I weighed the pros and cons and bit the bullet on a brand new rebuilt engine for my Disco. While it cost more than the KBB value of the truck, This is a vehicle I intend to keep for a few years yet and I do enjoy driving it.
Atlantic British's engine is supposed to fix all the problems Rover built into the 4.6.. so hopefully I can get my money's worth out of the deal.. because an $8000.00 engine is a bit eyewatering
My first reaction was "Holy crap!",but I suppose that's no worse than any number of crate engines from other manufacturers. I don't love any of my vehicles that much though.
Yikes. The 330hp 350 ho gm crate engine in my camper was like 3k, but SBCs are super cheap.
Don't let anyone try to convince you to have buyers remorse
No junkyard swap? What's become of GRM?
Seriously though, doing it right keeps it driving right.
Thats steep. I've built a couple dozen Rover V8s over the years. Basic rebuild on a 4.6 should be around $2-3K. That is if you take it out and drop it off at the machine shop yourself. Obviously if you pay someone else, or you actually broke something in there, the price goes up fast. 8K will get you a 300HP plus stroker with forged internals, big valve heads, and a roller lifters. The last basic rebuild I did was on a 4.0. Short block was $1200 plus gaskets and new rod bolts. Heads were another $450. Machinist provided new rings, rod bearings, main bearings, and cam bearings. With cam and cometic head gaskets, I was into the complete engine for around $2200. You can pick up junkyard 4.0s for around $500 and 4.6s for around $1500. Here is a link to the shop that did the work. He's done at least 100 Rover V8s. http://precisionengine.net/
Exactly which rover engine weaknesses are fixed, and how? $8k sounds like a lot of upgrades, considering how much engine that cash would buy in the domestic V8 world.
the 4.6 drops liners and has issues with oilpump alignment. Not to mention all the other problems that go with using worn out machining tools as Rover was basically broke when they built the Disco2 and could not afford to replace them.
My engine dropped a liner. In looking over the paperwork I got when I bought it, it had already been to the shop for a headgasket (which was one of the reasons I bought it!) so obviously that liner had been dropped or dropping for a while. The new engine has "top hat" liners that keep that from happening ever again.
BTW.. I kinda lied about the price in looking at my quote. I get $1200 of it back for the core.. so more or less a 7grand engine with a 1 year unlimited mileage warrenty
$7k goes a long way toward an LS1 swap, but I can appreciate wanting the plug and play option :)
With an LS, you have some clearance issues with the front axle which isn't a great idea with stock suspension heights. Raised suspension clears easier, but you still lose flex. Fine if it is a mall crawler, but not good if you do take it off road.
JThw8 wrote: $7k goes a long way toward an LS1 swap, but I can appreciate wanting the plug and play option :)
true.. but try getting that through inspection. I may use it for towing my boat, but it is also my daily so it has to be kept legal
Is the rest of the truck solid? I know my early RR basically broke around the drive train. Everything electrical, rust, general crappiness.
I've always wanted one of the Camel Trophy Discos and wondered about general build quality of the rest of the truck.
Come on guys, not every one has the time or resources to rebuild an engine. He needs it for his DD so time off the road will be a factor. If it's the right choice for him, why worry?
As a rover technician, I'm super excited about the top hat sleeves. The short block I installed from the dealer didn't have that.
There's a minimum cost for a well-built engine, regardless of what it is. You pay for good parts and a pro's time. $7k for an engine built by the specialists isn't out of line at all. Heck, it'll cost you that much for a classic Mini engine, a crate LS3 or an FM-built BP.
JThw8 wrote: $7k goes a long way toward an LS1 swap, but I can appreciate wanting the plug and play option :)
Trouble is, with an LS1 you also have to factor in the costs of the drive train components that you'll be blowing up in short order after installing the engine.
mad_machine wrote: true.. but try getting that through inspection.
This seems to be something so quickly ignored during swap or conversion discussions. I know inspections are hit/miss in NJ, but in SE PA, swapping a non-OE engine into anything that might need to pass OBDII will be tricky.
I know a couple of guys that were former rover techs and still work on them, they did one of those upgraded blocks only to find it needed additional machining to be usable.
They have this notion of a GMv6 swap, I would think the V8 would be the better choice but they worry about how to keep the bcm and other crappy electronic happy, I keep insisting it can be done but I'm no rover guy and don't desire to be. I'm sure a GRM'r could figure it out.
So sounds like those of you who can build an equivalent engine for 2-3k can make up to a 5k profit selling those engines to rover owners.
Seems like good business.
Also if you can do an LS swap to DD standards in a rover with brand new engine reliability for 8k you probably will have all the work you can handle.
nocones wrote: So sounds like those of you who can build an equivalent engine for 2-3k can make up to a 5k profit selling those engines to rover owners. Seems like good business. Also if you can do an LS swap to DD standards in a rover with brand new engine reliability for 8k you probably will have all the work you can handle.
I didn't know Disco II owners bought crate engines. I just thought they bought 4-5 more Discos to use as backups. 
Seriously, just joking. I've spend what most considered crazy money on a vehicle repair too....many many times.
4.0s and 4.6s are known for slipped liners. Around $100 a piece to replace them with new press in non top hat liners. Top hats require machining pockets in the top of the block to receive the top hat. More work more money. Make sure the block is pressure tested for internal cracks around the liners before and after the hats are installed. The problem with doing a swap of any other kind of engine is the weird bell housing pattern on the back of the Rover V8. Really isn't an easy way to install a LS1 and still use all of the rest of the drivetrain. Now on a MGB or a TR8, thats a different story. Finding a complete LS1 and T56 is actually cheaper than finding a Rover V8, 5 speed, and all of the other stuff you need to make it fit.
Any time you re-engineer a factory piece, it's gonna cost some mo-mo. That's some major block machining going on there. As mentioned above, there's an awful lot of testing to be done once the piece is machined. I would imagine there were some other premium parts installed as well. Was the engine balanced? Is there a stroker crank involved? What are you using for a cam? $6,800 seems reasonable for that particular engine.
tr8todd wrote: Now on a MGB or a TR8, thats a different story. Finding a complete LS1 and T56 is actually cheaper than finding a Rover V8, 5 speed, and all of the other stuff you need to make it fit.
Bwahh haa haa! That's pretty funny <- the guy who put an LS1 and T56 in an MGB.
tr8todd wrote: Thats steep. I've built a couple dozen Rover V8s over the years. Basic rebuild on a 4.6 should be around $2-3K. That is if you take it out and drop it off at the machine shop yourself. Obviously if you pay someone else, or you actually broke something in there, the price goes up fast. 8K will get you a 300HP plus stroker with forged internals, big valve heads, and a roller lifters. The last basic rebuild I did was on a 4.0. Short block was $1200 plus gaskets and new rod bolts. Heads were another $450. Machinist provided new rings, rod bearings, main bearings, and cam bearings. With cam and cometic head gaskets, I was into the complete engine for around $2200. You can pick up junkyard 4.0s for around $500 and 4.6s for around $1500. Here is a link to the shop that did the work. He's done at least 100 Rover V8s. http://precisionengine.net/
$8k for a stroker with forged parts that only makes 300hp?
yeah, i think i'll keep playing with American V8 powered cars and trucks..
300 hp for a compact 250-cube pushrod engine designed in 1961 as a 215 cubic inch engine is OK for a daily that hasn't been produced in anywhere near the volume of American V-8s.
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