Hi everyone,

I have done a few searches but cannot find what I am after (or im being blind!)

Last night my Range Rover temp shot over to the red and overheated, luckily I noticed very quickly and was able to turn the engine off instantly.

After topping up the coolant this morning the car runs very well again but it has always and still steams a hell of a lot from the exhaust.

I realised today that when you rev the engine you get bubbles in the header tank so its pretty much a confirmed head gasket which I have suspected for weeks.

I would like to pull the engine out of the car and give it a bloody good service, clean, paint, HG repair and upgrade!

While I have the engine out I am planning on checking the liners replacing the head gaskets and replacing the lifters.

Question is: What performance upgrades are good for this engine and vehicle?

So far I am considering a new camshaft and opening up the exhaust manifold ports (as I have heard these are terribly constrictive) but dont know what else to do?

What camshaft would be suitable? I use it mainly on the road but do play maybe once a month off road.

Is it worth getting the original heads ported?

Are the petrol ECU chips worth anything?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
Well I looked at all the options when my Discovery started playing up and ending up going for a replacement in the form of a top hat 4.6, transformed the old girl, 21% more power than the std DII 4.0 V8. and not only does it go well it's more economical too. You might be better with the V8 owners forum for upgrade questions.

The V8 Owners Forum - :: Index
 
yes the 4.6 has crossed my mind a few times.

May I be so rude as to ask roughly how much the 4.6 tophat cost you?

Was it a pro rebuild job?

have been considering paying for a tophat conversion on mine but not sure on costs yet.
 
Not a problem it was £3450 fitted plus some other bits done so maybe £3250 without them, that was the price for a short engine, due to a colossal cockup I actually got a full engine which should have been another £350. Seems a lot but an 02 DII could cost 5 grand plus and mine is pretty straight so it was actually more cost effective to go down that route and end up with (touchwood) a fairly bombproof warranted engine.
 
Hey guys, thanks for your input.

Today I made the big decision to have my classic Morris Minor profesionally re-sprayed and so the Range Rover (Which has the insurance renewal coming up in December) will be put on the back burner for a while.

Once the Morris Minor is back on the road then the Range Rover will have its original engine rebuilt after christmas.

I will keep you all posted on my progress!
 
cheaper than the 4.6 would be a set of merlin F85 heads. Standard LR cast heads are pretty guff.
 
OK PERFORMANCE UPGRADES ARE MY SPECIALAITY
you can top hat linner your block obtain a set of 4.6 rods and pistone and a 4.6 crank and you have a 4.6 have the heads revalved and a piper cam with some other mods i can make it good for 360bhp its not cheap but does it make it go oh yes
 
A 4'6 does 220+ in std form, stage 3 heads and a decent cam will easily take it to 300, I would image 360 isn't that hard to obtain. Me I am very happy with the 220, I can get 0-60 in sub 10, which for a vehicle the size of the DII is quite adequate.
 
Trust me voguese39 is very good he will have your engine performing well even if you think it's ready for the scrappy .
 
A 4'6 does 220+ in std form, stage 3 heads and a decent cam will easily take it to 300, I would image 360 isn't that hard to obtain. Me I am very happy with the 220, I can get 0-60 in sub 10, which for a vehicle the size of the DII is quite adequate.


the cam would have to be very wild and not make much under 2000rpm totally not suitable for an off roader.


270-280 with a decent head, bolt in cam etc would be managed.
 
the cam would have to be very wild and not make much under 2000rpm totally not suitable for an off roader.


270-280 with a decent head, bolt in cam etc would be managed.

1uz-fe makes 250,260 non vvti-300 without supercharger(vvti) cheap and reliable-thats why I'm binning the RV8 for the relic it is
 
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I like the rover V8 nothing else would do - the lexus engine looks good particularly when you can pick up an LS400 for next to nothing these days.


1uz-fe makes 250,260 non vvti-300 without supercharger(vvti) cheap and reliable-thats why I'm binning the RV8 for the relic it is
 
the cam would have to be very wild and not make much under 2000rpm totally not suitable for an off roader.

Never said it was but it does depend on what you are using it for, mine is a working vehicle (farm) so it would be useless however as a fast road car could be a hoot once you got it going.
 
as you are a sceptic cant give all my secret specs out but the basic
4.6 balanced pocketed pistons
piper 285 cam tractable power from idle to 5,500 rpm
big valve heads full polished and gas flowed including inlet manifold
exhaust headman headers and port blended
ecu not chipped as thor is able to adpt easily apart from that the rest is my tweaks and secrets.
heres my face book page Login | Facebook

the avalon blue range rover is mine was not on full song but still achived 181 at the wheels add 50 bhp for transmission lag and away you go!
mine only has a 4.2 cam and mildly ported heads!
 
I like the rover V8 nothing else would do - the lexus engine looks good particularly when you can pick up an LS400 for next to nothing these days.
How hard is it to swap over the Lexus engine and is it better to use Lexus gearbox too
 

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