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I figure I actually have something to show so I might as well start a thread. 2003 disco with about 150k on the clock. Pretty good shape overall besides an engine that sounds like a diesel. I've always liked the discovery but I have also always likes gm engines. I made a deal with my buddy to get a nice gm truck with a 5.3 and all the goods with about 150k on the clock. It just had a little engine fire, but luckily a new harness was included in the deal.
Updates- GM engine is almost pulled. I ran into snow and decided to wait for slightly better weather unless I get really bored. I also ordered my ace swap kit.
Much more fun to come.
Last edited by Karmakannon; Mar 7, 2022 at 12:26 PM.
Bad news/ good news/ just news
The back two cylinders looked nasty like someone used water to put out the fire instead of an extinguisher. I ran a hone over it and it isn't going to clean up. Looks like a bore is needed. I'll order some flat top 4.8 pistons and get it to the machine shop. The main bearings don't look bad, but I'll replace them and hand polish the crank. The rod bearings look rough and I will replace those too. The cam bearings may or may not fly. I need to inspect them a bit more. Good thing I have a cam bearing tool!
Heads don't look bad. I'll lap the valves and do a gas pour check on them and all should be good. I need to clean the valves and replace the springs with some ls3 springs anyway to work with the higher lift cam. New seals of course.
Tldr engine isn't as clean as the miles would lead me to believe and as clean as I'd hoped, but it makes raising the compression easy enough and I'll have a completely fresh 5.3.
Should be all good for 350hp or so with a bunch of torque down low. I'm expecting to get very familiar with rebuilding transmissions and I need to find a spare one sometime in this whole process before I get too throttle happy.
Pictures added for geeky motorheads that like engine part shots. The offending cylinders not shown in great detail and my pile of engine parts.
Last edited by Karmakannon; Mar 20, 2022 at 09:11 AM.
ACE kit arrived! Block is at the machine shop for a bore, new cam bearings, and to press the flat top pistons on. Hopefully the Rover engine will be pulled out in the next couple weeks.
Don't think anyone is listening, but this is interesting. I think I found out why my oil pressure light was on and why my engine had a bad knock.
Also... I guess I need to pull the oil pan to remove the torque converter bolts? That's the only way I can see getting them. No inspection cover gets me close.
Waiting on my block to get back from the machine shop and I decided my front bumper wasn't in good enough shape to keep rocking with the shiny new engine.
Waiting on the machine shop. Thinking I'll try and take the vats off the pcm myself using a free program and LS driod or similar. I guess I'll cross that one later down the road. Engine bay is pretty clean though. Ls swap bellhousing is on too.
the car looks clean , the rust is a disturbing factor to me tho! keep it up buddy
Luckily this one doesn't have much more than some surface rust on the frame. I picked up a soda blaster and plan on cleaning and coating the whole back portion of the frame eventually. I was surprised how clean everything was for a vehicle that has been in Utah at least most it's life. I don't recall where it was sold, but it was in Park City early on and I'm going to guess it likely came from a Utah dealer.
2003 discovery lm7 swap
