Well I bought this 2004 Bonetta Gray Discovery on eBay, for a spring project to help pay off my 03 Discovery and partially pay of an evil credit card. It was up on eBay and I drove down to Atlanta and trailered it home to Indy. My Discovery is an Epson Green 03 Disco pulling a Bonita Gray 2004 from Atlanta to Indianapolis. I got some crazy looks from people, it was fun.

So this 2004 has a perfect interior all black. Someone went through it with Armoral(not my choice) All leather and controls are in perfect condition. It was sold with no engine, no transfer case, no transmission. I got it for a price I could not pass up and from all my calculations I can still make over $3000 from the interior parts + the few parts under the hood. But the ultimate gift was the entire engine was sitting in the rear cargo area when I got there to look at it in person. There is not a door ding on the whole car. Only 39,000 miles, never in an accident, it originally was from Houston TX, and has a salvaged title from flood damage. Must have been a 12" flood because there is no mildew and the interior is perfect. I Kinda feel bad ripping the interior apart since its in perfect condition. I am keeping the right tail light, roof rails, and CDL shifter cable to install on my 03. Even the headliner is perfect with no nicks or impressions. The engine is mostly dissembled in the back.

I found a bent piston rod. Maybe because water entered the engine from the flood and killed it from vapor lock? Or that is my friend's guess, who is not a Rover guy. So my question is. Does a bent rod destroy the crankshaft, or can a new piston head/rod be installed and this thing be rebuilt? I am not an engine guy. How much is the engine worth with all the parts, up/lower manifold. I think the oil pump itself is worth $325 from an 2004

Here are some pictures, the body is in great condition. I will probably be posting it with a price list for parts in the For Sale section later tonight. I feel bad part this out, but without a transmission and transfer case and the engine in pieces, its probably the best option. I would sell the full body for the right price. Its a big project but someone out there is itching to put a turbo diesel in this thing.

Two Discos in the Drive way!
Dave

 

water in the engine causes hydro lock..vapor lock is something completely different. That CDL shifter won't do you much good in your '03 without the '04 transfer case to go with it.

 

dibs on that shift lever.i have a 2000 disco

 

if it were me i would be looking for a 04 engine and trans to put back into the 04 it sounds like its nicer than you 03 save for the salvage title if you dont like it when your done you can get about 6800 for it with the salvage

 

Ah yes, I meant to say hydro lock not vapor lock. I will have to do some research on what Vapor lock is.

 

Guys & Girls, I have a 2004 transfer case with 18k on it (bought it from a dealer in NC through eBay)...Now I have the CDL shifter from this 2004, so I am set in this department. Just have to get brave and exchange them on my 2003. I will do that with my front drive shaft rebuild.

 

Have you checked the VIN in your 03? I would hold on to that 04 block.

The block is probably ok, you can have the crank checked and polished. I would buy all new connecting rods, but the pistons might be salvageable. I would save it and build it up. If the heads are on it, port/polish, cam it up and maybe even upgrade pistons.

 

My VIN on the 2003 is out of range of the oil pump issue and at 81k I think it would have died by now.
The Pistons all look good except the bent one has a cracked head. I will examine the block closer as I remove all the other parts from the back of the Rover.
I am surpised how small the diameter of holes are for the exhaust manifolds. I'm thinking some Headers from Toddoco would be a great improvement on my 2003 engine. Let that sucker breath.
I am definitely saving the valves and rockers to get redone when I need to change my Head gaskets on my 03. I will have a spare set ready to go.
I am more of a plug and play mechanic. I understand how engines work but would probably not attempt a rebuild myself. But parting this one out feels like sitting on a little pot of gold.
What does anyone think the 2004 engine block is worth if its not cracked and complete with pistons and crankshaft? $800 to $1000?

 

I am not sure but you can get a A rated salvage engine 2004 4.6l complete for around $3000.00 with 40,000 miles on it. I am changing out my transfer case out as it has a bearing that is noisy. I will be rebuilding the current one and will have it for sale ....I would get that thing up and running... iT looks nice.

Thanks Chris

 

Yes it is super nice. I just dont want to invest any money in an engine. And then wait around for it to sell with a salvage title. It does not have a transmission. I have an extra transfer case from 03 after I install the locking one I got from another 04 last year. The interior on the 2004 is pristine. Just as nice as my 2003. I did buy this to part out, but once I saw it in person it was much nicer than I expected. Before I bought my Green 2003 Disco in Oct of 2007 I looked at over 8 Discovery's, none were as perfect as this inside.