Picked up a broken 99 D2 for 1300.00.

[david despain]

That means nothing other than it sat long enough without running to separate. Milkshake is a colloid, just like salad dressing. Let it sit long enough and it ends up in layers again.

A nice Lucas vinaigrette, if you will.

 

[David Harris]

That means nothing other than it sat long enough without running to separate. Milkshake is a colloid, just like salad dressing. Let it sit long enough and it ends up in layers again.

Good point.

 

[David Harris]

Found the cause of the problem, and it isn't the timing chain. Cylinders 5 and 7 are scored and cylinder 5 has a piece of the ring broken off. Pieces of both pistons are missing too. The engine turns over with difficulty. The heads and gaskets look fine, but the lower head bolts were all quite loose on both sides.

Again, there was coolant in the oil, but I'm not sure if the damage was caused by loss of oil pressure or overheating, etc. I'm going to pull the block disassemble it and pressure check to see if there is a crack or slipped liner.

 

[Daryl]

I'm going to pull the block disassemble it and pressure check to see if there is a crack or slipped liner.

Why? It's done. You can't get the parts and machine work you need for that motor anywhere close to the cost of a good quality low mileage salvage motor. Before you put it in change the rear main, water pump and head gaskets (and install a head stud kit), throw it in the truck and keep or sell the spare parts from the leftover wreck of a motor.

Not to mention the fact that block pressure testing is presumptive. If it fails you know if failed. If it doesn't fail it doesn't mean it's good, it just means it didn't fail. Many of these, including a block I have sitting in my shop right now, only fail at temperature.

 

[David Harris]

I read you, Daryl. From what I've read, there seem to be a higher percentage of slipped liners on cylinders 5 & 7, the very cylinders that are blown on mine.

I've been thinking it over more and I may go with your suggestion, but I'm really hesitant to install a salvage motor because I may end up with the very same or another problem with that one too. I like the idea of spending more to send the block off to be top hatted and machined, then rebuild it. Then again, the 4.6 option interests me as well. Any opinions out there as to weather the 4.6 is an inherently weaker engine due to increased stresses from the longer stroke in a block which was originally a 3.5L?

 

[David Harris]

Traded for a used GEMS 4.6. Picking it up this weekend. I'm going to convert this over to Bosch. While I'm at it, I'm going to install new head gaskets and rebuild the heads. I was thinking of doing the cam and timing chain too. Any suggestions on a good cam for the 4.6 Bosch?

 

[David Harris]

Pulled the 4.6 apart and found out that it is actually a 4.0 block built with the guts from a 4.6. Proceeded to pressure check the block and lo and behold, got bubbles from the edge of the #4 sleeve. All the other cylinders were OK. So, it's a no go on this block, but I do have everything to build a 4.6.

I talked with Mark at D&D and have decided to have him top hat the block for me. Then I'll rebuild the whole thing and be good to go.

Thinking of this as a winter project now. . .

 

[ZG]

Hopefully you have a good MAF for the GEMS, because that's a $2k piece

 

[David Harris]

Hopefully you have a good MAF for the GEMS, because that's a $2k piece

Converting the GEMS to a Bosch for my D2.

 

[psykokid]

Aren't the GEMS 4.0 and 4.6 blocks the same, just different internals?

 

[David Harris]

Aren't the GEMS 4.0 and 4.6 blocks the same, just different internals?

Yes. Only the serial number differentiates them.

 

[ZG]

Converting the GEMS to a Bosch for my D2.

Nice! I only read the last page so I didn't see that informatioN!

 

[David Harris]

Replace timing cover or not?

I'm replacing the blown 4.0 with a 4.6 and am wondering if I should swap the original timing cover over after inspecting the oil pump gears, or just replace the entire thing? My main concern is posts warning of stuck oil pressure relief valves from bad engine overheats, which this one experienced before I bought it. Can I just pull the oil pressure relief spring and check the bore, etc, or what? What would you all do on this?

Thanks,

David

 

[proper4wd]

You can buy a new oil pump assy for the front cover, I would just check to make sure its bore is not scored or overly worn.

Depending how much you are investing though, a $600 front cover assy may not be a bad idea. But I will say that the quality of all the recent "new" Rover V8 cast parts is certainly questionable...