norseman
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 3,160
- Location
- Essex - UK
Or go the rebuild route & have it stroked to 4.3 & avoid liner issues ?
Real Steel are still in business, though I don't know if they still market the stroker kit.
Discovery 3.9 v8 - rebuilds, reliability, options….
- Thread starter resto_d1
- Start date
This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Real Steel are still in business, though I don't know if they still market the stroker kit.
Woah woah woah. Stroking avoids need for tophat liners? I need to get it bored and tophats anyway…
I’ve a 3.9 EFI ready to be revived sat at my mates
Nope they were talking the 3.5
3.9 still has liners.
Sorry sort of didn't read your post fully first time, yes the 3.5 will stroke that far as yours could also go to 5.2/6 or something, if your really brave
.J
So 3.9 stroking still needs liners? CheersNope they were talking the 3.5
3.9 still has liners.
Sorry sort of didn't read your post fully first time, yes the 3.5 will stroke that far as yours could also go to 5.2/6 or something, if your really brave
J
As far as I know anything over the 3.5 had liners (think there was another without)
Your 3.9 has liners. It can be stroked to alot if you are brave
.As I said earlier the 3.9 is the same as the 4.0 they changed it when they changed the engine management.
The 4.6 crank ++++bits will fit in the 3.9 and suddenly you have a 4.6
.But with all mods from standard brings more expense.
When I got the "new" 4.6 I was offered 5.2 but of course then you delve into needing new fuel maps for the ECU.
Tophat what you have and it will be a very reliable V8 with standard bits readily available.
J
- Posts
- 31,445
- Location
- North Shropshire
If top hatting is done properly, you have a seal at the top and the bottom of the liner so even if you have a crack in the block, the system is still sound
Sorry mate, I meant ‘slippy liners’As far as I know anything over the 3.5 had liners (think there was another without)
Your 3.9 has liners. It can be stroked to alot if you are brave
As I said earlier the 3.9 is the same as the 4.0 they changed it when they changed the engine management.
The 4.6 crank ++++bits will fit in the 3.9 and suddenly you have a 4.6
But with all mods from standard brings more expense.
When I got the "new" 4.6 I was offered 5.2 but of course then you delve into needing new fuel maps for the ECU.
Tophat what you have and it will be a very reliable V8 with standard bits readily available.
J
Engine has been sat for a while but I’ve got it on a very good deal. I also want to rebuild it because I’m doing everything else fresh and I love an engine rebuild.
I’ve got a local firm who can do the tophat liners,
That’s exactly how I understood it - future proofs the block
4.6 not need to run on megasquirt or a new map then? I would’ve assumed any displacement over standard wouldAs far as I know anything over the 3.5 had liners (think there was another without)
Your 3.9 has liners. It can be stroked to alot if you are brave
As I said earlier the 3.9 is the same as the 4.0 they changed it when they changed the engine management.
The 4.6 crank ++++bits will fit in the 3.9 and suddenly you have a 4.6
But with all mods from standard brings more expense.
When I got the "new" 4.6 I was offered 5.2 but of course then you delve into needing new fuel maps for the ECU.
Tophat what you have and it will be a very reliable V8 with standard bits readily available.
J
- Posts
- 31,445
- Location
- North Shropshire
Depends how far you want to go. MS offers a much better fuel map than OEM
Run the 4.6 maps no problem.
But with your 3.9 there would be a lot of changes to run 4.6 rr stuff as has been said earlier.
Again if you tophat what you have it will be worth more than than the rest of the car in 10yrs.
J
Last edited:
Thanks. This seems the way forward. I’ll speak to the machine shop. I’ll give them the whole bottom end to inspect and tophat.
You do know I have an ES don’t you. Preeeeeemium! I even have a cd changer
norseman
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 3,160
- Location
- Essex - UK
Lot of opinions on this, so here is my input .. for what it's worth
1) Liners; all RV8's have them, it's just that the original 3.5 ones don't normally slip because there's more meat around the cylinder (88.9mm bore as opposed to 94mm) so block cracking is unlikely.
2) Top hatting; like taking pain killers for toothache, masks the problem rather than curing it (they don't prevent a cracked block)
3) stroking a 3.5; I believe a 20thou re-bore was part of RS's 4.3ltr. stroker kit, but it's many years since a guy I knew had it done.
1) Liners; all RV8's have them, it's just that the original 3.5 ones don't normally slip because there's more meat around the cylinder (88.9mm bore as opposed to 94mm) so block cracking is unlikely.
2) Top hatting; like taking pain killers for toothache, masks the problem rather than curing it (they don't prevent a cracked block)
3) stroking a 3.5; I believe a 20thou re-bore was part of RS's 4.3ltr. stroker kit, but it's many years since a guy I knew had it done.
- Posts
- 31,445
- Location
- North Shropshire
Top hatting, it's like putting a crown on a bad tooth. Done properly and a crack won't matterLot of opinions on this, so here is my input .. for what it's worth
1) Liners; all RV8's have them, it's just that the original 3.5 ones don't normally slip because there's more meat around the cylinder (88.9mm bore as opposed to 94mm) so block cracking is unlikely.
2) Top hatting; like taking pain killers for toothache, masks the problem rather than curing it (they don't prevent a cracked block)
3) stroking a 3.5; I believe a 20thou re-bore was part of RS's 4.3ltr. stroker kit, but it's many years since a guy I knew had it done.
Fresh news. I think it’s actually a 3.5 EFI. My mates getting the numbers today off if. So, is the consensus the 3.5s don’t slip the liners? Thanks for all your inputs by the way - it feels like I’ve turned up 10 years too late for this v8 and as much as I read up it’s invaluable getting your inputs as a lot of you have been and done it…..10 years ago .
I’m not chasing power (just as well eh), I’m chasing noise and something that feels a bit more special than a tdi. The fact that I’ve never had a v8 and that in some years time you could be hung for running one means I should do one I think!
.I’m not chasing power (just as well eh), I’m chasing noise and something that feels a bit more special than a tdi. The fact that I’ve never had a v8 and that in some years time you could be hung for running one means I should do one I think!
Hicap phill
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 15,420
- Location
- Wiltshire
3.5 are good and were bomb proof. This all I raced in the RRC. Ran both carbs & efi.just depended on which engine was supplied
I may have to go back to a V8 after reading these threads
I may have to go back to a V8 after reading these threads
I have read about the odd slipped 3.5 liner but not so great it seems. Either way if I strip it all down it will get rebored for new rings so may aswell get linered which then sends me down the “should you rebore whilst here”.
Other option is visual inspection, head gaskets and new timing gear and give it a chance?!! It’s been sat for a long time I think
LetsHopeItFits
Active Member
- Posts
- 379
- Location
- North Wales
You can have a Rover V8 rebuilt to any specification you like. They were installed in TVRs with displacements of 5.0L and well over 300hp (I dont remember the numbers exactly). The standard carby 3.5 came as mild as 135hp, and 155 with EFI, or 190hp in TVR 350i flavour. The 3.9 made 275hp in the TVR 390se, but only 182hp in Land Rovers.
If youre starting with a dead engine thats sat around for years, and everything needs refurbishing or replacing, then you "may as well" build it exactly to your needs/taste. If youve got a decent engine which already runs decently, youll spend a lot of money to improve what is already vastly superior to whatever old diesel lump youre removing.
