KrisDR Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I'm handing over my 3.5 V8 to a trusted mechanic who is used to rebuild 911 engines but who agreed to take on rebuilding my RRC engine. I am considering getting the complete rebuild kit but am a bit unsure if this is actually a good deal. In addition I would like to find out whether he will need specific tools for rebuilding the V8. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I would strip the old engine first and see what actually needs replaceing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Yup, that'll be a waste of money.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisDR Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 Ok makes sense I guess but I'd hate having to get the engine out again any time soon afetr the work is done. The engine has done 200k km's and was mainly used in terrain and forest trails, a pretty hard life she had. Any idea on the specific tools which would be needed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 As they said, strip the engine and see for yourself what is needed. That kit list doesn't appear to specify brands, and I think it's more important to replace the few bits that really need it with high quality stuff than replace everything with Chinese or Indian knock-offs. There is no point ordering +20thou pistons if you end up relining the bores, either, and you won't know if that's necessary until it's open. Rimmed liners are a good precaution, though. From the little I know about V8s, I think it's reasonable to expect to replace the cam shaft and the hydraulic tappets at that mileage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Who's selling the kit and who makes the parts? That could be a £1000 pile of scrap metal if it's all "aftermarket" cack. Also, unless you're determined to do a money-no-object rebuild I'd question the need to replace pistons and valves, and I'd think twice about rockers and arms too - they're not common wear parts on the RV8, it's the cam & lifters & pushrods, oil pump, seals & gaskets. Also I'd throw a better cam in, they're not expensive and the stump-puller sorts (extra low torque) make a useful difference to driveability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 I don't think there are any special tools, it's a very simple thing. I would do oil pressure and compression tests before taking it out, that should give you some idea of what's worn. There are some good manuals in the technical section on here, I had one of the dealer workshop manuals too which was excellent. The timing marks aren't always that great so check where TDC is before you take it apart. If the guys used to working on engines I doubt he will struggle with this. Does anyone remember the 4x4 is born series with Mark the vet on? Whatever you think of the vehicle I'm sure there were a couple of episodes on that which touched on the v8 rebuild if it's available online? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 When I rebuilt my 4.2 I had it relined due to leakage issues, but was able to reuse the old pistons, albeit with new rings. As advised above, strip, inspect, and replace as required. Make sure the parts come from a reputable source too. I always recommend Turner Engineering in the UK. They're near me, so I've used them a fair bit over the last 20 years. They offer top quality parts, and prices aren't actually that much more than the cheap 'cack' (as Fridge has described it) , especially considering they are parts you can trust. They will happily send bits to Belgium Check them out at www.turnerengineering.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 2 hours ago, Cynic-al said: Does anyone remember the 4x4 is born series with Mark the vet on? Whatever you think of the vehicle I'm sure there were a couple of episodes on that which touched on the v8 rebuild if it's available online? I quite like most of his series, and though that 100" was a bit blingy, it seemed well built. A lot of people bemoan the behind the scenes help he gets, but forget he's a trained vet-come-presenter, not a mechanic or engineer, and at least they tried to present correct information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 1 hour ago, mickeyw said: When I rebuilt my 4.2 I had it relined due to leakage issues Aye, if it was anything other than a 3.5 it might be worth top-hatting, but a 3.5 should be fine and also is not really worth spending lots on - if you want more power just fit a 4.6 @Snagger a bunch of us actually bumped into Mark (Evans?) at the London To Brighton just after the series aired, he'd brought the truck with him and we were chatting about it (in the p***ing rain), he's a genuine guy and when I ribbed him about the bling suspension bits he basically said it wasn't really his choice, Scrapiron Racing basically made him / the production company such a good offer he couldn't refuse it. Also, as the truck had to be sold to fund the programme (which he was quite cut up about) it was more about creating the "best" spec to make it sellable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisDR Posted June 13, 2019 Author Share Posted June 13, 2019 Many thanks to all. I hadn't quite discussed the further proceedings with the mechanic but in the meantime I have a reply which is totally in line with the suggestions made here. I'm glad I didn't get carried away and ordered the set, I so like buying shiny bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Playing devil's avocado... if you're spending £1k+ on an old 3.5 why not buy an old 4.6 P38 and just drop that lump in? It's got, like, way more of everything and all the upgrades (cross-bolted mains, better oil pump, fully serpentine belts). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisDR Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 Call me silly but I want to keep the car original. I also have a softdash 300TDI from 95 which I might tune a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrycol Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 You can make the 4.6 look original like a 3.5 if you use the 3.5 ancilliaries. I agree with others, if you are going to go to all the effort and cost of rebuilding a 3.5 - go a bigger version - as a minimum a 3.9 and with a stroker crank a 4.2. On that kit - how do you know what size main and bigend bearing shells are required without measuring and machining your current crank, likewise pistons and rings - without check and boring/honing what size rings and pistons will you need. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 13 hours ago, KrisDR said: Call me silly but I want to keep the car original. I also have a softdash 300TDI from 95 which I might tune a bit. That's not silly, a lot of people just want "more numbers", but a nicely built 3.5 is no bad thing if originality is important. Ian ( @Bull Bar Cowboy ) did an awesome rebuild on his 3.9 in stunning detail, it should be in the technical archive somewhere. Not the most powerful V8 ever built but smooth as a sewing machine and just generally lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 On 6/13/2019 at 6:26 PM, FridgeFreezer said: Aye, if it was anything other than a 3.5 it might be worth top-hatting, but a 3.5 should be fine and also is not really worth spending lots on - if you want more power just fit a 4.6 @Snagger a bunch of us actually bumped into Mark (Evans?) at the London To Brighton just after the series aired, he'd brought the truck with him and we were chatting about it (in the p***ing rain), he's a genuine guy and when I ribbed him about the bling suspension bits he basically said it wasn't really his choice, Scrapiron Racing basically made him / the production company such a good offer he couldn't refuse it. Also, as the truck had to be sold to fund the programme (which he was quite cut up about) it was more about creating the "best" spec to make it sellable. The ending of the last episode made out that he kept the 100" in lieu of payment for the series, so I thought he'd kept it. I knew Phil Hinsley, who helped him a fair bit and was shown in a few episodes, including where they drove it offroad to try it out - he owns (owned?) Muddy Tracks in Aldershot, and I used to get all my parts from him when I lived in the area. He was married to the daughter of one of my father's best friends and a girl I knew reasonable well; it's a small world. Phil restored an early 2-door RRC, which would have been worth a series in its own right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I was also under the impression he had kept it, read it somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Perhaps I mis-remembered then, I know he said it was hard to refuse the extra gubbins for various reasons, possibly it was just deemed more exciting TV if it had all the "extreme" bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I spoke to him at Bicester Land Rover Legends last year, and he's still got it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I think he started a LR business at around the time of filming. He had a blue 90 going through a rebuild in the background of the workshop used for most of the 100, and I think he called the business Bulldog Services or something along those lines. He's quite a Defender fan, as I understand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 That blue 90 is also his. Featured on the cover of I think LRM a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 That's what I meant, but I think he quietly started a business in that workshop during filming. I might be remembering completely wrongly - it was a while ago now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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