Thread: Used 3.9V8 inspection

Hi All,
I am going to look at a rolled discovery to see if i can get the engine as a donor for my range rover.

What i need help with is advice on what to look for to make sure this engine is worth taking. Because it is currently in a rolled disco chances are that i won't be able to turn it over so i am only going off a visual inspection only.

The disco is a 1994 model with the 3.9 efi.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Some things I would do:
Fiestly remove a coolant hose and look for corrosion. Any hose on the engine will do. You are looking for flaky deposits inside the fitting where the hose came off. A small amount of white deposit under the hose is OK.
Second take a socket and bar to turn the engine by the crank. If it rotates it's a good sign.
Thirdly pull out the dip stick and wipe it on your finger. Black is normal but you are feeling the oil for slipperyness.
Fourthly lift the filler cap and look for sludge. large amounts of milky sludge may indicate head gasket problems.