Land Rover 6 cyl engine?

[gunsports]

Under "Advice needed - lots of it" I mentioned that I bought a S3 with a shot 6 cyl engine; which I will be stripping to rebuild my S2a 2.25 diesel. Mentioned the engine top was shot, water passages corroded away. I've now found a local mechanic who has all of the needed parts to get the 6 cyl engine going again; at a fair cost. Now the question: Should I seriously consider rebuilding the 6cyl engine and use it in place of my 2.25 diesel? Looking at the specs, apart from kw and torque, there seems little to seperate the two as regards top speed. Fuel consumption on the 6 cyl seems much higher than with the diesel. Also, how reliable are these 6 cyl engines when comapred to the diesel? I've heard that these engines were not that good or relaible.

[Blknight.aus]

IMHO the landy 6 is the boat anchor of the landrover engines.

looked after they do alright but the little bit of extra power/torque they put out over the 4 pot petrol isnt worth the extra fuel it burns up.

It'll eat valves on a regular basis if the mix is just a little out.

I'm certain that they have their place, All I know is that its not in the engine bay of any of my rovers.

[fraser130]

Hello Gunsports, I've had both engines over the years, but unfortunately in two different vehicles.
I had the 6 in a LWB Dormobile camper, and the 2.25 Diesel in a SWB ragtop.
The 6 used TONS of fuel, and the timing was always needing tweaking, but it crused along okay.
The 2.25 diesel used bugger all fuel and with the fairey overdrive could sit on 100kph all day no problems.
It was a little down on power, and abit smokey so I rebuilt it with new (standard) rings and bearings, and lapped the valves all myself, and it was still smokey, so one day I went to a very old diesel mechanic in the countryside near Ballarat to ask his advice, he walked out to greet me as I drove into his yard and before I'd even got out of the car he said" "The timing's too far retarded, grab a spanner and give the pump a bit of a turn to advance it, you won't know yourself"
so I did, it was a new car!!
I drove out of the drive (admittedly it was gravel)and floored it and it spun the wheels and fishtailed up the road!!
No more smoke either.
I'd go the diesel, maybe not quite as quick as the petrol but I never touched it again in the following 5 years (except for oil/filters)
Once you've got rid of plugs/points/leads/carbies etc, you'll never go back!!
I loved that little engine.
(bracing myself for all the V8 guys' attack!)

Fraser

[Blknight.aus]

Im very partial to the 2.25 petrol but while its no where near as thristy as the 6 pot it still drinks heavier than the diesel.

Im staying diesel just to minimise the requirement of maintianing 2 different fuels, Im just trying to work out a diesel lawnmower, chainsaw and whippersnipper.