Engine and Transmission Tech

Once in a while, I run across helpful tidbits while surfing the 'net. This seemed like a good place to store them.

[grassrootsmotorsports.com]

Junkyard_Dog
May 6, 2009 9:16 p.m.

If you have access to a bunch of stock engines or are a Rover tech (as I am) then mixing and matching with stock parts is a breeze. Start with a 99-02 4.6 from a Range Rover. Later Disco 4.6s had,um, issues with the block being misdrilled and eating oil pumps. 96 and up engines have cross bolted mains. 99 and up 4.6 cams have the same specs as the Crane aftermarket cam. Newer heads flow better and respond well to porting. Find a wrecked Calloway Range Rover and get heads that are pre-ported. Use an early Disco 3.9 front cover on a later engine to get a distributor-just remember to swap over the oil pickup too. You'll need a spacer between the crank gear and balancer-just grind the teeth of a spare crank gear. Mallory Unilites are better and cheaper than Rover units. The GEMS FI system can be used as a standalone and is easily chipped. Use a "Spider" from a D-90 to bypass the immobilizer. Manual trans bell housings are getting rarer but do exist. Use it to bolt up a TR8 5 speed or adapt it to an easier to find transmission. The serpentine belt systems are 10000 times better than the V-belt setups. Some D-90s had no A/C but instead of making idler pulleys they pluged the fittings and left the compressor on the engine! So if you want A/C find a wrecked non-A/C Defender and score a new never used compressor. Use the latest Rover gaskets and seals and it will go a long time between leaks. Thats just off the top of my head, any questions just ask.

Seems a pity, for the cost of Range Rovers-new, they never upgrade to hydraulic roller cams. Cheers, roverman.

Almost like the old British Leyland, eh?

Jim