I picked up a rebuilt 4.6 GEMS engine that had been converted to dizzy for a 95 RRC w 14CUX. It's got a brand new camshaft/lifters among all the other rebuilt parts.
I'm putting this engine in my GEMS 96 D1. I've pulled the former 3.9 intake off of it and the timing cover. I was about to swap timing covers when I realized this cam has a longer snout than one from a 4.0/4.6. Its where the gear driving the distributor goes.

My question is, Can I use this current distributor camshaft in a GEMS set up? I was thinking I could simply bolt on the distributor drive gear (it basically act as a spacer at this point) and run my 4.0 timing cover. Any reason I couldn't do this?

 

That is a great question and I have zero idea on how that would work out. In my mind if it all clears than its fine but I have no real world knowledge on that

 

i think d&d made a cam sensor wheel and pickup spacer for doing this. check with them

 

I checked w D&D. Didn't see anything listed on their site but sent them an email. Thanks for that.

Looking at some pics of past Rover engine tear downs I see the timing gears mount differently. The later GEMS mounts to the actual end of the cam then secured via bolt. The later one rides on the cam w a keyway then a spacer, then the distributor drive gear, then the bolt.




It looks like the cam sensor uses the actual timing gear for a signal. I could be wrong but this makes sense in my head. The positioning of the sensor and the timing gear are very close and I don't see another way it could be picking up the signal. Also unless someone makes a custom timing gear (w a big *** hole for the cam to go through it) I don't see how this cam is gonna work.



Secondly it looks like this block (Gems 4.6) has the two bolts for the cam retention plate. That are at this time unused because on earlier models the distributor keeps the cam from walking forward. I'll need to reuse that plate from my old 4.0 once it's out.

 

theres pics of it here

https://landroverforums.com/forum/re...vel-ii-102447/

If that is your engine in the pics there is never an easier time to install a cam. Just get the right one. I'd go crower 53229, it has the correct end for the GEMS timing set.

 

Yea that's mine. It sucks because this cam/lifters is brand new basically. It's a Crower as well. I'll use the old engine's timing gears and I've got a new chain. Unexpected expense I guess.

 

don't feel bad about reusing the old gears. The aftermarket GEMS stuff is junk. I was able to get a lower gear from the dealer on my last rebuild.

grab the retainer off the old engine too. The distributor camshaft retainer is a little different, and unless the crower cam was machined for it by the guy that built the engine then its likely to have been left out anyway and you'd have some nasty cam walk if you didn't have a distributor or camshaft button keeping it in place

 

Yep true. Even the half moon retainer is better than none. That thing would probably jet out of the timing cover. Hahah