I'm also going to replace my rad at the same time as I swap the engine (when it's built and being swapped)!

Out of interest... what size bolts have you used for bolting the engine to the stand? I need to order some for when the block etc arrives.

My headlining is sagging aswell and needs doing - likewise on my other 2 P38's... so I've got a total of 3 to do! I've got one old headlining board with sunroof cutout to strip/re-trim which will hopefully make it a bit easier.

Back on topic ish..... how much was the 35000 mile HSE?

Should be able to put new pots in them and have them all running properly...

What model pots did you use? Can't remember if I sent you a couple ages ago or not...

He said it had central locking problem... Maybe that's finally caused it stop unlocking or starting properly.

Zavoli LPG system is one of the many AEB versions out there - same as what my one runs.

The original injectors that came on mine (proper Zavoli ones) didn't click at all, but all the replacements I've used have all clicked. If you can hear it inside then if they're mounted up against the firewall, then that's probably what's causing it. Mounting them with some rubber to dampen the vibrations should cure it.

Earlier Zavoli systems are pretty basic multipoint, t he later ones have optional OBD connectivity which will let it auto trim itself when running on gas, by looking at the fuel trims. Mine doesn't have that, it just slaves off the petrol system with no adaptivity though I've seen the check box for it in the software for later models.

Well, if you are about at all during the day tomorrow Ferryman, then I have a bit of free time now! My flight is in the evening. And I was expecting to have to go to work again in the morning to finish off my load out. However, we managed to get the truck in tonight, so got very thing derigged and loaded tonight... which means I now have until 4pm when I have to go to the airport, off.

So if you are about at all in the day, then I'm sure we could find coffee or something like that!

If not, then now I know you aren't far away, I'll let you know if I'm back here at some point!

Cannes... should be ok.. only there for 4 days, a day will be working solidly all day too, so might not have much down time there this time. Will see how I go though I guess!

I think the price included delivery to me - but I'll have to check that when they give me a call to say it's ready and for the rest of the money,,,
If delivery is going to be loads, then I'll drop you a message and see if we can work something out...

Engine crane is fixed - I bought 4x new rubber wheeled castors and fitted them awhile ago (thanks for the idea, Chris!) - rolls a lot better now too...

So what's wrong with it... he's saying worth over 4K, so why so cheap... all those 'special edition' ones that were 8K+ won't have had half what he's saying that's been done to this one - so what's the catch?

The Vogue badge looks like it is in the right place - but the V8 is definitely aftermarket.

Well, I am away again at the moment - so everything is on hold until I get back! Though I might try and get some of the things like gasket set, bolt set, and all of that ordered before I am due to come home, so that I will have even more things to try and cram in my garage, until the engine itself turns up.

i think the idea of bringing the engine crane home is the best one - then I get the best of both worlds - being able to work on it at home, but then heading to the workshop to actually install it.

I am sure that a hand to move things up there once the engine is ready will be MUCH appreciated... though my timeframe is getting pushed back a lot at the moment, as I possibly have another job at the end of October now (got to pay for all this stuff somehow, right?) which means that even if i get the engine built, I don't think I will have time to install it before I go to the USA - so realistically I'm looking at early January for doing the swap.

It also seems a bit silly to race to get it all done, get it in and running and then promptly leave it sitting about for 6 weeks whilst I'm away, I may aswell leave the old lump in there for that time and then start fresh in the New Year, when hopefully I'll be around a bit more to actually use it!

I guess I now have to wait until a) I get home and can start doing some more bits and b) a call from V8 Dev once the short engine is ready and I can pay another chunk of money to get it delivered...

Those wheels and savvy don't go together though.... so fingers crossed

The one with the electrical fault with the locking is probably something like a dodgy microswitch...

Looks like it needs a respray though - with the bubbling of the paint/rust appearing on the rear arch.. Otherwise looks nice enough! Oh and the left headlight wiper arm is bugging me... lol

The H&H looks nice, but not at £14K - especailly as it probably has leaky heater core o-rings, and a soggy drivers footwell... and I like how they say 2 lesser specced H&H's sold for excess of £20K.... I thought H&H was the spec... not a 'range' of specifications...

The 30th is nice, but I couldn't do all the green! it's also got cheap aftermarket exhaust - you can tell by the massive rear silencers that hang down and look ugly... If you're paying £9K for it, then I'd be telling them to put something better on it!

The 50th is probably the nicest one there, the Autobiography looks nice on the interior, but the outside is shocking and really could do with a couple of new panels and a respray too! but at least it's a realistic price... oh, and some new wheels!!

I know you have tried cleaning the MAF, but was that one of the other things that you have actually tried swapping?

There isn't really that much else that could be causing it - unless as GillbertD mentions about a breach in the HG between 2 cylinders... If it runs like crap in closed loop, then the only parts in the closed loop system are really the MAF, IACV, and Lambdas. Ok, there are a bunch of other sensors too - and the injectors..

Ooohh, out of interest... what about the IAT temp sensor... I know that can be a bit contentious I think to get a reading from it in some diagnostics (or maybe it's just the Bosch ones as it's part of the MAF on the later ones) but if it's failed and it thinks the air is a different temperature to what it actually is, then that could possible cause overfuelling and bad running... Also could be worth looking at the TPS live values aswell if you haven't already..

only £950 for V8 developments to top hat your old block.... include new cam bearings and core plugs...

I know it's still not cheap, but it might be cheaper than starting from scratch with something else... and a lot cheaper than a new short engine, especially if you've already renewed most of the other bits!

From memory it's a GEMS? Have you tried cleaning the IACV stepper motor? If it's gummed up it could be causing problems, likewise the TPS..

It us also worth trying to reset the adaptive values and see what that does to the running of it.. I think on GEMS they are reset on next power up after being told to do it. I know on Bosch it clears adaptive values straight away, even with the engine running...

There is also a couple of differences between the earlier GEMS and Thor blocks - one is the crankshaft sensor mounting is different, and also the mounting for the knock sensors is different.

It's the main reason I've got for a short engine, rather than relinering the spare GEMS block I have in the garage and using that for my Thor.

I think you can get the crank sensor mounting re welded for it to accept the Thor sensor on a GEMS block though..

I love how shiny that block is...

Yep, the wiring in through the join of the sub cabinet and black sealant is how they came from the factory....

hmm...

I have one of the plastic 'Range Rover' loadspace trays at the workshop, so could fit that in the boot to put the engine on, and slide back into it... I would just have to make sure that the engine crane and the engine would fit in the back of the RR... as it would be somewhat counter-productive to have the engine crane at home, and find that I can't fit it in the RR with the engine, then it would make it interesting to get it back out again at the workshop!

I think I will go with building it up on an engine stand in the garage - and bring the engine crane home from the workshop to lift it off the pallet that it will no doubtedly arrive on, onto the engine stand (once I've bought it!)

And Morat, yes, that will mean I need to do a bit of a tidy up to make sure it all fits!!! It makes the most sense since I have most of the other engine parts starting to congregate in the garage already aswell!!

That is one of the later subwoofer units, with the monster sized amplifier bolted to the back of the speakers. What has probably happened previously is the subwoofer has failed, and someone has bought that one as a replacement (as it has the twin woofer speakers) and the amp bolted to it, then realised the connection is different and transplanted the proper amp into the woofer box.

Whilst the amps all have the same E26640 label on them, there are differences between the front/rear/subwoofer versions.

If you have the later amp/sub arrangement like that, and you have a DSP option on the head unit that makes it sound better, then you are in the lucky minority of P38 owners who have the later Premium (DSP) sound systems that still actually work..

Gilbertd wrote:

Marty, I'd have asked them to skim the heads while they were off just so you can be sure you have a nice smooth surface that you can guarantee is perfectly flat too. I know my local engine machining man groans whenever anyone walks in with LR V8 heads as they have to be fitted on the machine at an angle. Most heads have a parallel top and bottom face so are easy to bolt down whereas ours have to have an adapter fitted to hold them at the correct angle for skimming. I've watched him do it and it takes longer to get the heads bolted down at the correct angle than it odes to do the actual skim.

Tony, if all they are doing is the liners and cam bearings, you best bet would be to strip the engine block completely. If you leave the crankshaft and dowels in place it's more work for them to remove and refit them. In saying that, if you intend using your original pistons (with new rings presumably), it might be better if it goes to them with the pistons so they can bore each liner to suit the piston. It might be worth asking them to replace the core plugs too while they have it, then you'll have virtually a brand new block to start with.

The heads were skimmed... I am guessing that they didn't skim them further as it would have put them out of spec... As I mention, they came highly recommended and have built up their own Rover V8 engines for racing and all sorts from what I gather - so I am guessing that if they were happy with them, then it must be OK... they've been pressure tested after they were skimmed, so it obviously isn't affecting the actual top of the cylinder where the valves are - so fingers crossed it's OK when it's bolted into the engine!

OB - the washer solution that I've got the front cover (well the bottom of it anyway) in is just the Clarke stuff from Machine Mart. I bought it when I got the washer for doing the door latch parts. Again, talking with the guys at the engineering shop, they were saying soaking in diesel is a good way of cleaning parts, and a wire brush in a drill/dremel to get into the nooks and crannies.

So, depending on what the front cover comes out looking like when I get home (assuming it hasn't been dissolved away by the eco friendly washing solution) then I might have to get a can of diesel and a tub to put it in and then dunk it in. I'm tempted to do that for the rocker covers, as they look pretty horrific aswell - inside and out...

Then it will be a case of finding a nice paint to color them all with... I'm toying with the idea of painting the sump, front cover, and rocker covers - but haven't decided what would look nice... do I go black to match everything else, or a nice metallic bronze? Or AA yellow to match my brake calipers... not that you can see the calipers under the brake dust and mud...

Now safely out in Amsterdam for work tomorrow morning... here until the 14th, and then off to Cannes for a few days for some more exhibition magic... then back home, and I can hopefully get properly stuck into ordering engine parts, bolt and gasket sets, and an engine stand to mount the new short engine to when it arrives...

I still have a couple of decisions to make... the most important being - do I get the new engine delivered to home, or to the workshop... in some ways working on it at home would be easier, but then I'd have to lift it somehow into the car, when it's nearly assembled... whereas at the workshop, I'll have the crane already there and I can hoist it off the palette, straight onto the engine stand. The down side to that, is I have to head up to the workshop, whenever I want to work on the engine - which requires more planning regarding parts etc - and also more miles on the current leaky engine...

Thoughts?

Ferryman - my original plan was to get the old engine out of my '00 restoration P38 and then strip it and send the block off to be relinered, and then rebuild it myself from scratch. The problem is, that I was planning on doing that a bit further down the line as I have the old engine from the '98 in the garage which is first in line to be relinered... everything kinda got put on hold when I saw the leaky plugs on mine - as without mine on the road and running, I can't get to the others to work on them - so it's my priority, and it worked out easier in the long run to get a short engine and go from there. The good thing will be that as mine comes apart, I can then systematically recondition the parts that aren't going back as part of the core to V8 Developments, to have them ready to fit to a relinered block for the '00 at some point.... there is a plan there... somewhere... honest...

Marty

Well, Thought I'd post a thread for a change with the progress and pictures of my engine rebuild... I'm sure i'll need help and advice along the way!

It all started when I was under it replacing the radius arms with a pair that I pressed new bushes into... and noticed a nice wet stain amongst the dried on mud and dirt... and the bad news is that it's definitely coming from core plugs...

So whilst a bit frustrated, as it means my plans for engine rebuilding are now having to be brought forward, and not being able to refurb the engine from my '00 to swap in, it is also a chance to do the full engine rebuild that I've been planning/hoping to do for the last few years!

So, I have currently ordered a new short engine from V8 developments - which is coming with a new top hat linered block, crank, pistons etc. also comes with front crank pulley and flywheel, all balanced and ready to go.

I've also managed to source a replacement front cover, lower inlet manifold and sump.
I had previously acquired some parts a few years ago, so already have new oil pump gears, Piper Torquemax cam, sprockets and timing chain and come other general bits and pieces including second hand set of heads and rocker covers.

I'm currently in the process of ordering all the other bits I need and sundry items, bolts, gaskets etc.
I have also been starting to clean other parts ready for assembly.

I picked up the heads from the engineering shop today aswell.. feel a bit like I've paid over the odds for them to be done - but they did have to clean them, relap all the valves, skim them, and pressure test them. Next time, I'll look at doing the cleaning and valve lapping myself to save on labour cost!

They look good though - the only worry I have is that there is some pitting in the face of one of the heads. The machine shop didn't mention anything about it, and they do a lot of Rover V8 heads, and work building engines themselves. So my thought process is that if they haven't mentioned it, then there is probably nothing to worry about... especially as it's in the fairly meaty part of the head, and when there's a gasket squished in there. I am also planning of fitting ARP head studs, rather than just bolts.

I'm now heading away for work for a couple of weeks, so left the front cover soaking in a bucket of what was warm water, and cleaning solution, so hopefully will help break up the rest of the baked on gunge that's in there.

When I get back home, the next installment will commence... cleaning the lower inlet manifold, drilling and tapping it for LPG, and probably painting the rocker covers and the upper inlet manifold.

More to post as and when I get some more done!

Marty