V8 coolant loss. asking for trouble?

Hi everyone

I have seen a tidy Disco 2 for sale but it is loosing coolant through suspected slipped liner.

If i go for it I will probably just take the engine out and replace it with one from a rotten disco instead. However just wanted to see if these slipped liners is a common problem and is there anything i can do to the replacement engine to prevent it from happening again.

With the engine swap am i asking for trouble with electrics etc, i am pretty good mechaincally but hearing of the electrical problems with disco 2 has me a little worried.

Also how long do you reckon would take to swap the engine over, I have got big tool set engine crane etc and it will be two of us who do it we are both quite competent with home mechanics.

Thanks for advice in advance everyone.

its a 4.0 in a disco with plenty of electrics not the same as the old discos, that being said you could easily wire in an older engine

as to liners not unless you buy a top hat block

Thanks for the info if i swap it i will go like for like so a 4.0 out of a disco 2, so hope would go in without too much electical wizardry.

I have had a look at the top hat block and to be honest makes it to expensive for me. I am half thinking it will be worth just taking the risk with a replacement good engine as plenty of v8 still running around without the issue.

prevent it from happening again? Yes, don't let the engine over heat.

The D1 V8 electrics won't run in the D2, and while most of the basic engine is the same as the D2, the crankshaft flywheel pickup is at a different PCD in the block, so you'll need to change the pickup mounting, which is TIG welded in place and dowelled. The correct housing for the Thor pickup is EIQ100020, and includes the studs and dowel.

Ours is a D1 V8 short engine that we fitted into a D2, we modded the pickup and it has been fine.

I'm always told that the V8 liners are dry and located on steps in the block, so where does the water come from if the liner slips, how does the liner slip, and if there is no coolant at the block/head interface other than at each end, how do you get water out of there?

I don't know how much is myth and how much is true, but it seems there is a lot of info that is not true going around.

Peter

Surely the electrics don't matter as you can run a hotwire off 5 wires or something like that so a few relays etc and job done

If i do it i will not be getting the older 3.9 engine from a D1 it will be a replacement 4.0 from a D2 so would assume the engine electrics will plug straight in.

Be very careful,there are plenty of them with unexplained coolant loss.They are a poor engine in old age and the repair with stepped liners is an expensive option.It is however the only way to sort them out.The block often cracks behind the liner,coolant then creeps up the back of the liner into the combustion chamber when the engine is stopped.It then causes a short period of misfiring on start up.During running the coolant is forced back and the hoses are rock hard.
If the middle cylinders on each bank have rusty tips to the ends of the spark plugs in the moring after an overnight stop,you can be fairly sure of a cracked block. Coolant should only be present at either end of each head so rusty plug tips could be a head gasket issue.(Not uncommon)
Slipped liners are a different issue in my experience,they rely on an interference fit in the block which isn't always the case - they work loose.I have taken apart engines like this which knock badly,esp at low revs when hot.With the sump off you could see the liner move up and down when moving the crank back and forth.There is no coolant loss or pressure issue in most of these cases.
The stepped liner cure is costly because of the skills needed to accurately machine the block and fit the liners.It is a good repair though,because the head gasket can seal against the top of the liner,(Which it couldn't before) so any coolant coming up the back of the liner from a cracked or porus block cant get any further.
If you want a DII as a DIY job,yo are far better off with a TD5,which although is fairly complex to rebuild,if done properly its a far cheaper car to run with much higher residual value.I recently bought a very smart v8 DII with cracked block for £600,removed or swapped various parts,(To go on my TD5( and sold it on for the same amount to a breaker.
Nobody was willing to spend the money to fix it.Without a Decent LPG system they have very high fuel costs,and with it they need extra expensive servicing.Or you could buy a Mig welder and keep a simple 200/300TDI going for very little long term cost with probably the best 4wd engines ever.....

Errr "they have very high fuel costs"..... with what V8 engine vehicle are you are comparing.

discool said:

Errr "they have very high fuel costs"..... with what V8 engine vehicle are you are comparing.

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An MGB GT V8 with the original 3.5 low compression RV8 on twin SU's will do 30mpg on a run! (I've had 5 of 'em over the years!) Although that drops to about 24-26mpg with a 4 barrel Webber carb.
Mind you... they do weigh a gnats whisker less than a ton!

discool said:

Errr "they have very high fuel costs"..... with what V8 engine vehicle are you are comparing.

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None in particular,just that most people are unwilling to feed them - that and the poor reputation of the 94mm bore v8 Rovers lead to poor residual values.Not my idea,nor my problem,I only fix the crap.

Thanks for the advice everyone, think i will stay away from that one then which is a shame as looks a really tidy motor apart from the coolant issues. I was hoping it would just be a engine out new one in job but after speaking to a mate whos a landrover specialists reckons its a pig of a job to get the engine out.

Maybe i should just stick with my solid 300tdi and be drive it till it dies.

OK, so V8 engine fuel cost are higher than four cylinder petrol engines and even diesel engines what ever the amount cylinders they have, that's logical is it not.
(any one in the forum that has a V12 engine vehicle wish to comment)

Most people drive Ford Fiesta's according to the newspapers as it the best selling car, which I think is a shame. ,

fergusontom said:

Thanks for the advice everyone, think i will stay away from that one then which is a shame as looks a really tidy motor apart from the coolant issues. I was hoping it would just be a engine out new one in job but after speaking to a mate whos a landrover specialists reckons its a pig of a job to get the engine out.

Maybe i should just stick with my solid 300tdi and be drive it till it dies.

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Maybe...but only if you don't have the basic DIY mechanical skills to look after the basic of engines.

U could drive both and then make up your mind.

discool said:

OK, so V8 engine fuel cost are higher than four cylinder petrol engines and even diesel engines what ever the amount cylinders they have, that's logical is it not.
(any one in the forum that has a V12 engine vehicle wish to comment)

Most people drive Ford Fiesta's according to the newspapers as it the best selling car, which I think is a shame. ,

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Yep,good logic. I walk to work,use a Suzuki Alto for school runs,collecting customers LR's etc.My Discovery stays in the shed unless its going firewooding,towing or carrying 7 people.You don't need a 2 plus ton 4wd for most transport jobs,esp one that uses so much fuel.

Exactly, one bases their out goings to their income, don't they?

But then we V8 owners often see this style of comment "they have very high fuel costs" well of course V8 do they have more cylinders for Christ sake .It's a shame the commentators don't compare like for like.


Perhaps we should now return to the topic

My V8 in my disco gets just shy of 20mpg.... That's only 7 behind a Tdi and petrol is cheaper....