Still have my '03. It's not going anywhere. I'm the second owner with 130k on the clock. It got a new engine at 30k. I installed new heads at 60k and 120k. Looks like it blew again out if the front. Getting coolant into the exhaust now. Fubar.

I'm contemplating pulling the engine, stripping it, having top hat liners installed and doing the whole kit. But at the cost and down time I'm wonderin about options. I don't like land Rovers TD5 engine cause timing belt diesel is just lame. Throwing a chevy under the hood is just boring to me. So either a kit 4 banger diesel or something else.

I've done stupid projects before that run away on budget and time quickly. It's a labor of love.

I guess I'm just looking for advice on how much time and money I should shovel into the Disco this time.

 

Here's an idea. Bosch 4.0 block with 4.6 guts. Inline thermostat, pcv mod, new cooling system. Two in the driveway over 200k.

 

Or a P38 4.6 block will do as well.

 

Welp either way looks like the engine is coming out again. Depending on its condition I might go the route of a 4.0 block with the 4.6 internals.

I guess it just depends. I'll keep it posted. I want to keep it simple.

 

Im very happy with my Turner Engine

 

For the price of a Turner engine I can buy a crate Cummins 4 banger. It just kills me how much these simple engines go for.

 

I've not heard super good things about the cummins 4 banger from a few guys who have swapped a few in to defenders at their shop...I think a 4.0 block with 4.6 internals and a better cam would be the easy button. If not a td5 (again bc easy button) then I'd probably go LS with the 6L90 trans adapted to the rover t-case.

Edit: If looking diesel and depending on what emissions are like where you are then maybe a hopped up 300TDI or people have successfully swapped in turbo diesel mercedes motors or Izuzu. Those options would be cheaper than the Cummins kit I'd imagine as the same issues of mounting and Rover electronics playing nice.

 

I've been down the same thought process, although not in a time constrained manner because my motor runs great.

I think finding a P38 4.6 block and having a good machine shop do top hat liners plus the performance camshaft is the way to go. Both from a cost and value perspective. I'd love to go the Turner or RPI route, but my plan is to build up my own engine over time and then put it in one day way down the road (hopefully...) when I need it.

 

If I ever have a Rover V8 fail in a D2 it will be getting a 4.8L LS V8 setup from Trailhead 4x4. Supposedly all OEM sensors/gauges will work, and it will run off the Bosch ECU. 4.8L V8 is plenty of power & it'll be rock solid!

Beats buying a new vehicle & for anyone that tells me oh you just ruined any LR heritage it had by slapping in an LS I'll kindly remind them where the Rover V8 came from aka GM!

 

Biggest issue is the use of the Rover ECU, can't be tuned and due to that they don't make that much more power than the 4.6, falls flat on it's face right around 3k rpms. They also redo the firing order and custom crank and other stuff that no longer makes it all off the shelf LS parts to replace. Full aluminum 5.3 and a 6 spd auto is the winning choice imo, go with the ACE to save time electronically or it can be done just takes a little time to match all the signals up but it's not rocket science.