Advice for work to do while the engine is out

[eburrows]

All,
This summer I'll be working down my TODO list on my 2000 D2. It runs mostly well, but leaks from EVERYWHERE, needs a new radiator, oil cooler hose, and probably a few other things. The biggest PITA leak I'll be tackling is in the t-case. One of the bolts on the upper engine-side is stripped, and slowly leaks sulfurous oil all over my driveway. I've removed it and re-installed with a bunch of silicone through the transmission tunnel, but it still leaks. Needs to be drilled out and re-threaded. Also my torque converter's check-valve has never worked very well, and needs to be replaced.

So, I'm planning on pulling the whole engine-transmission-tcase. While it's all out I'll do other major stuff like the steering box re-mounting to get rid of the "groan". What else should I do while it's all out and everything is easy to get to?

The engine runs OK, but cylinder compression is all over the board. Clean valves? Replace valve springs? Timing belt? It's a ~200k mile old engine.

Anything on the transmission?

 

[Tugela]

Something to consider putting on your list: engine mounts. Do a search on here, there are some threads discussing these at length, including options for better replacements than stock.

 

[kennith]

Solid or semi-solid engine mounts, if you can find or make them; or even poly if that's all that's available. My word, it makes a difference.

Clean the shit out of the engine itself, and potentially clear or paint everything you can get to in order to ease cleaning, inspection for leaks, and prevent oxidation. Coat the exhaust manifolds, as well. It does make a difference in underhood temperatures; more so than I thought it would.

Relocate those fucking coils so you can actually reach them later on! Some guy on Ebay has a kit, but you can make whatever you like, and it's easy to handle the wires with it all out of the way. An iffy plug wire or coil will no longer potentially become a weekend project, and it'll make a lot of common codes easier to nail down.

Re-sleeve all the wiring in the engine bay, and replace or upgrade terminations that are difficult to reach with the engine in place.

Those are some of the things people don't consider, that would make life with the engine much easier over time. The mounts change the whole vehicle. It's amazing just how much tighter it becomes.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[eburrows]

I actually tried the Qt HD engine mounts, and hated them, such hard vibrations through to my feet and hands. I would love to go in that direction though, as I burn through engine mounts with all the washboard roads here in So. Cal. I've been thinking of building my own, but just buying would be much quicker. Any recommendations? Something softer than the 3/8" of hard poly the QT mounts used? I'd think a full inch of soft-ish rubber would be comfortable, but still last 10x longer than the OEM mounts.

Excellent point on the coil pack. Plug wires are one of the things I actually pay a mechanic for. Last time I did it, I removed the entire intake manifold, otherwise my hands just wouldn't fit.

Also the manifold coating. I looked at that in the past, and it wasn't terribly expensive, just long turn-around. Now I have the time. How about drilling out the manifold-pipe flanges for regular bolts? I'm so tired of snapping off those damn studs.

Speaking of coils & wires: I don't know if it's just me, or all these trucks, but my ignition system is so noisy, it makes the CB radio band completely useless. Just me? Or you guys too? i was thinking of getting ignition wire grounding sleeves to try to combat the problem.

 

[Vegas99D1]

Relocate those fucking coils so you can actually reach them later on! Some guy on Ebay has a kit, but you can make whatever you like, and it's easy to handle the wires with it all out of the way. An iffy plug wire or coil will no longer potentially become a weekend project, and it'll make a lot of common codes easier to nail down.

What is this kit you're referring to? Please post a link or picture!

 

[Jeff Blake]

If you want to keep the truck for many years, sounds like you're due for a rebuild. Skys the limit here...

For the coil packs, I put them where the AC compressor used to go. Super easy, just had to extend the coil pack plugs and make a mount (scrap piece of aluminum plate)

 

[kennith]

What is this kit you're referring to? Please post a link or picture!

Can't remember the item number or search terms at the moment, but I'm sure I bookmarked it somewhere.

It looks like this:

https://mycarboard.com/great-land-rover-discovery-2003-2004-coil-pack-relocation-kit-2018/

I think it's an updated version, or simply the same thing. The guy is just making them himself, if I recall correctly.

...or he was. Wouldn't fucking surprise me if another guy went under because of all the cheap fucks in the world.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[wrldky]

This is a loaded question because really you can spend as much as you want. I feel like I changed everything (had it sleeved) and if I had to do it over I would have bought a new wire harness, changed the flex plate and relocated the coil pack like recommended.

 

[JUKE179r]

I'd add remove and clean/wire brush all your grounding points. Maybe consider Big 3, 4 or 5 cable conversion.

Wouldn't fucking surprise me if another guy went under because of all the cheap fucks in the world.

So you bought a kit then, huh?
I'll speak up for us cheap fucks about this relocation kit...
For this $200 you get the relocation bracket and... that was it... just a bracket. The extended Magnacor 8mm ignition cables where another $120 and the 2 extended coil pack wire connectors was another $75 = damn near $400 when it was said and done.
Great idea... but at a price. I was considering getting this kit last year but for the crazy price, I'll deal with my SAI tubing and trying to get my gorilla hands behind the intake manifold to the coil packs when I need to which is rare.

View attachment 56611

That's clean Jeff!

 

[rovercanus]

Are you rebuilding the engine? If not, why? You have it out.
Pin the sleeves.

 

[eburrows]

Are you rebuilding the engine? If not, why? You have it out.
Pin the sleeves.

I guess that's part of the question: should I do a full engine rebuild? I plan on doing all the other stuff listed above myself, and I feel confident to do so, but I haven't personally gotten deeper into the engine than the intake manifold. The main seal is ok (and relatively new). I suspect the valves don't seal particularly well (given the varying compression results). But I have no idea the state of the piston rings or bearings.

Found a nice HOWTO on DIY cylinder pinning here: Pinning_V8_Liner.pdf. Seems like a PITA, but not technically difficult. There's something about a 20-year-old Land Rover running with lock wire that makes me grin.

I do plan on doing the flex plate as well, since I've already had to replace that once in the life of the truck. Might as well, since I'll have the transmission separated.

 

[kennith]

Most of the trouble of engine service revolves entirely around the engine being in a vehicle.

Once it's out, you're not likely to run into near as much trouble. Even if you do hit a snag, break something, or find the limits of your experience, it's not as if it's sitting out in the weather while you catch up.

A lot of stuff that's frustrating as hell normally can actually be fun as soon as the parts are on a stand. So long as you don't need to drive that vehicle, it is my personal suggestion that you take the opportunity to do what you can. It's a great time to push your own limits.

There is a Land Rover manual specifically for rebuilding Rover V8 engines. I wouldn't say you need to do everything you haven't done before, but there are some areas of expertise you can flex so easily this way that it's a shame not to do it with the engine out.

That way, next time you have to do it with the engine in, the scary part is no longer scary.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[Jeff Blake]

I couldn't install a drive shaft when I bought my rover, and 4 months later I rebuilt the engine, and a year after that, the transfer case. Definitely doable - it's all in the repair manual. The things you probably shouldn't do yourself are a proper 3 angle valve job, decking the heads/block, and installing flanged cylinder sleeves. I paid a machinist $1,800 to do all that. Flanged sleeves is far superior to pinning, if you can stomach the cost. The rest can be done with simple hand tools

One thing I missed was putting in an HD Flex Plate from Ashcroft transmissions (UK)

 

[Swedjen2]

Wait...you have a 3 angle valve job, decked the block and heads and installed flanged sleaves? And you compression is all over the place? Did you reuse the
same piston rings?

 

[eburrows]

Wait...you have a 3 angle valve job, decked the block and heads and installed flanged sleaves? And you compression is all over the place? Did you reuse the
same piston rings?

I haven't done anything to it yet, since a head gasket ~20k miles ago. The rings, and everything else are ~200k miles old. Compression ranges from 105-210, but it actually runs pretty well, and gets decent MPG (for a 5klb brick).

 

[pdogg]

to the guy with the coil relocation kit, who casually mentions "where the AC compressor used to be" ... so you just dump the AC?

 

[pdogg]

if you've got the block out, pinning the sleeves is a waste of time, get flanged sleeves, or you'll just regret it later when your block goes..

 

[SGaynor]

A lot of stuff that's frustrating as hell normally can actually be fun as soon as the parts are on a stand.

Truth.

 

[Jeff Blake]

to the guy with the coil relocation kit, who casually mentions "where the AC compressor used to be" ... so you just dump the AC?

It's not a kit, made it myself. and yes, deleted the AC a while back including condenser, piping, all of it.

 

[eburrows]

if you've got the block out, pinning the sleeves is a waste of time, get flanged sleeves, or you'll just regret it later when your block goes..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't replacing the sleeves require hot-pressing out the old sleeves and hot-pressing in the new sleeves? Doesn't sound like a in-the-garage process.

Why would pinning be a waste of time? Are you saying the pin does not prevent slippage?