Thread: Series 3 engine/box queries

Originally Posted by jerryd

The new toy has been sitting in my garage for a few days now and I've noticed drops of oil on the floor increasing in size . I've been having a look around underneath and it seems most of the oil leaks are on the right hand side of the engine near the oil filter and distributor and possibly on the front under the water pump. Possible rocker cover leak too !!
I also discovered that it's a 186 motor (spotted on block) not a 202 as I was told.It also has a "QIM Reconditioned" sticker on it.
I know nothing about these engines but assume if you ask for gaskets etc. that all 186 engines are the same regardless of age ??? Are leaking gaskets common on these engines ??
Maybe I'll wash all oil etc. off and then try to establish the problem areas as the oil seems to have sprayed onto front diff and gearbox also.

The vehicle originally had a 2.6 - 6 cylinder fitted, is the 186 engine a better option ?? I'm curious why it would have been changed, power ? fuel economy ? I averaged about 14 litres / 100 kilometers over a distance of 1100 kilometers, is this about average for these engines ??

I've also been told that the spiggot bearing ?? is noisy, is this a simple fix or an engine / gearbox out job ??

Can't help on Holden engines as such.

Most people view the Holden engine as better than the 2.6 as they are more trouble free (or at least any troubles cost less to fix) and parts are easier and cheaper to find. Power (depending on which Holden engine) is probably about the same or better, but most variants of the Holden engine do not like the gearing of Landrovers, and you usually need an overdrive, high ratio transfer case, or higher ratio diffs. But in reality, at the time the Holden engine was fitted, the owner probably needed to overhaul the Rover engine, and looked at the cost quoted for this, and compared it with the quoted cost for a Holden conversion - and the decision was a no-brainer. Fuel economy is probably similar for both engines - not good, although it depends a lot on how you drive. 14l/100km is pretty reasonable for any petrol engined 109. The only real down sides of the Holden conversion, apart from the gearing issue, is that neither the engine lubrication nor carburetter take very kindly to very steep slopes, but most owners will never have a problem. Another problem that may arise, not really to do with the engine, is the quality of some of the conversions - they vary from manufacturer grade to 'dog's breakfast' grade. Some of the adapter plates are not sufficiently accurately made, and have resulted in gearbox problems.

Noisy spigot bearing is a simple fix - once you have either the engine or gearbox out! Not much you can do about it except tolerate the noise apart from this.

John

gday jerryd,

give the eng. a good de-grease and replace gaskets as they usually don't leak if proper gaskets are fitted. as to the second question 14 ltrs per 100 ks is pretty good as i've gotten about 15 ltrs per 100 ks in a 109. and last but not least spiggot bearing noisy, gearbox out to fix. could be opening a can of worms as well, ie, replaceing other bearing??? or new clutch and pressure plate as well as thrust bearing?? hope that helps. cheers

My long term plan is to install a diesel engine for reliability and economy, so I don't want to spend lots of $$ on the holden, however I must say I am impressed how it pulls the car along. I might just clean up the engine and fix the oil leaks and live with the noisy gearbox until I make the change over.
Then I have to decide which diesel to fit ??

Originally Posted by jerryd

I also discovered that it's a 186 motor (spotted on block) not a 202 as I was told.It also has a "QIM Reconditioned" sticker on it.

If it has been reco'ed it may have been bored out to 202..

Sam

Originally Posted by series3

If it has been reco'ed it may have been bored out to 202..

Sam

Hi All

The bore 92.08mm is the same in both the 186 and the 202, but the 202 stroke at 82.5mm is longer.

Have a look here--
Dons Auto Pages - Engine Bore / Stroke table for some common engines

My experience back in the 1970's with a 202 in a 2A SWB is that, it had plenty of power for hills, but drank petrol at speed on the open road.

They were inclined to bust a diff or axle in tough going, due to the touchy nature of the torque characteristics.

I used to enjoy my 2.6 land rover motor, it was a very smooth engine with a awesome note and would do the ton !

But I couldn't work out why the 2.6 only had a 15 gallon petrol tank as the touring range was very limited .

The problems for the 2.6 where burnt exhaust valves and blown head gaskets.

Where as the 202 used to break the piston tops when lugging hard down at low revs.

With both motors, the fitting of 3.54 rover car diffs would have been the way to go for open road work, but the oldies didn't want to give up their Rover 105's at that time, and the brakes at the speeds the motors where capable of pushing the Land Rovers to, led to some exciting exits out of the road to avoid a prang.

Cheers Arthur