Hi all,

We bought a 99 Land Rover Discovery II at a public auction about 2 months ago... the engine blew up 2 blocks down the road.

After a number of conversations with family, friends and mechanics, we decided to attempt to rebuild the engine - there were no knocking noises or banging from the engine, so we assumed it was just the head gaskets...

We just found out from the machine shop that the block is warped beyond repair. Atlantic British said the factory that used to manufacture these blocks is no longer in business, and they don't have a block to sell.

Anyone know where I could get a reliable block? Or do I just cut my losses at this point and scrap it?

Thanks

 

Warped block or warped head? Pleanty of both in the salvage yard, many are there because of head gaskets, so plan on re-doing those. That's about as cheap as it gets. From there you get into ones from a dismantler or someone parting out a wreck, to some used ones with a warranty. How much did you pay at auction?

Some auctions will not honor a sale that ends like that, and for those buying at the auction, always run engine as long as you can before making a bid, and check their policy on concealed damage. The auction I haunt wants (makes) buyers to disclose mechanical problems (needs a transmission, etc.).

 

Send me your number and I'll be glad to call and walk you thru what your options are, there are some good used engines available.

 

The phrase used by the machine shop to describe one of the cylinders was "egg-shaped". I'm assuming that's not a good thing... just wish they would have looked at that before they asked me to order $1500 in parts from AB...

 

I think you should be able to have it re sleeved or bored to a larger size.. Savannah Buzz or Mike would know...

Chris

 

Have them cancel the order this morning.
Have you gone done and looked at the engine to see exactly what they are talking about, if not, you should before you do anything else.

 

$1500??? What were you ordering?

I've got the headsets for a lot less.

 

You can buy a new block from England and have it delivered for under $5000, then you swap over your heads and intake.
Then you basically have a brand new engine.
There was a guy who did this for his truck, do a search for it.

 

If it's egg shaped, chances are you're not going to be able to make them larger unless you go with a different company piston. The difference between an A and B piston is very small. A good shop could probably put larger pistons, but it would probably be cheaper to search for a used block. If the lower engine is that bad, the upper part is most likely warped also. These are all aluminum engines and prone to warping when overheated.

A crate engine is another option, but the wiring harness has to be altered to accommodate a new engine. With a crate engine, you could get something that uses regular gas instead of premium, and you have everything brand new.

The good thing about these vehicles is that the parts are not cheap and you can sell parts, get all of your money back (plus more), and have enough to buy a new car.

Having the pistons redone will probably cost a couple grand. Buying a new lower engine block can probably run around a grand, but if you have to pay someone else to do the work, that's a couple grand again. A crate engine will be couple grand, and a whole LR engine will be a few grand. No matter how you slice it, it may not be worth it if you have to pay someone else to do the labor.

 

come on now you have a 13-year old truck that you bought at a public auction that need a motor, it not hard dump it.
1. you have no history of this vechicle it could have been neglected it's whole life, 2 blocks would suggest that.
2. its going to cost you $2000-$3000 to replace the engine in a truck that you can buy for $2000-$3000, where the up side.
3. unless this is going to be your final purchase in life why in gods name would you put a $5000 engine (just the engine cost along) in something that from a public action.
having been in the buisness for a lot and lot of year i can tell you the only time a vehicle goes to a public auction is "THE ONWER NEVER WANTS TO SEE IT AGAIN"
thats why they go to thru the auction so cheap.