Hey guys, I have an Icelandic Blue '03 DII S model (no sunroof - I know very rare) sitting in my parent's driveway due to a completely broken engine (oil pump is going and head gasket needs to be replaced). I'm wanting to eventually restore the vehicle and would like to know about the options I have for engine replacement as well as the cost. I've read that the LS swap is a good idea, and I've also heard that putting in a '99-'02 engine is just as good as an idea too. I need recommendations for this as it's a long term project and I DO eventually want to get the vehicle back on the road!

 

Are there problems with the engine beyond the oil pump and headgaskets? If not, why not just rebuild what you have? What are the headgasket symptoms?

I'm kind of a purist, so I'd stick with a Rover engine.

 

I agree with Min. The Rover V8 is really a very good engine if you maintain it and watch the temps. If it’s just HG’s and an oil pump, that’s not a terribly big job.

 

Add me to the list. Fixing it will be far easier than some type of conversion.

 

Swap it. More power, parts availability, and better engine overall.

 

In Canada I did head gaskets (Arp Studs), new used heads, refreshed the wiring loom for under 2500.00 CDN About 1800.00 US doing the work myself

The actual cost was slightly higher as I had to have 2 sets of heads checked for true.

All Engine swaps are vastly more money and trouble to get running right, I looked in to a TD5 that was used in 04' Discovery's in the UK at the the time that was a 6000.00 job assuming the engine was in very good shape.

 

It depends on how much money and time you're willing to spend. If you want it on the road sooner and with a lower budget you should fix the motor. If you want a different engine and have the time and money and want a bigger project go for a swap!

 

Turner engine

 

For what it's worth....

If you kinda want to be a "purist", but still wanna upgrade your engine to something more power and reliable, and can fund it.... the M57 swap can fit the bill. It came in the European Range Rovers as the TD6, and is reportedly a fantastic motor. Engines can be fairly cheaply sourced from BMW's in the states as the M57, can be mated with either the OE, or 6 or 8 speed tranny, and all electronics and installation products can be sourced for reasonable costs from European vendors, as they do this swap over there quite regularly.

The LS swap is a much more problematic one to accomplish with the electronics and integration of other systems, and more costly. Lots try, less succeed to pull it off properly or well. Most seem to get about 90% finished, then try to sell them off for someone else to figure out.

 

Cheapest method is replacing with good used disc motor.

A swap is awesome but $$$.

It's easier to buy and swap a Cummins 6bt into an fj80 than it is to do anything other than an direct Rover engine replacement into the D2. This is due to the lack of aftermarket support and well documented builds with lots of shared information.