proper4wd
Expedition Leader
Guys... the issues revolving around the Rover V8 reliability in the DII platform has been pretty well hashed out.
This engine was designed in the late 1950's, and received updates along the way over the course of the next 50 years that it was in service.
By the late 90's, the design had been pushed to the limit by tightening emissions regulations. In an effort to extend the lifespan of the engine platform, engineers did things like... lean out the mixture, increase operating temp, advance timing to the limit... all in order to get the old *reliable* engine to pass modern emissions while delivering acceptable performance (215hp and 300tq in the last versions)
This had the consequence of decreasing the service life of the engine in use. It was being run on the ragged edge of emissions vs. performance vs. reliability.
Place an engine like this into a vehicle that was (let's admit it) largely a soccer-mom transport, and it's a recipe for disaster.
Now, couple all of this with the fact that all blocks built by LR were "graded" on a quality scale. The brand, understandably, designated the grade-A parts for the flagship Range Rover. The grade-B parts went to the Discovery.
So, the best thing that you might be able to do with a Discovery II is rebuild the engine back to GEMS or 14CUX spec, install a colder thermostat, and maintain the hell out of it. Rover V8's used to be known for going 200, 250, 300 thousand miles with proper care and when operated within the originally intended operating range.
This engine was designed in the late 1950's, and received updates along the way over the course of the next 50 years that it was in service.
By the late 90's, the design had been pushed to the limit by tightening emissions regulations. In an effort to extend the lifespan of the engine platform, engineers did things like... lean out the mixture, increase operating temp, advance timing to the limit... all in order to get the old *reliable* engine to pass modern emissions while delivering acceptable performance (215hp and 300tq in the last versions)
This had the consequence of decreasing the service life of the engine in use. It was being run on the ragged edge of emissions vs. performance vs. reliability.
Place an engine like this into a vehicle that was (let's admit it) largely a soccer-mom transport, and it's a recipe for disaster.
Now, couple all of this with the fact that all blocks built by LR were "graded" on a quality scale. The brand, understandably, designated the grade-A parts for the flagship Range Rover. The grade-B parts went to the Discovery.
So, the best thing that you might be able to do with a Discovery II is rebuild the engine back to GEMS or 14CUX spec, install a colder thermostat, and maintain the hell out of it. Rover V8's used to be known for going 200, 250, 300 thousand miles with proper care and when operated within the originally intended operating range.