Series 3 109 Six Pot Rebuild Thread

[BikerB]

Well, engine and gearbox out today, that engine is a bit of a beast particularly as it a cast iron block rather than alloy. Will get some more of the ancillaries off and get them under cover on pallets next. Weathers been a bit pants, just managed to cut off the engine mounts and after taking the weight on the crane and hailstones started
Since the chassis is toast it makes it easier to simply plasma cut off bits like the engine mounts etc rather than trying to get them undone

 

[BikerB]

Steering box well stuck in, now out and on the bench to be freed off.

 

[BikerB]

Stripped all the ancillaries off the engine this afternoon and covered it up. need to get into the block soon to see just what is seized in there and what damage has been done. Lots of nice white powder came out the water hoses when they were cut but I know the engine has been sitting seized for at least 20years

 

[BikerB]

Still working on acts of deconstruction. Cut off the front of the chassis tonight and split the springs and axle, need to recover a few clips and bits from the frames but heading to the skip soon.
The bulkhead is now on it way to be removed and then I'll cut back to the bulkhead. Then do the same to the back after removing the body.
Hopefully in a few weeks I'll just be left with the major assemblies for rebuild and the old chassis will be gone.

 

[BikerB]

Bulkhead off today and moved across the yard, cut the chassis back as far as the rear bulkhead. Also visited a local supplier to see about starting to get parts, hopefully be able to avoid the crap parts by using a local specialist rather than mail order. Might be slightly more expensive but finding out just how slightl;y was the point of the visit today!
lifted the engine back up today and drained the oil, didn't look very nice but it is at least 25 years old.

 

[BikerB]

Got the garage tent up and now down to just the rear chassis to be disposed of, hopefully get the new chassis into the tent and propped and painted next.
luckily I found the rear crossmember had been very badly replaced and hardly welded to the chassis, several of the crossmembers were rotten, there was a hole in the main chassis under the seat and the front spring hangers were rotten. I don't feel so bad starting from a galv one now.

 

[BikerB]

That's the chassis cut up and cleared, going to the dump tomorrow to dispose of it. More tidying and recoveries to be completed and then start rebuilding and painting both axles ready to go onto the chassis.
Happy that I have the galv cassis now, found some real poor repairs and some fairly rotten parts, the picture shows one outrigger that was hardly even attached, there were a few like that and the rear crossmember too was hardly attached from poor repairs.
Add to this holes round three or four of the spring mountings and some other rotten outriggers and the cost of the new galv chassis looks worth it now
Need to start ordering parts now, have visited both local parts suppliers and neither has responded with prices for parts I need, looks like it will be paddock, craddocks or similar for bits now.
What are the best swivels available just now, going to get both axles in, on stands and start refurbishing, one of the reasons I was going to use a local supplier, despite knowing it would probably be a bit more expensive, was for parts information ie what was good or bad on the market. Need to order swivels and axle parts in the next few days and it would be helpful to know the quality of what is available.

 

[BikerB]

Also, if you are near Inverness and want what looks like a solid 109 fuel tank or any of the original springs then as long as you collect and tell me before tomorrow afternoon you can have them. After that I have a booked appointment at the recycling centre and they all go into the recycling skip!
I don't want them and don't have the room to keep but it seems a pity to throw them away if someone has a use for them

 

[auld duffer]

Looks like you have the bit between your teeth now. We say great progress but it seems strange as we are going back at ths stage , started with a complete car and turned it into a pile of bits , but that's the most important step. Committing to the tear down is actually pretty daunting and in some cases actually more difficult than the rebuild as you are contending with years of botched repairs and ad hoc fixes, odd size nuts n bolts with rusty threads , parts that are seized and parts that are part there best ..Its all part of the process . A quick fairly organised build helps maintain your interest in the project .. Its when they drag on and on they often find themselves being worked on less and less .. Your timing is good as well. Were charging into the lighter evenings and hopefully warmer weather so plenty time to get cracking ..

Looking forward to the progress reports ..

 

[Car1]

Great thread! I´ve got the smaller sibling of this one, so I´ll be lurching around here.
//Car1

 

[BikerB]

I had the vehicle sitting outside the house complete for about 4 years. I only started stripping the thing down after I had the new chassis delivered, wouldn't take a single bit off beforehand, now have the wife bitching about all the big chunks of landrover all over the front drive. I am hoping to have the chassis and all the mechanics/running gear built up ready for the bodywork by the end of the summer and the rest whenever. Its more a matter of money and time now.

 

[auld duffer]

The big spends are behind you now.. the new chassis will make the rebuild fly ahead new springs etc will get it up ad rolling in no time and the enthusiasm will just spill over .. Wifes can be funny at times . I never expected mine to like the land rover but she loves it .. Some times I think she just says that though so I dont sell things right away .. Onwards and upwards ..

 

[BikerB]

Mine wants the Landrover done right away, she seems disappointed when I tell her that cost and time, plus other jobs going on, mean it will take up to a year to complete.
She wants to be able to use it as a day vehicle going to beach etc to replace our camper but forgets that the summer only lasts around six months from now and I still have a full time job!
She also hasn't realised the difference between our old 90 we had and a series 3, and I am not going to tell here until it is finished, she was planning trips away to the south from Inverness with it

 

[BikerB]

Started clearing up the front yard and getting bits to work on into the garage tent, now got light and power in there.
I took the head off the engine, not because I really intend to start this yet but more to see if I can work out why it is seized and what the parts I might need will be to rebuild it. Apart from powder dried in the waterways it looks fine, all the valve gear looks OK and the bores, at least what I can see look fine. I am knid of hoping its just freeing off frozen pistons and if it is I've knocked it off, the bores are not even that worn and still in good condition.

 

[BikerB]

Still gradually striping down the motor to find out the cause of it being seized. The engine has either been looked after and coddled it whole life or it has not done the 90k or so on the logbook.
So far everything fine and in really good condition internally, and free to turn. I need to strip off the sump now, (its a big heavy lump to move) and it has to be either a seized crank or my money is the piston/s are seized in the bores. If its just seized pistons then the rest of the engine looks pretty good to go

 

[BikerB]

Piston 3 well seized in the bore, although I am missing one half of one half shell off number 1 piston big end, the other bit may still be in the block or the sump pan somewhere I hope.
So it looks like I have knocked it off, crank and everything free to move once the big end caps taken off, journals all look good from my initial look and all the bearing shells nice even grey.
I am beginning to suspect this engine had been rebuilt not long before it was put off the road, its just generally in too good condition and everything so far looks in very good condition, nothing worn.
If I am lucky sorting out the bores/pistons, clean everything and put it back together with new shells and seals may be enough to get it back together.

 

[jamesmartin]

Still gradually striping down the motor to find out the cause of it being seized. The engine has either been looked after and coddled it whole life or it has not done the 90k or so on the logbook.
So far everything fine and in really good condition internally, and free to turn. I need to strip off the sump now, (its a big heavy lump to move) and it has to be either a seized crank or my money is the piston/s are seized in the bores. If its just seized pistons then the rest of the engine looks pretty good to goView attachment 237157 View attachment 237159

if its been stood awhile a cylinder with an open valve is likely to rust up

 

[auld duffer]

fingers xd its just no3 thats stuck .. will save a lot of work .. be patient with freeing it off chances are the bore will be marked but would be easy enough to sleeve . Sounds and looks like it probably was gone through, is it still on standard bore ? could it have been a brand new engine ?

 

[BikerB]

It was stood for at least 23 years. I always assumed that the seized engine was the reason it was put off the road many years before it was pulled out the barn but now thinking it has just seized up because it was put off the road for 23 years.
I need to get the bits into the workshop to have a better look at them and size them, however five of the pistons came out without any issue. No3 is stuck fast even after usual soaks in various solvents and will have to resort to more brutal measures in all likelihood.
However the engine has generally been a lot better than I expected and even if I have to rebore or sleeve its less than I thought I may have to do!

 

[jamesmartin]

It was stood for at least 23 years. I always assumed that the seized engine was the reason it was put off the road many years before it was pulled out the barn but now thinking it has just seized up because it was put off the road for 23 years.
I need to get the bits into the workshop to have a better look at them and size them, however five of the pistons came out without any issue. No3 is stuck fast even after usual soaks in various solvents and will have to resort to more brutal measures in all likelihood.
However the engine has generally been a lot better than I expected and even if I have to rebore or sleeve its less than I thought I may have to do!

if your going to stand an engine best back off the tappets