Thread: 3.9 complete rebuild any tips, tricks, things to look out for?

Well, if you've got all 3.5 bits anyway, and you're going for flanged liners anyway, I don't suppose it matters. It's still going to cost and it's just a slightly bigger motor.

That '88 RRC that we used for towing... on gas... was a re-built 3.5 with a differant cam in it. Previous owner had set it up for the Big Lap, dunno if he meant to tow or not. Working, it was'nt too bad, but dump the trailer and it was a very impressive hoon-machine. WAY quicker off the mark than my 3.9...

Getting some advice on tweaking the cam may be a Good Idea, seeing as you're going to do all the right things...

I've been hunting around for a cam, and given the either crazy prices or lack of responses from various mobs, I'll get an H180 from Turner.

And I see that neither they nor ACR sell flange-linered 3.5s, just 3.9s. Turners also sell the liners separately, but still only for 3.9 and up.

Usually, you shouldn't need top hats for a 3.5 as they don't seem to have many problems there, but I've got a later "interim" 3.5 that apparently will slip liners, hence it may be turned into a 3.9. Or not.

I found this today. It looks like a good reference - though he never finished the thread, so I don't know how the rebuild ended!

My first engine build - 4.0 Rover V8

Davo. that article , its the blind leading the blind .wouldnt let him rebuild me lawnmotor ! Didnt know what he wanted and didnt know what he ended up with.
Fancy fitting some Chevvy 23 degree wedge pistons with cut-outs ,incorrect offsets
Out of balance,quench and squish , not to mention swirl all wrong !!Didnt even dummy run the piston setup to get deck height , Let alone the disaster he created with the crossbolted bottom end. That engine will destroy itself at the 60ft Mark !!!

I wonder why as well?

I have had 256 000km of perfectly normal motoring out of mine and the few issues I have had, have been with poor maintenance and repairs by previous mechanics and one camshaft replacement boo-boo by myself.

Nothing wrong with the motor now, that old age can't be blamed on,

Cheers Charlie

Originally Posted by 400HPONGAS

Davo. that article , its the blind leading the blind .wouldnt let him rebuild me lawnmotor ! Didnt know what he wanted and didnt know what he ended up with.
Fancy fitting some Chevvy 23 degree wedge pistons with cut-outs ,incorrect offsets
Out of balance,quench and squish , not to mention swirl all wrong !!Didnt even dummy run the piston setup to get deck height , Let alone the disaster he created with the crossbolted bottom end. That engine will destroy itself at the 60ft Mark !!!

I meant the build in general, after all, he was new to it all and had to work out how to remove block plugs and so on - but yes, I didn't think that buying unknown pistons from eBay was too bright.

What do you mean about the crossbolting?

Davo, he is attempting to re-build a late model D2A ENGINE .NOT YOUR EARLY MODEL 3.9 . These so called 4.0 jobs had a so called improved mains bolting system , a 4 bolt system but using a crossbolt method. What the punter didnt realise is that some idiot had line bored the registers all wrong and left him with a step in the registers for which he tried to fix by shimming the caps , what a disaster ! Bet he got it REAL CHEAP , I wonder why !Love the bit about getting the cam in 180 Degrees out using the dot to dot method , What? where was tthe Piston at BDC not TDC ? what a wally !