I just need more time to finish it. I'm preparing the Chevy engine now and the photos here show how I took the distributor apart and eliminated the rotor and cap with wires since I'm using the Rovers ignition and electrical system. I can still use the cam/crank sensor part as noted by the wiring.

Decided to take the transmission out since I simply cannot get the torque converter in place due to the floating splines in there. Have read where its doable but mostly unsuccessful.

I have a lot of spare time in the next week and maybe I'll get the engine mounted. Then its on to the exhaust, wiring etc.

Sunday 9-21-14 Removed transmission and installed the bell housing, torque converter and mounted it to the engine. Guess my measurements worked since it all bolted together perfectly.

The challenge is going to be installing the engine with the trans with its long shaft coming out the rear. The whole thing is about 5 ft. long which is about the room I have. Might have to take off the water pump on the chevy engine if I need more room. Will give it a shot sometime this week and post.

 

Kind of a steep angle to get it in and since I was by myself all the way I tied one end of a ratchet strap to the trans and the other to a cross member. Then I cranked it down but had to stop and remove the recently installed water pump to give me clearance between the hoist and engine.

Getting the transmission spline into the transfer case which likes to flop around took lots of trips up and down. Would have been easier with others to move the hoist when necessary but wasn't an option here.

Waiting for mounts from Marks4W in Australia I have it hanging on the hoist. Meanwhile I hooked up the trans fluid lines and am mounting the ignition from the Rover. Can't mount it behind the engine as room prevents it but will mount it somewhere in the engine compartment and extend the ignition wires.

Theres a lot of other stuff to do and as one of the photos show, the Rovers injector wiring plugs right into the chevy's

 

Great series, keep it coming!

I have a few questions: What is the blue stuff on the front of the motor, is that where the distributor was removed, but you are retaining the chevy crank angle sensor?

Also, going back to your first post, does your sleeve with the setscrews replace the "Crankshaft adaptor" in Mark's kit? I'm just a little confused on what you are doing different than him. The description on his webapge makes it sound like he is going:

Chevy "flywheel" --> adaptor --> Rover Flexplate --> Rover TC --> ZF trans

 

why does the bell-housing not fit the block correctly at the top in the picture.
could it be that the adapter is for a BOP (buick,olds,pontiac) or is that a new LS engine?
or is the adapter is for older small blocks?

 

Hello,

You are correct, the blue stuff is simply gasket sealer/maker which I used to seal a plastic cover on the open hole of the chevy distributor to keep dirt out of the crank sensor. I thought about it and have since changed the cover to aluminum as I don't know how the plastic will hold up to engine temperatures. I know certain plastics will but just not sure about an apple sauce lid.

Regarding the sleeve or bushing with set screws, it does indeed replace the Marks adapter. The difference with his is that his adapter which when bolted onto the chevy crank will require a shorter torque converter be purchased from some earlier year of Rover. I had no luck in finding them as the bone yards always sell them with the transmission and being older they are about extinct.

The solution was to simply make a bushing for the nose of the torque converter to sit into. It only acts as an alignment bushing and since everything turns together it should be a great solution.

With the thickness of the engine to bell housing adapter which is about 15mm thick, you have to make up for it somehow and without a shorter torque converter like Marks says you need. I took the bell housing to a local machine shop and had them take off 30,000th of an inch.

That distance and with the bushing, those numbers allowed for a perfect fit with about 1/16th of an inch clearance for the torque converter to slide into the flywheel.

 

Hi drowssap

Thats just how the chevy is made. I made the adapter myself and its the shape of what is needed to fit.

I think the confusion lies in the Marks4WD adapter which have a couple extra holes at the top according to the pictures on their web site. I figure theirs is just a universal type and very well could be for the other GM's you mentioned.

I think my engine is called an L99 but I know its a smaller HP version of the 350 they made in 95 and put in the Caprice models.

Interesting a couple of weeks ago I called Advanced Auto Parts to get a starter and told the clerk I wanted a starter for a 4.3L Chevy V8. He quickly responded that the 4.3 was a V6 and Chevy didn't make a V8 in that size. I told him that we would make that his secret and after some arguing I simply asked for someone else who found it. Funny

 

So the engine is using a chevy flexplate and inserts right into the splines on the rover (ZF) torque converter? If so, sounds like your solution is actually simpler than Mark's 4WD, even though it doesn't look as fancy.

Could you explain a bit more on the transmission control? Does the transmission require an ECU input or is it hydraulic control? Did you have to do anything to adapt it to work with the Chevy?

 

The project isn't done yet and won't be until next summer as I live in Florida from October until May.

Answering your 2nd question first, I did some preliminary tests of the transmission last year and with all sensors disconnected, it shifted fine.

I have a friend who will make the trans work if there are any issues. He is a automotive computer type and will adjust or program what I need when needed. I will advise what is necessary in a full step-by-step report when the project is finished.

About the chevy flexplate; The front of the torque converter (which is not splined) slides into a larger opening in the rear of the chevy crankshaft. The bushing just makes up the difference and makes a great alignment tool.

As far as Marks 4WD goes, Their kit is nice and designed to be a bolt together project but I couldn't find the torque converter they recommended. The one thing I had to do which was a bit strange is to use the Rovers original torque converter and make up the distances by having the bell housing milled.

 

Using the Rovers Ignition System I don't have the option of putting it in the back of the Chevy engine. Hell, their ain't enough room to put it behind the Rover engine but that's epidemic.

My solution was to make an angle bracket and mount it on the right hand firewall. Not wanting to drill into what appears to be the back end of the heater core or part of the A/C system, I utilized bolts that hold that stuff in.

I made an extension "white wires" for the module which originates from the harness on the other side of the vehicle and will make up my own long wires for the left hand bank of spark plugs.

I think if I ever get another regular Rover I'll change it this way!

 

You eliminated the Opticrapper!! I'm impressed, I hated that thing on the 'ol LT1.


I always thought the caprice had the 5.7L (maybe it was an option?), but no mistaking that intake manifold and water pump, that's right off the LT1, I've made quite an offering of scuffed flesh and blood to the Pontiac gods over one of those on my '94 Firebird.

That Optispark distributor was a sweet idea, but poorly implemented, it would have been worse on a rover as wading through any creek would undoubtedly get water through the weep hole and into your distributor.


In my case, it was the weep hold of the water pump just above leaking into the weep hold of the distributor and causing a bunch of misfires.


Ah, just like the Disco, I loved that ol' F-body..


Awesome project, I hope it succeeds, as I don't like the idea of dumping $5k for a pinned rover 4.0L that still might have a cracked block in the future.