Morris Minor Owners Club

Picked up my replacement engine the other day. It is a high compression 3.9 Rover V8 out of a Range Rover - reportedly in good order.
First step is to strip engine of all ancillery equipment I won't need - fuel injection, power steering pump, front timing cover. This is due to the fact that whilst the basic engine hasn't changed materially since introduced (just like an A series), they were fitted with different external components according to vehicle.
I require this engine to have the same layout as a Rover P6, so I'll just take the parts I need off the old engine and put them on the new.
The main 2 items to change are the sump and the timing cover. The timing cover I require is from a Rover SD1 (thought I had one, but I didn't) which has an uprated oil pump compared to P6. I then have to modify the P6 distributer drive gear to be compatible (standard practise).
I will be fully cleaning the exterior of the engine, prior to etch priming and painting.
Having taken off the rocker covers and the valley gasket to inspect what's inside, the engine seems in pretty good order - here's hoping.

Some pics:



As collected - note my new crane




Ancilleries a bit untidy




Just Timing cover to take off




Looks ok inside

Nice engine crane!

Good luck with this one Pete, what bhp does this produce?

bmcecosse wrote:Nice engine crane!

Why thankyou It is a 2 ton version - from Ebay.

Engine produces 185 hp and 240 foot torque, but apparantly a bit more when run in - 200 reported apparantly.
Anyway, it should be quicker that the one that's coming out - just a bit of mucking with components etc - then painting.
I don't know whether to do it the same colour as the body, or red like the last one.

Pete

Should give it interesting performance then!! We have just painted a Lotus light grey motor, looks stunning as it shows off chrome, and fittings, polished alloy etc, makes the motor look squeeky clean too.
Good ebay find then eh!!

plastic_orange wrote:

bmcecosse wrote:Nice engine crane!

Why thankyou It is a 2 ton version - from Ebay.

Engine produces 185 hp and 240 foot torque, but apparantly a bit more when run in - 200 reported apparantly.
Anyway, it should be quicker that the one that's coming out - just a bit of mucking with components etc - then painting.
I don't know whether to do it the same colour as the body, or red like the last one.

Pete

how well cant it compact? or is it a pain to strip apart after use....has i dont have much room/left...im wondering if to invest in a crane/ folding one has atm i have a old design (swing) shape with a hand pulley system and its starting to give way under pressure

If you still have ALL the EFi system put it on eBay.
I got over £150 for the system off my old Vogue.

Paul Humphries

I don't have the full system as I only paid £100 for engine. The guy I got it from is a Land Rover/Range Rover - any V8 Rover sort of guy, and anything that wasn't bolted to the engine I left behind for him. It has the inlet manifold, power steeering pump, manual flywheel, and the timing cover to be disposed of though.
The engine crane cost me £169 and came from a power seller on E bay - brand new 2 ton Sealey - less than half price - I looked at machine mart, and couldn't get a 1 ton one for that. It folds down by removing the pins from the legs, and stands and moves on the reamaining 4 wheels - a lot more stable than the smaller models. I got the 2 ton version as my mate's 1 ton struggled with my Ford Cleveland engine.
You need 2 folk to lift the crane though, but it would fit in the rear of a reasonable estate car or hatchback. I'll try and get details of sizes etc and let you know.

Here's one - cheaper too:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-2-TON-FOLDING ... dZViewItem

Pete

Well, after a few weeks of doing nothing apart from motorcycling and general chores I got back to work on my Minor. I managed to get a timing cover from an SD1 Rover (neater), but the chap who sent it lost one of the oil pump gears - so still waiting on it turning up. I also ordered a bottom end gasket set, and today decided to pull the old engine and box in preparation.
This didn't take too long, and I then separated the old engine from the box, removed flex plate and crank spacer, then fitted them and the box to the new engine. I then cleaned up the engine bay, and the gearbox. I think I'm going to spray engine and box the same colour as the car, but am open to suggestions. I did manage to get engine quite clean (better than some I've seen), but it is still a bit tarnished - hence the painting.
I've still to swap over Timing Cover and the old sump - tomorrow maybe.

Pete

Some pics:

Dragging engine round house:




About to start:




Up she goes




Close up:




Out she comes:



Close up:



Out:



Old and New:




Empty Hole:




Separated:




Re united and cleaning:




Back inside to dry off: