Yep it’s not going to be long until this engine is all back together. Then the fun of gutting out the 04’s original engine will start.

 

If the bores look good, and only have some surface rust from sitting, you could try something like Berrymans to clean it off. Wipe on, let sit, and it should all come off.

 

Yeah that's what I'm going to try first. LR buddy suggested a light attack with a scotchbrite pad and some oil, keeping it in a circular motion around inside the sleeve vs up and down, but I'm not so sure with that technique.

Called a local well known shop (not a lot around here you can trust) and they can't touch it for at least a month to two months. They're all backed up with engine repairs due to Harvey. They suggested one of those self adjusting flex hone ***** and to just run it thru it one time down and up and call it a day especially since I was going to install new piston rings. He said to find one with nylon holding the hone ***** vs all steel for more flex.

I DO NOT want this motor apart 1 to 2 months in SETX. The humidity down here will rust my 4.6L out pretty quickly. I have it covered in WD40 inside my shop and then covered with towels on the top (bottom is open to the air at the moment).

I should have all my parts minus the timing chain, and gears by this Friday, so "if" I get the rust taken care of I could button up the piston rings, rod bearings, "maybe" order the Crower 53229 cam and have it by Friday from Summit Racing, install the HG's, Heads, lifters, rockers, and valve covers. Leaving just the sump pan, and timing cover off.

The rust isn't like Titanic bad, but it's enough that you can feel it with you finger and in one cylinder it's like 1.5 inch down into the sleeve (piston that was originally at it's bottom stroke as it sat).

I was bummed with the rust in a few cylinders, but all the other LR V8 flaws = I passed with flying colors so it could certainly be worse.

On a side note I did get the D1/D2 Dash repair kit from AB installed today. Everyone that installed them said they needed the windshield removed to install the screws into the dash to hold down the plastic trim, but I just used some wood screws (of the same length) vs the crappy screws the kit came with, and a little ratchet with a #2 phillips bit and I got it installed in about 35min. I'll never have to worry about that dash trying to curl at the front in TX again!

 

 

Pretty. Looks nice and clean inside.

Brian.

 

Yes nearly like a new short block from AB. Was very happy with how clean it was inside!

 

Got some of my parts today and I am not at all happy with the quality of the "Made In China" All Makes 4x4 timing gears!! The lower gear wasn't so bad, but it was extremely snug on the crank and it's teeth looked shorter vs my OEM gear. The camshaft timing gear was where I drew the line.....

I already had my Crower 53229 cam installed with the OEM gear and it was like it was with the OEM camshaft before I swapped it out with next to nothing for run out. I went ahead and installed the new camshaft timing gear and OMG it gave me all kinds of movement on the camshaft and the damn gear wasn't even straight when you rotated it..... I thought well maybe I didn't have it on snug and it wasn't sitting 100% flat, but nope it was. I removed that POS, and the lower one and went with my OEM timing gears and the new Made in the USA timing chain.

I will NEVER use any AllMakes4x4 engine hardware ever again. Not blaming the LR Parts Dealer I bought them from, but that stuff is pure Chinese crap! The timing chain was top notch and there is next to zero slack vs before.

I'll hopefully get the rest of my parts tomorrow and if the weather permits I'll try to slap on the HG's front timing cover, and upper gaskets over the weekend. Then the fun part of tearing down the 04 will begin.

Cam bearings looked brand new with next to zero wear. The third one had a slight scratch near the bottom, but you couldn't feel it with your finger and I've removed OEM cams before and found much worse pits or nicks with zero cam wear. My OEM cam looked new with no wear at all. Lubed up the new 53229 cam with the supplied Lucas grease and slid it into place.

 

I tried AllMakes4x4 once and...one and done. Never again and my Amazon review was not pleasant.

 

Yeah I couldn't believe the quality of their crap.

 

It's been a while since I've updated this thread. Within the past 2 weeks I have now obtained 2 ARB Bumpers. One is a 99-02 D2 Non winch bumper (however it can be modified to hold a winch). It actually was on my 98 D1 LSE and I saw it for sale on CL. Text the guy I sold my D1 to and he cut me a deal I couldn't say no to. The second is an 03-04 D2 ARB that I got for free. The D2 it was on previously rear ended someone with a hitch & it messed up the winch mount pretty good. However a good friend of mine is going to cut out the bent part & weld in a nice thick plate of steel. So I'll end up with an ARB on the 500.00 03 D2 and another on my 04.


Engine wise it's ready to drop in I just haven't found the time & now it feels as hot as a pizza oven outside..... I'm either going to attack it a bit at a time or I'm going to toss the rebuilt engine in the back and drive it up to Austin, TX and pay my friends to help me with the swap.