The rebuild starts!

**Loco** · 20-11-11, 08:36 PM

Hi all,
Finally got around to starting my rebuild. I've decided to just tune the 3.5 for now, giving it a top end rebuild, eddy carb, uprated cam, cmpression increase, etc.

So we spent this afternoon stripping the engine down, ready to take it out. Looks like it needed doing as I took some compression readings before and they vary quite a lot (this is with a cold engine):

1: 146psi/ 10.1 bar
2: 148psi/ 10.1bar
3: 139psi / 9.8 bar
4: 158psi / 10.8 bar
5: 150psi / 10.3 bar
6: 161psi / 11.1bar
7: 151psi / 10.4 bar
8: 151 psi /10.4 bar

Hopefully the bores will be ok when I get to them, and the variance in compression isn't down to worn rings, etc.

There were a few annoyances: the bolts holding the water pump on were rather rusty and three of them sheared off. Should be able to get new ones, but still a pain all the same.

More annoying is I broke what I believe what could be the oil pressure sender. I think when the exhaust manifold came loose it dropped on to it and sheared the bolt. Do you recognise this part? Where can I get a new one? What's confusing me is what the four white cables do in the third picture:

PB201729.JPG PB201730.JPG PB201731.JPG

Cheers

**Loco** · 25-11-11, 11:55 AM

Edit:

spoke to mark at real steel who helped me out. Looks like the previous owner reused some adaptor. Need a 1/8 npt to 1/2 unf adaptor to fit the sender directly in. Something liek this: http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p3...duct_info.html

think I should put ptfe tape on the threads?

Cheers

**wilf** · 25-11-11, 12:33 PM

Don't use ptfe tape on oil pressure senders. They need the electrical connection to the block to work, and utilise taper threads which don't need sealants anyway.

**Loco** · 15-12-11, 10:14 PM

Finally stopped umming and erring over this one - ordered a coscast 4.6 with stage 3 heads from RPI. Can't wait to get my hands on it!

FYI in case some didn't know - coscasts are no longer in production, and RPI at this time have *one* block remaining (at a cost!). Mine was from a P38 Chris had supplied in the past that has 20k miles on it. It's due mid to late january, so I need to get cracking with all the other bits in preparation!

**Loco** · 20-12-11, 09:10 PM

Ok, so I need to take the front cover off the current engine for RPI to build the new engine. Not going too too well - I've snapped an adaptor for the fuel pressure sensor off inside the cover, and also had a couple of rusty bolts that were holding on the water pump sheer off, so I'm going to need to somehow drill them out when I finally get the front cover off. The latest issue is getting the crank pulley off which is being a feind - I think I'm going to have to take the engine out and give it some heat to get it off. More joy to come.

Also, in preparation, I've been looking into the rest of the setup to see what needs doing. First bit of bad news is I appear to have a facet fuel pump, which by what I've read online is generally pants and isn't going to be up to the job. What's recommended? The holley red?

Pic of the offending pump:
Fuel pump.jpg

Thanks in advance!

**dingocooke** · 20-12-11, 09:32 PM

Carter.....

**Loco** · 02-01-12, 08:57 PM

Ok - I've made some progress over the last few days and have got the engine and gearbox out and started taking bits apart. Suprised I didn't have any problems: the timing chains is loose as hell, there wasn't a thermostat which explained why it took a week to warm the engine up and the wiring behind the dash is horrific!

yuck.JPG

So while I'm waiting for the engine to come down I'm going to have to spend a lot of evenings getting the wiring up to scratch. I've got a decent 'blade' fuse box, so will transfer the circuits to it systematically, tracing them all out and making them good as I go along (replacing connectors with solder/heat shrunk joints, replacing switches, etc).

First question: I've been seeing a lot of threads about keeping the Rover v8 cool I'm going to have a 74C thermostat and a 88-83 thermostatic switch on the radiator (am I correct in saying this should be in the top hose coming from the hot engine?). My radiator measures ~620 x 320 x 45mm (ie 2 x 1ft x 1") which seams a little small - is this going to be sufficient to cool a moderately tuned 4.6L Rover V8? It has a single 12" fan with a cowl that covers probably 2/3 of the rad area.

Finally, there's a rather horrible plastic 'bearing' that is used to clamp the steering column in place to the chassis. It was loose, so I could just tighten it up, but do you know where I could get an altenative or direct replacement for one of these? Steering column diameter is 14mm:
PC311863.JPG P1021867.JPG

Thanks, all!

**Purple AK** · 02-01-12, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by Loco

Ok - I've made some progress over the last few days and have got the engine and gearbox out and started taking bits apart. Suprised I didn't have any problems: the timing chains is loose as hell, there wasn't a thermostat which explained why it took a week to warm the engine up and the wiring behind the dash is horrific!

yuck.JPG

So while I'm waiting for the engine to come down I'm going to have to spend a lot of evenings getting the wiring up to scratch. I've got a decent 'blade' fuse box, so will transfer the circuits to it systematically, tracing them all out and making them good as I go along (replacing connectors with solder/heat shrunk joints, replacing switches, etc).

First question: I've been seeing a lot of threads about keeping the Rover v8 cool I'm going to have a 74C thermostat and a 88-83 thermostatic switch on the radiator (am I correct in saying this should be in the top hose coming from the hot engine?). My radiator measures ~620 x 320 x 45mm (ie 2 x 1ft x 1") which seams a little small - is this going to be sufficient to cool a moderately tuned 4.6L Rover V8? It has a single 12" fan with a cowl that covers probably 2/3 of the rad area.

Finally, there's a rather horrible plastic 'bearing' that is used to clamp the steering column in place to the chassis. It was loose, so I could just tighten it up, but do you know where I could get an altenative or direct replacement for one of these? Steering column diameter is 14mm:
PC311863.JPG P1021867.JPG

Thanks, all!

Something like this would be better SBPP202 Pressed Steel Pillow Block Housing with 15mm Insert Simply Bearings Ltd

**Loco** · 12-01-12, 10:24 PM

That's a brilliant idea- thanks! I'll reinforce the flimsy bracket at the same time to stiffen up the steering.

Any opinions on the radiator size? My rough maths figures <9L of capacity, tops. I *think* looking around a sierra rad that other people use may be up to 13 litres in size...

**Loco** · 18-01-12, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by Loco

Any opinions on the radiator size? My rough maths figures <9L of capacity, tops. I *think* looking around a sierra rad that other people use may be up to 13 litres in size...

OK, I've decided to fit a new radiator for two reasons: one) there was a load of rust and crud in the cooling system when I took it apart, I'm pretty sure the rad is going to be clogged up and not working efficiently. Two: I'm pretty convinced it's not big enough:

P1151898.JPG

As you can see from above, I've got my work cut out for me. Tomorrow I start building a whole new loom for the car from scratch. There are also messy bits that need tidying up, little rusty bolts, etc. That horrible thermostatic switch needs to go too.

Simple question: what's the biggest, reasonably priced radiator that'll fit into the MK2 Sumo? I can weld on mounting lugs to the chassis or whatever, and all the hoses are going to be replaced, so it's just a question of what will fit in there. I read the Sierra Diesel rad is used in the MK3 - is this a good model to use? Don't appear to be too easy to get hold of, however.

Thanks in advance.