to pay $690 for the job, does this sound fair? I wish he hadn't had them done this far, but this is a friend of mine and I don't want to damage the friendship. Especially when TRS say they will do it all again anyway.

Stu

mike 90 RR · 17th February 2009, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by 81stubee

I am about to pay $690 for the job, does this sound fair? I wish he hadn't had them done this far, but this is a friend of mine and I don't want to damage the friendship. Especially when TRS say they will do it all again anyway.

Stu

Friendship is one thing ... Money is another ... So it depends on what you value most

As far as the value for labour of lapped valves, facing of heads & some porting work .... Sounds alright .... Job well done, is another matter

Let TRS decide ....

Mike

**81stubee** · 1st March 2009, 05:36 PM

I couldn't help myself and started playing with my Dremel

Now the idea is that i'm porting the manifold to match the heads/inlet gasket, and then hopefully polishing the inlet tracts. Now am I talking out of my backside and wasting my time, or is this going to make an improvement.

The process i used was to trace out the manifold gasket, and then get stuck in with the dremel with a milling bit (or whatever its called) the sanding drums and the flap disc.

Am I wasting my time?

Stu

**sclarke** · 1st March 2009, 06:50 PM

What your doing is right. Port matching makes more diffence than just taking some lumps out.

BUT every rover v8 i have done a valley gasket on does not line up anyhow... alot of trial and error.

Exhaust is easier as it is not being pulled down when you tighten it, its being pulled flat.. makes sence???

Clarkie

**81stubee** · 4th March 2009, 05:30 PM

Thanks for that, don't know whether I can be bothered polishing all of them, as I don't seem to be able to get into #1 and #8 with the dremel. Any Ideas?

Finally the motor has left, after two days of waiting. Now I can just spend the time cleaning up the manifold.

Stu

**81stubee** · 12th March 2009, 04:51 PM

I thought I had better give the engine builder a call as they were meant to call once they tested the block and diagnosed what was wrong. So I called the other day. They had already started machining the block. When were they going to call me!

So I rang today, and the quote they sent me is for low comp. grrrrrrr

Question 1 - Low 8.35 or High Compression 9.55 which will add another $880?

Question 2 - What will GEMS do with High Comp? Will it be able to compensate enough without a Chip?

Question 3 - Who has experience in this, I'm getting 10 different stories from 8 different people?

HELP!! I'm going Nuts

Stu

**sclarke** · 12th March 2009, 06:07 PM

Seems like your about to get taken for a ride....

Did you get what your asking for in writing??

Most people wont get anything in writing as a hand shake deal is "Suppose" to be worth more than the code of male honour.

if i was about to spend alot on a engine rebuild, id be asking for all the specs to be in writing....

Thread: P38 4.6 What would you do?

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Am I wasting my time!

ARRRGGHHH! Why isn't anything easy!

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