I don't know if I'd say "....maybe you ruin your otherwise new engine." A wee bit overly dramatic. The used cover is probably no worse on average than any other Rover of the same vintage chugging down the road. I would measure the used one and maybe suggest a new gear rotor and oil seal. As of my post the cover from Rovers North is $607.52 which doesn't include the gear rotor or oil seal. (Kinda up there for a Rover part.) https://www.roversnorth.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=ERR6438&type=0&eq=&key=it I'd bet I could get a machinist to mill a used cover (face, cover plate, cover plate mount surface) to spec (less than 4 thou) for a Franklin and an IPA six pack. I can't think of any of my pals not accepting that talent challenge. (The wear spec is .004 in. maximum, that is right out of the Rave for the 4.0. As long as the you have a machinist block you measure from the pump cover surface to the rotor laying flat against face. Gear rotor wear (inner tooth to outer ring cut) is no more than .01 in.)

 

I understand what your saying but I haven't been able to find a NEW timing cover for my engine from anybody. There is a ton available for the disco II but not the GEMS engine unless someone can point me in the right direction. The oil pressure loss I was having was definitely caused by the bearings, rocker arms, lifters, cam bearings, cam and all sorts of other parts that had 190K miles on them with no frequent oil changes and such. There is a spec and I didn't measure wither one of my timing covers. The one I pulled off of a picknpull car was much cleaner looking and had much smother surfaces. So I basically just stuck my thumb out, eye balled it and paid the $30 for it. I guess I will go measure the spec... sheesh.

 

That part doesn't look like its for my GEMS motor. The one in that diagram with the oil filter pointed down at a 45 degree angle is my cover. I haven't been able to find them anywhere. I would like to be corrected if I am wrong. Of course I did replace the oil pump and front crank seal. I think the list is shorter for the things I did not replace. Right now I am still waiting for Main bearings 10 over to come. I am hoping that fiasco will be over soon. I started a new post on that madness a week or so ago entitled main bearing trouble.

 

I have measured the timing cover and it is within spec. In fact I was surprised that it is so good. My feeler gauges only go down to 0.004 and I could not fit it under my straight edge. And the oil pump is new so no worries about gear teeth spacing. Now if only I could get those +10 main bearings...

 

I disagree.
You're saying a used one is "no worse" than others....yet the rest of the engine is newly rebuilt.
That you could have yours milled to spec.
Well, if the pump gears are ok, why would you have it milled to begin with? And even with new gears, they are flat and hardened, and should wear the cover surface down evenly.
So if in spec, why open the gap more, even if still in spec after? As well as, say it had.002" clearance to start, and it's milled to .003-.004", now it'll wear out of spec even faster...and cause low oil pressure....on an otherwise rebuilt engine.
Dramatic? No. Good sense? Yes.
Not the place to cut corners.
To each their own.

 

Again, I hear what your saying 6pack but since the covers aren't available and "machining" the cover would mean either filling in the cover where the pump goes with aluminum then milling it to spec or milling a whole new steel pump cover with a recess into the pump recess/void of say 0.001-2 then my options are limited. My junkyard cover is in spec with a new oil pump and front crank seal so it will not be the weakest link in this motor or a problem. I will have an electronic oil pressure gauge installed so that oil pressure will be monitored with actual values in real time.

IHSscouts I have the extra cover if you got a name of one of those buddies who are interested in the challenge... I would love to have a super smooth new timing cover and heaven knows there is a market for them.

 

When you have a minute call Mark at D&D - http://aluminumv8.com/Home/Contact

 

So everything is back together and the Disco lives as I drove it to work this morning. I did get a flashing check engine light when I got to work today so I am going to make sure all the spark plug wires are on tight then run codes when I get home. And I am having a hot start issue but other than those 2 things it is so quiet and smooth! Easy fixes as far as I am concerned compared to the rest that I've done.

 

It is still running very good but the codes I am getting is 1313 and 1314. It is saying that catalyst damage is likely due to misfire in bank a (1313) and bank B (1314). I am going to clean the MAF and hopefully not have to replace it. I think it is a fuel issue though. Maybe the TPS? But live data was showing 0 lbs on the MAF in closed loop so I am going to start there. LTFT (oh, maybe short term) was around 24% at idle. I am still researching what fuel trims mean and if that's an issue. I will check the rave for expected values too.

 

You can read up on fuel trim tests/diagnostics in the gems_obd manual. Click the RAVE link in my sig and download it.