Freelander 1 V6 Engine Replacement

I know! It's so thorough. Gonna follow it very carefully. Thank goodness for YouTube! And the people that made the video - it's exactly what I need!

I also went on their (Atlantic British) website and downloaded a very good Land Rover service schedule guide that was mentioned in the video for novices like myself. Have a look - www.roverparts.com It's a shame they're in America and not here!

Andythedrum said:

Parts ordered. Thermostat in Housing, Thermostat O-Ring, Elbow Pipe and Straight Pipe. £55 delivered. Hopefully have them early next week. I'm definitely going to have to carefully number / name (where I can identify them!) and photograph all the connections. Still can't believe how many there are! Really hope I don't coc* it up!

The one thing that's worrying me the most is when I watched the step-by-step video by British Atlantic, there is a bolt at the back bottom part of the engine. The guy on the video uses a special grabber type tool to place it in then finishes it with a long bar adaptor. I don't have one of those so hope I can get in there and not drop the bolt!

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I had never done anything other then an oil change in a lawmower and a snow blower, and I was able to change the thermostat on my V6 freelander. I gave myself lots of time, labeled every part I disconnected so I knew where it went back in, and I took picture before and after each part removed.

You might want to make sure you get radiator hose pick to get at radiator hoses that are stuck and cannot be removed.

Did you order inlet manifold gaskets? I did mine by removing only removing the front manifold, and I did not even remove the injectors, I slightly moved the complete assembly to the side.

Regards

Zefrench

Thanks Zefrench. It's reassuring to know I'm not in a unique situation of being a novice attempting to take apart the top of my engine! Like you, apart from doing very basic maintenance, I've not done anything like this before. It's a baptism of fire, I'll say! I'm definitely going to take my time with this job.

I need to get some straight long nose pliers for this job and just saw this set on ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3x-11-Ext...814843?hash=item3ab242a37b:g:rhcAAOSwVL1V~8WA and maybe the ones with the bent tip will double up as a radiator hose pick?

I totally forgot about the inlet manifold gaskets until you said. But then again, maybe it's a good thing I've only ordered the bare minimum. Having a dodgy engine anyway I'm not sure how long this repair will last? My head gasket is on it's way out and I'll be buying a replacement engine next week as soon as it's out of the donor car. Maybe I'm crazy even doing this job because of the HGF? Of course I'm going to try and run my Freelander with the new thermostat in place for as long as I can and keep the replacement engine on a pallet ready to go when the time comes.

Thank you all so much for all your input and encouragement. I really appreciate it. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

How do you know the HG is on the way out? If water isn't blowing bubbles in the experience tank, logic says the HG is ok.
Even if the HGs are damaged, a simple head gasket replacement will fix it completely.

Hi Nodge,

Around six months ago, the car was losing more and more coolant and more and more white smoke was coming out of the exhaust. It came to the point where I was embarrassed to stop at traffic lights because it would build up so much that when I pulled away there would be a mahoosive cloud of smoke and it would trail me. It was also losing around a 1 litre of water every 6 miles. The expansion bottle does bubble and boil. The engine is knocking and grumbling. Ironically even though I'm having all these issues, the car has always driven fine.

That's when someone recommend I try K-Seal, which I did and it stopped the white smoke and coolant loss until recently. The engine management light came on and off like a yoyo around a month ago then a couple of weeks later it went off and stayed off. That's when I reckon the thermo housing started to fail and has gotten worse. I've got a feeling that when the K-Seal fixed the gasket, there was such a build up of pressure in the engine that it found the next weakest point to escape from. Now here I am a few weeks later and the expansion bottle won't hold any water because the car is losing it so quickly from the thermo housing.

Someone told me it's not worth doing the head gaskets on these cars because once you open them up, they are a bag of worms. If the liners move, etc. as in they are likely to fail again shortly afterwards hence why I've been looking for a replacement engine instead. I wouldn't want to spend £600 on getting the heads skimmed and gaskets replaced only to go down the same road a couple of months later. At least if I put a replacement engine in, I figure I've got a better chance of making it last?

When I replace the thermostat and it (hopefully) holds, maybe I can drive the car down to you one day so you can see it and drive it and let me know what you think?

Not sure of the wisdom of doing an engine swap but if you decide to go ahead I'd recommend you buy a complete car with the engine you want, there should be plenty of older Rovers and MG's around for small money. I've seen good ones with well under 100k miles going for as little as £600. That way you can confirm the engine is good before going through the pain of a swap. Personally I wouldn't trust a scrap yard to supply one as you have no way of knowing if it's good.

It's a punt I guess. The replacement is going to cost £325 and that includes the inlet manifold and ECU. My existing inlet manifold is broken (making that annoying ticking sounds which gets faster and louder the faster you run the engine) so at least I'd be getting that.

The seller is not a scrappy. He's a private seller who has owned the car for years. It's done 88K miles and the reason he's breaking it is because the gearbox has failed and he hopes to get more by selling it in bits rather than selling the whole car spares or repairs. The engine is still in his car. Running fine. He's going to make a start of harvesting it out on Monday. At least that's what he's told me and I can only hope he's telling the truth.

But anyway I'd have that in reserve and just run the car for as long as I can with this new thermostat fitted. At least I'll have another engine to call upon when I need it. Or if push comes to shove for some reason and I don't end up using it, I can offer it back out for sale.

I wish some of you guys lived closer to me or there were more Freelander enthusiasts in my area!

I am almost sure there are a couple of good mechanics off the Rover MGZT owner club down your way that could help or even fit this engine for you, I will enquire for you if you like Arctic2.

Yes please Arctic2. Although I am hoping Nodge will be able to take a look at it first before having to change it.

I personally wouldn't be changing an engine with an unknown to me engine. It's a considerable financial and time investment, just to change it for fun.
When I did my engine change, I'd already rebuilt the engine I was fitting so the possibility of wasted time and money was minimal. There's nothing particularly difficult when changing the head gaskets while the engine is on a stand. There's lots of bad press about these engines and there difficulty to repair. Most of this is scaremongering or people doing the work badly.
It's an engine, not a metal lump of black magic!!

Try telling the local fitters that! I really don't understand the negativity towards these engines. Like you said - it's an engine. Then again I guess it's easier for them to say no and do easier jobs and earn money that way.

So in that case, I don't have many options. If you look at it from my shoes, I'm not experienced enough to take the engine apart and repair it and rebuild it myself. No local garage / fitter is prepared to help me (for money that is, I'm not asking anyone to do anything for free. I would be a paying customer, just like anyone else) so if I run into trouble again after this thermostat is fitted, I have no option other than to swap the engines over and hope the replacement is a good one. If not, I have to put it down to experience and sell / scrap the car as is. I need this car to care for a Horse. I bought it so I could better serve him and get up to the farm.. To deliver food and bedding. I used to use a 54 plate Skoda Superb to get up there but the track wrecked the suspension. I kept having to buy link arms and track rod ends every two months or so. I can't afford a newer 4 x 4 so I'm trying to get this back on the road to the best of my ability.



Thank you all for your help so far. I don't want to get anyone's back up. Have a nice weekend.

Andythedrum said:

Try telling the local fitters that! I really don't understand the negativity towards these engines. Like you said - it's an engine. Then again I guess it's easier for them to say no and do easier jobs and earn money that way.

So in that case, I don't have many options. If you look at it from my shoes, I'm not experienced enough to take the engine apart and repair it and rebuild it myself. No local garage / fitter is prepared to help me (for money that is, I'm not asking anyone to do anything for free. I would be a paying customer, just like anyone else) so if I run into trouble again after this thermostat is fitted, I have no option other than to swap the engines over and hope that the replacement is a good one. If not, I have have to put it down to experience and sell / scrap the car as is. I do need this car by the way. I can't afford a newer 4 x 4 so I'm trying to get this back on the road to the best of my ability.

Thank you all for your help so far. I don't want to get anyone back up. Have a nice weekend.

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There was a time, and possibly still is, where the risk of sequential HGF was so great that few garages and certainly dealers wouldn't touch the K or KV6 engines as the warranty could make the work untenable. They would only fit factory new complete engines.

The Mad Hat Man said:

There was a time, and possibly still is, where the risk of sequential HGF was so great that few garages and certainly dealers wouldn't touch the K or KV6 engines as the warranty could make the work untenable. They would only fit factory new complete engines.

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Exactly, I would want £800 plus parts and another engine to even attempt this, after doing a R75 I know that if there is any Neanderthal who has butchered anything it makes it more difficult.

I would suggest a kv6 swap isn't a first try for a novice.

I'm surprised those deluded souls that think K series are the dogs haven't lined up to do the job for beer tokens

Thanks for your honesty.

If your looking for the cheapest option it would probably be sell the car as spares/repairs and buy something else, there are lots of cars that will do the job including other Freelanders.

Andythedrum said:

Yes please Arctic2. Although I am hoping Nodge will be able to take a look at it first before having to change it.

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I have asked a couple of guys and put out a help required no one as come forward as of yet sorry.

Thanks Arctic2. Looks like I'm on my own with this. Thanks again anyway.

I'd love to take a look but it's difficult with you so far away.
I'd be happy to replace the head gaskets on a perspective new engine if you can get it too me. I could then put on everything that is needed like the timing belts and thermostat. Then you'll know that the engine will be worth fitting.