Well the motor (4.6L) 2004 discovery grenaded this week. She definitely went out with a bang, literally and figuratively. It's a super clean low mileage truck (75,000) so id like to source a used motor and do a swap. I've looked around for rebuild kits but by the time everything is all said and done it looks extremely costly, so I think the used route would suit me better (still gonna have WAY more in the truck than it's worth but oh well) anyone ever done a motor swap like this? Any tips? General things to avoid/watch for? How bad is the job? Better to have a mechanic do it, and if so, does anyone have a rough idea of what would be a fair price to have this done by a obviously non-dealer shop?
Thanks in advance for your help guys! Have had pretty good luck with all 4 of the rovers I've owned but this one got me, but I'm still in the fight! (Trying to have a positive attitude here)
Additionally, I just had the camshaft replaced on the motor like 2 days before it "popped" had a flat lobe on #8 exhaust side... I'm wondering if the mechanic who did the work didn't clean it out very good or something? Like the metal from the worn down lobe, and that's what caused the catastrophic failure? Or maybe it was just her time... Probably no use crying about that at this point just want my truck back on the road. Thanks again!

 

YI have done all of the routine maintenance items and schedules on my truck so I know my way around the engine and feel like I would have no problem whatsoever doing a motor swap. If you borrow an engine hoist, and had a sizable tool chest it wouldn't be and harder than a ball joint replacement. You could save yourself a ton of cash doing it yourself. You could also update everything that you want to, seeing it personally while you have your own mits on it. After your last catastrophe, I would get all of the workshop manuals and do everything myself. You really don't want someone else working on your Disco because of obvious reasons. Yes, the work done on the camshaft could very well have led to the engine failure. It doesn't take much to F one up, given the reputation of the oil-pump and cooling-system as a whole. There is much research to be done as the next engine you get will do the same thing. Most would advise that you at LEAST update the oil pump gears, timing set, cyl heads and cyl head gaskets. Most of all the replacement block must be leak-tested as you never know the condition. LR blocks are junk...slipped cylinder sleeves, porous cylinder bores, cracks in the walls and around the head bolt threads. You name it. There are some who would even use a different engine entirely, rather than take their chances with another used rover V8. Odds are you will find something wrong with it. That's not even getting into the valve train and there again common issues with everything there. Whew, good luck. Hang in there til you find a good deal or some kind of warranty for sure. In the meantime do your research on this forum and make yourself aware of things like a front driveshaft failure, the factory temp gauge issue, motor oil and coolant you should be using, how to get the engine running cooler, how you should be monitoring oil pressure and coolant temps, so on and so forth. This is a very high-maintenance vehicle to keep running and running reliably.

Per this thread

https://landroverforums.com/forum/ge...es-help-29326/

Is what scares me the most. You just never know with these rover blocks.

 

X2 on rover blocks not being the best.

I bought a junkyard engine for mine several years ago and it is still going. Pressure testing them is nigh impossible at a junkyard but that's why they are so cheap.

Definitely do the oil pump. I would also do the head gaskets and other gaskets (front, rear, valley, and oil pan) and use arp studs and just clean it. Much easier to do those things off the truck and it will give you a look in the engine so you can see what you are dealing with.

I got a crane and engine stand on Craigslist for about 150 total. They have paid for themselves over and over. You are now entering the phase of rover ownership where such things may be very useful. Best of luck!

 

If anyone knows it would be CharlieV, he has R&R his engine more times in the last year than I have changed my oil.

 

Retail engine remove and replacement with seals and gaskets is pricey. I recently installed an Atlantic British Re-Manufactured 4.6L. I charged $2500 in labor, FYI.

 

That's about what I heat quoted everywhere, and the same for head gaskets (because the engine is usually removed by mechanics). Major savings doing it yourself, if you do it right.