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Rover V8 rebuild


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I've been restoring a Grinnall over a period of 10 years or more now. The engine hasn't been turned over for about 8 of those and I've just had a look in to the left bank of cylinders with a cheap boroscope. There are any shiny, oily surfaces in there. What do people think? Should I whip the engine out and do a complete rebuild myself or send it away to a specialist? Or is there a way of doing something else, say leaving it in situ and just taking the heads off?

I want to keep the 'original' engine as it's the one it was registered with after the conversion.

It came with a Holley carb and Edelbrock manifiold both of which I've fettled recently.

I was hoping to turn the engine over by hand but since it had a viscous coupled fan, it's only got an M10 bolt on the front of the crank. Not much to get a socket on and heave.

All advice welcome. Thanks in advance.

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Plugs out, 5mm of 20-50 (or whatever you are running) oil into the bores, and turn over until pressure registers on the gauge...20 lbs ? Rover V8 s are notorious for low oil pressures, flow is what they demand. If you turn it over with the starter motor you need the oil to get to the crank bearings.

Mick Richards 

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 I would agree with Mick and remove the plugs and spin over with the starter motor - see if you get oil pressure even a few psi will be a good indication.  If the engine has done many miles (more than 60,000) I would consider a cam/lifters and timing gear replacement - all can be done with the engine in the car (have to remove the radiator).  Would also be worth removing the heads and checking valve stems and seats.  However, if the engine is reasonably low mileage then put it all together and see how it runs.  You can prime the engine with oil by removing the distributor and spining the oil pump drive up with an electric drill.  Real Steel do a tool that will fit over the oil pump male key and fit on a drill.

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Thanks for the advice. I remembered Alec Pringle gave me some goo to put in the bores if the engine was to stand for any length of time. Red stuff, can't remember what it was but I put a squirt in and left it a few minutes before turning it over on the starter with plugs out. Turns over freely but i snapped the end of the boroscope off in no.6. It's only small bits of plastic which have come out with a vacuum but I want to check again.with a new scope, then I'll check for pressure. 

 

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