I just scored, I hope it is a score, a 2004 with 136,000 miles that has had the most extensive maintenance I have seen in any car I have purchased, including the engine replaced at 115,000 miles. I called the shop listed on Carfax that did the swap wondering if it was a new or a used engine. They told me it was a new long block that was installed. Jasper Engine???

So, to my question, on remanufactured blocks do they pin the cylinder sleeves and if the heads and deck are machined is there less of a chance of head gasket failure in the future? Assuming the motor is never allowed to overheat.

 

I've never laid eyes on a jasper Rover motor, but my guess would be no. Jasper is a good rebuilder, but I highly doubt they would've gone thru the trouble of the sleeving the block or pinning the sleeves, and the only thing that'll make the head gaskets last longer is keeping it cool. Nothing in the rebuild process to assist there.

I'd say you've got a good motor there, but I'd still treat it like a regular Rover V8.

 

@MSGGrunt It is an aluminum engine treat like one, keep it cool do regular maintenance. Swap to the inline thermostat mod and do the PVC mod, use an ODB dongle/cell phone or ultragauge and monitor your actual engine temps.

Use decent coolant made for aluminum engines and good quality oil with the right ZDDP levels

The british put superchargers and twin turbos on these things they have been bored out to as much a 5 liters in TVR sport cars, it is not a bad engine They just suffer from too much emissions gear and were running way hot out of the factory - running at 200 to 220 on an engine whose overheat is 245 is just plain nuts.

 

Having owned a 1998 Disco and 2002 RR I am familiar with not letting these get even close to hot. I have read that the BritPart 180 degree thermostat is a good "mod". DexCool is the worst antifreeze. I will do some more reading, but I have had good results with Zerex G05 in my older 80's Mercedes and 1990 Saab 900S.

All my cars run Rotella diesel oil for its higher ZDDP formula and I will continue to do so in the DR2.

 

@MSGGrunt checkout the inline thermostat mod thread. It’s a sticky at the top of the DII forum I’ve. It’s a super easy modification and drops coolant temps well beyond what the factory 180 thermostat will. Can’t recommend enough for simplicity and a huge reduction in running temp.

 

Just ordered the inline thermostat and an Ultra Gauge. Thanks for the advice.

 

Read the sticky on the inline mod, anything other than that is a crap shoot for keeping it cool