Davewillb Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hi, I'm partway through replacing the headgaskets on my 3.5V8 Disco and just found the problem in this picture - I'm thinking its terminal fro the engine as but would be very glad of some expert comment while I look for some happy pills! Cheers, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hi Dave, I take it you are talking about the crack from the waterway into the cylinder, personaly I would say yes unless some one know different. It has cleaned the piston though! Marc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewillb Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hi Dave, I take it you are talking about the crack from the waterway into the cylinder, personaly I would say yes unless some one know different. It has cleaned the piston though! Marc. Hi Marc, Ok thanks - I haven't much experience at all of V8 head problems but I thought it looked terminal. I wasn't sure if it was a surface issue caused by errosion due to a long term leak but a crack makes a lot more sense I guess - I thought 3.5's didn't commonly do this Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewillb Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Ok, I've un-buried my 'spare' engine bought locally on an impulse (Ebay) cause it was cheap and local and I thought I might need a spare 'one day' (not in 4 months) still a wise investment ..... maybe not, I just took the intake plenum, valley gasket etc of for a peek at the cam and saw this -------: I think this one needs a new cam and followers - am I right?? (genuine question, I've only seen pictures of this stuff up until now). Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hi, I'm partway through replacing the headgaskets on my 3.5V8 Disco and just found the problem in this picture - I'm thinking its terminal fro the engine as but would be very glad of some expert comment while I look for some happy pills! Cheers, Dave Likley that its not a crack but where the head gasket has gone its allowed the chamber to gas out and "Cut" a channel through the liner top and then through the soft ally The steam cleaning is a by effect of this. You MIGHT get away with cleaning it up and filling the flush dead flat with say JB weld etc, then composite gaskets and a prayer or 5, the actual proper route to fix is a deck skim, which is not cheap, and may be the amount that has to come off is greater than you can safely remove RIP 3.5 methinks ........... N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewillb Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Likley that its not a crack but where the head gasket has gone its allowed the chamber to gas out and "Cut" a channel through the liner top and then through the soft ally The steam cleaning is a by effect of this. You MIGHT get away with cleaning it up and filling the flush dead flat with say JB weld etc, then composite gaskets and a prayer or 5, the actual proper route to fix is a deck skim, which is not cheap, and may be the amount that has to come off is greater than you can safely remove RIP 3.5 methinks ........... N Yes the consensus seems to be RIP which is a shame (to say the least) - I'd be grateful for any thoughts on the picture of the cam in my 'spare' engine if its got a bit more life in it I'm tempted to fit that engine and give it a try but also worried about the amount of work involved to get that in the Disco only to find its also poorly (it was supposed to have only done 85K?) - I suppose the sensible thing to do would be to do the top-end of the spare engine with a new cam and lifters + probably a timing chain and have a look at the bottom end while I'm at it - trouble is thats well outside my comfort zone, which was somewhere around new head gaskets - I guess its the only way to learn but potentially expensive!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 That liner looks slipped as well, doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 That liner looks slipped as well, doesn't it? Looks like it. Looks like low compression pistons too...........for a 3.5. Sure this isnt a 3.9 ? Whats the engine number and comp ratio on the block ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomark10 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Looks like it. Looks like low compression pistons too...........for a 3.5. Sure this isnt a 3.9 ? Whats the engine number and comp ratio on the block ? theres a 8(something) comp 3.5 which I have in mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomark10 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Likley that its not a crack but where the head gasket has gone its allowed the chamber to gas out and "Cut" a channel through the liner top and then through the soft ally The steam cleaning is a by effect of this. You MIGHT get away with cleaning it up and filling the flush dead flat with say JB weld etc, then composite gaskets and a prayer or 5, the actual proper route to fix is a deck skim, which is not cheap, and may be the amount that has to come off is greater than you can safely remove RIP 3.5 methinks ........... N Yes the consensus seems to be RIP which is a shame (to say the least) - I'd be grateful for any thoughts on the picture of the cam in my 'spare' engine if its got a bit more life in it I'm tempted to fit that engine and give it a try but also worried about the amount of work involved to get that in the Disco only to find its also poorly (it was supposed to have only done 85K?) - I suppose the sensible thing to do would be to do the top-end of the spare engine with a new cam and lifters + probably a timing chain and have a look at the bottom end while I'm at it - trouble is thats well outside my comfort zone, which was somewhere around new head gaskets - I guess its the only way to learn but potentially expensive!! Dave Might be worth doing a full rebuild, for the effort your going to, might as well get a (almost) new engine while your at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewillb Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks for the comments - ill have a look for the engine number today. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewillb Posted November 10, 2013 Author Share Posted November 10, 2013 The original Engine number is 24d and its marked as 9.35 / 1 so I gather that is a 3.5 so I was unlucky to get the crack I suppose. The spare has the same prefix so that's all good hopefully. I've been spending every spare minute getting the spare 3.5 sorted out, I wasn't going to even look at the bottom end, and just cross my fingers but I'm glad I had a peek as the shells are showing a lot of copper. So it's getting timing chain, new spring etc in oil pump, new cam and followers + pushrods followed by composite gaskets.... And now shells as well. Cylinders look ok to my inexperienced eye. This is my first time this deep into an engine overhaul so getting really worried about what I've spent on bits versus the first start .... Or attempted start! Done a lot of reading up on the forum and also the v8forum.com so fingers crossed - I'm not sure how much longer its going to take but I must be close to starting to put it back together soon I think. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomark10 Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 you'l want to check the cylinders for roundness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Cylinders normally have scores or not. 'Not' being better If they haven't and the pistons aren't removed out of the bores, then ovality shouldn't be a really big issue, apart from low compression. If you've pulled the pistons I'd check for ovality prior to honing and new rings for sure. I guess you're on a budget, but ARP studs help fix two of the 3.5 RV8's failings in head gaskets and the main bearing caps moving about (hence cross bolting on later engines). I didn't want to spend the dosh, but I didn't want to waste the investment in the head rebuild and re-bore. Helping it all stick together with a stud kit seemed the best way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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