Technical question

Hello Everyone, Another newbie with a question.
Can you change a 1.8L coil pack engine into a distributor type engine. I've been told you can but i'd like to know how to do it. Is it just a case of changing the camshafts from donor engine over or is it a bit more in depth. All help would be appreciated as the wife doesn't like using the bus to go to work at the moment so i need to fix her freelander pretty rapid.
cheers

Yes you can but you have to swap the cams over to house the rotor arm.

I had to dig around on the MG-Rover forum, if you are putting a later head (coil pack) on to an earlier engine then an automatic tensioner for the timing belt has to be used, something to do with bolt size holding the tensioner.

Spark plug covers are different, only a space for the coil packs

Thankyou for your answer.
What i'm intending to do is use a 2001 coil pack engine and transfer the old cams and head onto it from the distributor type engine (1999) . The new engine (the coil pack one) already has automatic timing tensioner. I
bought the coil pack engine because it has low miles and has already had new cam belt and tensioner,water pump and head re-worked recently.I thought a newer engine would be better than buying a distributor type engine with loads of miles on it.
So i'm hoping it shouldn't be that much of a problem to install and hey atlast it'll keep me busy at night after work.
And if anyone wishes to offer any advice on this feel free to post comments the more advice/encouragement i get the better,
cheers

DM68 said:

So i'm hoping it shouldn't be that much of a problem to install and hey atlast it'll keep me busy at night after work.

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Ah a full quad bypass and not just a head swap, nice little project but you may start straight in after 'weakest link' if you want an early night.

If you've a hoist then should be fine, remove the alt, steering pump will give you a better clearance,

I dropped the engine to do the clutch, at 95kg it's a lightweight beast that always comes out punching above its weight class.

I wouldn't ditch the old engine just yet, what was wrong with that one?

A reworked head? Do you mean valve ports, gas flowed? That should give it some decent kick that the 1.8 deserves

A full quad by past i like your sense of humour. Yes it will be like open heart surgery but i'm sure the patient will pull through.The existing engine bottom end is shot but existing head ok. As for the new one its come from an MGF that had an arguement with a tree and lost.
With regard to the head it was gas flowed and cams were replaced with better/lighter/stronger types plus other work. It was dynoed just before its sad demise at 145hp which should make the freelander a bit more perky.The inlet manifolds have also been tinkered with so hopefully it should be able to pull the skin off a rice pudding once done.
I'll hopefully start it at the weekend with it been a bank holiday and try to get it up and running again(if the weather holds out).So i better scrub myself up and get ready for a busy weekend of spanner welding.
I'll give a post op message after the weekend,now on the hunt for a nice nurse to assist but will probably end up with neolithic mate.

burn it and buy a reliant robin

leaseban:

Fook off Buggered on Bodmin, this is a techie fred.

Beast o Bodmin said:

burn it and buy a reliant robin

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Interesting solution but i think i'll just repair it first,now if you could get a convertible robin maybe. As for the layby love insertion at the bottom of your thread i think you know where you can put that.

Northern Irelander asked
I wouldn't ditch the old engine just yet, what was wrong with that one?

So i thought i'd update you with a picture.
New engine is now in , not finished yet but should be up and running for the weekend.Took the old engine out but left the gearbox in ( so if anyone is thinking of doing this remember to take the bottom pulley off cos it gives you that extra bit of room).
Changed the camshafts over and cam cover plus other bits and bobs.
Had to change the flywheel aswell cos new engine was slightly different but all in all just time consuming.
When shes up and running i'll report back

sure it's only a wee hole

There is another similar thread on this from Clutchdust, the k-series was still running with gaping hole and busted con-rod, not many engines would trundle on:

Edit - piccies are not gone from the original thread, but looked similar http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/things-people-do-their-cars-48465.html