K-engine project - A possible low cost rebuild?

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by lovema75

You can have mine - it's junk anyway...

I would love to but I`m in Norway...

These boxes are hard to get here even if they are junk...
A scrappy on the other side of my country have an used one, but he wants £650 for it.

The 4 pot K-engines is a different story as there is a lot of trashed freelanders around

[kaiser]

Originally Posted by beinet1

I guess that applies to engines with cast iron blocks which have the same temperature expansion rate as for the press fit liners.

As said, nothing of this is either rigth or wrong, it purely depends on the "gut feeling" for what is rigth or not. As long as you got some hylomar down into the liner bore in the block, I think it is sufficient

That you have loctited two engines, proves that this migth be a way to go. Wonder if Rover has experimented with different liner fixing alternatives during their deveopment??

From my work experience as a mechanical design engineer, I have found out that there is often a good reason why mechanical designs/solutions/procedures are made the way they are. This is often a step-back when trying to change excisting designs to the better..

No it does not. Cast iron engine blocks usually have no sleeves. Aluminium blocks often have. Just take the Rover V8 as an example.
That is my point, and as a design engineer, you know that the expansion for aluminium and cast iron is markedly different, yet the combination works, and has done for many years.

But I don't want to go into a discussion on the subject, I just mention it for what it is worth. There are obvious problems with this engine, that much is clear.

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by kaiser

No it does not. Cast iron engine blocks usually have no sleeves. Aluminium blocks often have. Just take the Rover V8 as an example.
That is my point, and as a design engineer, you know that the expansion for aluminium and cast iron is markedly different, yet the combination works, and has done for many years.

But I don't want to go into a discussion on the subject, I just mention it for what it is worth. There are obvious problems with this engine, that much is clear.

Hi Kaiser,

I would agree to that, this engine has its problems which can be widely discussed in the far and long without reaching any conclusion. It seems that many of us try to find resonable (alternative) solutions for the different issues with this engine and I have to give all credit to the ones that have the time and guts to try them out

[beinet1]

Hi all,
A little more progress done in between all other things….
Cylinder block bores and liner ledges cleaned and degreased:

Liners cleaned and degreased:

Hylomar blue applied to liner prior to installation. I applied a 2mm bead if Hylomar to the liner ledge according to the recommendations given in the Haynes manual. Using a syringe to apply the hylomar is pretty helpful. I also applied a “band” of Hylomar below the ledge, spread out with an artist brush:

The liners was then installed into the block. I slightly rotated in the liners the last 2 cm in an attempt to get the “hylomar band” down into the bore instead of “scraped of” by the bore edge. I guess that it does not matter anyway how this is done… Liners was fixed with my retainers..

[beinet1]

Hi All,
Pistons fitted to the conrods yesterday. No need to say that this was a pretty nerve wrecking process…
Pistons was made ready for fitment and the gudgeon pin was trial fitted and oiled up:

The conrod was placed in a vise, and I heated up the small end using a torch. The temperature was checked with an IR termomether during heat up and I stopped at approx. 300 deg C. The piston was now placed over the conrod and the gudgeon pin pushed in by hand. I guess it takes approx. 0,5 sec before the gudgeon pin settles in the conrod, so I had to work really quick!! It’s a one-go chance. I have to admit that the first one could be pushed a few mm longer inn, but I see that the OEM fitted ones was not 100% centered either. The next 3 was heated slightly more, some above 300 deg as the thermometer went out-of range at 300… These settled at the correct position.

Next step was to install the pistons in the block, but I experienced some oil-ring issues which stopped me for now. I created a separate thread for this: https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=1398380#post1398380

[beinet1]

Hi all,
Some helpful websites guided me into the correct way to install the scraper rings. The problem was that the expander ring easily overlapped itself in the groove, making the outer rings stuck and not “compressable”. Taking great care to align everything and make sure the expander was in the correct position before putting the ring compressor on:

New big end bearing fitted:

..And put down into the bore:

All 4 pistons was first installed down they bores with the crankshaft positioned at the TDC for cyl. No 1. This made me able to do all the big end bearing caps without rotating the crankshaft. Liner retainers and oil rail was removed to get access to the bottom of the pistons:

All bearing caps made up with new conrod bolts to the specified torque: 20Nm + 45 deg:

A thin bead of sealant applied to the oil rail oil bores prior to installation:

Uprated oil rail installed:

Liner retainers put back on. I was able to rotate the engine without any problems, but I guess that things will rotate more easily when the cylinder head are put back on. “Temporary engine seizure” due to missingcylinder head + stretch bolts are a known issue, and the engine does not need to rotate freely without these. Crankshaft put in the “safe position”:

The cylinder head would be my next port of call.. J

[beinet1]

Hi all,
Cylinder head work ongoing, Cam ladder and cams removed:

Valves and tappets removed and organized in cardboard cups, marked with its respective valve no.:


Valve inspection was done. The Inlet valves look good. No 1. Was wet with oil and “gunk” was found on the valve stem, probably due to a leaking valve seal. These will be replaced anyway. All the Inlet valves were lapped in and minor work was needed to clear up the valve seats:

The exhaust valves look worse. A lot more carbon deposits and dirt was found in the exhaust port which needs to be cleaned out, shown here:
One exhaust valve was scraped clean and I tried to lap it in. The valve seat cleaned up quickly and got the clean grey ring. The valve got better, but it has still some marks/pittings after some moderate lapping work. I think some pitting should be OK, but not excessive. How much is “good enough”? Should the vale/valve seat be 100% clean or is some marks/pittings OK?. What do you think about this Exhaust valve? :

[Lovel]

Originally Posted by beinet1

The valve got better, but it has still some marks/pittings after some moderate lapping work. I think some pitting should be OK, but not excessive. How much is “good enough”? Should the vale/valve seat be 100% clean or is some marks/pittings OK?. What do you think about this Exhaust valve?

More lapping in......................

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by Lovel

More lapping in......................

As excpected

[MG Tom]

I'd try a little more lapping, but to be honest that's already a very wide reveal. In reality it will probably be ok, but it really needs a new valve and recut the seats to be honest.