Series II engine strip down

[incisor]

Had a motor sitting round for a few years that I hope I can rebuild and fit to Madge

Is 151903855

Got it sitting on an engine stand today and hopefully will get time to clean it up a bit during the week so I can pull it down and see if it's worth rebuilding...

[Chops]

Will be watching with interest Dave, love watching them come apart and come back together again.
What year was the motor made (?), looks by my untrained eye to be an early number, with no suffex number on it.

[incisor]

Should be a 59. It has the early head etc etc

First bit of fun is removing all the plugs and bits and pieces..

Top front plug was made from epoxy and a brass tap washer spindle 😀





With a hunk of rubber on it..

[Chops]

Cool,, nice and early. With that in mind, how will you go getting parts for it, everything still available as such? I know theres a problem for some trying to get parts, like pistons etc for the 6 cyls.

So, that "tapwasher", I'm guessing thats not normal,, or is it?

[Cap]

Sweet, will be watching closely also

[incisor]

Cool,, nice and early. With that in mind, how will you go getting parts for it, everything still available as such? I know theres a problem for some trying to get parts, like pistons etc for the 6 cyls.

So, that "tapwasher", I'm guessing thats not normal,, or is it?

time will tell the tale with the parts.. apparently repco can be pretty handy ...

as for the plug, it was a fine example of a bush mechanic keeping something going i would say

[mox]

Seems fourth digit of engine number which is 9 indicates it was '59 build. Looks to me that it needs pulling down to check and measure inside. Including noting whether or not cylinders have been bored oversize and /or crankshaft ground undersize. Reckon for parts, Repco probably should be good for common older motors in Australia eg if you were doing up a Holden fitted to a Series LR. For a Rover motor, best stick to specialists including vendors on this forum or UK LR parts suppliers who should be much more familiar with them.

Need to check about aluminium plugs is head and block. If yours are all stuffed and need replacing anyway, could soak everything in molasses solution to get rust off - including shifting it out of water galleries. Note molasses eats aluminium and also zinc /galvanising. Beware if wanting to preserve these.

Welch plugs in your block look too shiny and protrude out a bit so are probably replacements. They seem an odd size, ie 1.952 inch diameter I think. Probably unavailable in brass. Note plug in back of block is 1.5 inch steel disc plug. Not a Welch plug. Steel plugs nowadays should be no problem provided non corrosive water and proper coolant is used. If you need a thermostat, looks like head on your motor is original type which needs skirted thermostat. I presently have one bought as spare before discovering motor on '61 Australian assembled LWB I acquired from estate of relative who owned it for about 50 years had a new head fitted in 1975. They use a common standard type thermostat.

Have noted from a couple of sources that these early four cylinder petrol motors based on the first Rover diesel have slightly smaller big end bearings than later ones which still have three main bearings. Gather change to 5 mains was made in Series 3's. Anyway, need to remove and panel beat sump of mine sometime so can check bearings. It and cross member have at some stage had a strong altercation with a stump or rock.

Currently have head off motor as head gasket blew between 1 and 2. Was thinking of installing stellite exhaust valve seats but tractor mechanic mate who removed valves reckon would also need new valves and guides if doing so. So am just getting this later head skimmed to 8:1 compression ratio if checking confirms it is 7:1. Other improvement is valve guide O rings. Used LR part ones I bought to get sizes for ones made of Viton. These are more heat resistant than originals and apparently go for a lot longer before eventually falling apart or whatever. Tidied up but not fully reconditioned head should outlast bottom end in block, which I think is original and done 161,000 miles.

[incisor]

Ta

I use brass plugs I machined up to replace the alloy plugs except for where the block heater goes as it is easy to replace

I was told about repco by someone that just did one up..

I have NOS heads and water pump to suit

Will be a slow rebuild ......

Cheers

[AJF]

Dave

I have had someone in Northmead (Sydney) rebuilding my series 2 engine. (Rebuilding an engine is way beyond my skill level). Key issues I had in gettng parts are:

- water pump - my engine had the 8 hole water pump rather than the 9 hole pump used on series 2a. This was very hard to find and expensive. We rebuilt the pump. My suggestion is if you have the 8 hole type (and even a spare) keep it - if you want to get rid of it I would pay $200 for it in any condition.

- crankshaft bearings - my engine was the 3 bearing type and the bearing were smaller than the later model 3 bearing engine. (Later again a 5 bearing engine was introduced). Only place I could find the smaller 3 bearings was UK website Craddocks.

Apparently my engine is nearly done and I will post some photo's when I get it back (My thread is Series 2 restoration in the Hunter Valley).

Cheers
Angus.

[JDNSW]

...... Reckon for parts, Repco probably should be good for common older motors in Australia eg if you were doing up a Holden fitted to a Series LR. For a Rover motor, best stick to specialists including vendors on this forum or UK LR parts suppliers who should be much more familiar with them.

...........
Have noted from a couple of sources that these early four cylinder petrol motors based on the first Rover diesel have slightly smaller big end bearings than later ones which still have three main bearings. Gather change to 5 mains was made in Series 3's. .........

Landrover engines were quite common in the 1950-65 period in Australia, and Repco stocked a lot of parts. They probably still have significant amounts of this stock, unlike later competitors such as Supercheap or Autobahn. Also worth talking to any local independent suppliers or garages that have been around for a long time, especially any who used to be Landrover dealers.

The four cylinder petrol engines had the smaller crankshaft journals of the 2.0 diesel but were increased in size from 2.126" to 2.132" at (about) the same time as the diesel went from 2.0 to 2.25, as the crankshaft had to be upgraded for the diesel. Five bearing engines appeared in the very late Series 3, nominally in 1981, but Australian built vehicles seem to have retained the three bearing engine until later, and may in fact not have appeared here except for fully imported vehicles such as station wagons.