Freelander........

[dobbslc]

Stop farting around!
Get a Toyota Surf 3.0 diesel.

 

[dobbslc]

What did he say to put you off?

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Stop farting around!
Get a Toyota Surf 3.0 diesel.

And watch it evaporate in front of your very eyes when it rains

 

[Robotstar5]

Wasn't this thread originally about a four wheel drive maestro van?

 

[octo0072000]

Yep one of the original prototypes

 

[HughF]

Surprisingly easy to do the hg on the 1.8k. Did my sisters and she got another 2 years out of it before she killed it again due to a coolant leak. A few electrical gremlins with the electric Windows and I had to put a recon vcu on it but with a set of winter tyres it was unstoppable in the snow and perfect for where she was living at the time (rural South Wales)...

Personally I'd get an l series diesel one (it's basically an electronic pumped Perkins prima, I like them, good engines). I have no experience of the bmw common rail unit.

 

[dobbslc]

And watch it evaporate in front of your very eyes when it rains

Rust? Mines 19 years old and has no rust at all.
The UK model 4 runners rust like hell though, not sure if they didn't get galvanized and the Jap imports did.
Heads do crack on the 3.0, mine did but I fitted a new AMC head at a cost of over 1k, (fitted myself) that's how much I love this truck. It should be good for years now though.

My mate and his ex had a few Rover 200's and a MGTF, they all needed a new head gasket. On the TF he also replaced the "ladder" in the bottom end with an updated version along with new bolts, metal locating dowels and uprated gasket. It was ok after that but he sold it and now has a Lotus Excel......

 

[Kayos]

Had a good day of MOT prep today, cleaning up remains of an oil leak from the rack (replaced last year) and general checking over, removed backbox as its gone and ordered a new one.

I also took it for a good run on my private test track, few times up and down a dual carriageway at 70 and temp never got above half, also fans kicked in as expected, didn't do that when it over heated so I'm 98% sure it's the stat. New one on order.

I'm not concerned about the mpg, wouldn't have bought it if I was

Also ordered my recon vcu today and some bearings, so once the prop is rebuilt I will have some light off road fun

I also feel a project thread coming later

 

[dannyp]

the K series, so nearly was a really really good enigne. problem was rover did there usual and did 90% of a really good gob then went cheep on the last bit.

if when you do the head you do it properly, and use a few upgraded parts that imo should have been stadard from the off. it will take some serious hammer meany of them in kit cars take regualar hard thrashings and yu can rev them way higher than the enige out of a shopping trolley has any reason to put up with. on the one big proviso that you keep it cool. as the motor has naff all themal mass and naff all water in it hence why overheating is so catastrophic for them. its just how hot they can get how quickly when things go wong

 

[tomsutton529]

The K-series engine isn't that bad now.. What I mean is that many were sold and had problems there is a whole team of people on the interweb that know how to fix them, what mods to do straight away etc etc. Try to steer clear of the forums though, they are full of muppets that when an indicator breaks its certain to be HGF. There are a few websites that have some excellent articles on the K series. Ive had the pleasure of fixings a few freelanders, MG F's and the MGzr.

 

[Robotstar5]

the K series, so nearly was a really really good enigne. problem was rover did there usual and did 90% of a really good gob then went cheep on the last bit.

It was originally designed as a 1.1 & 1.4, then they took it out to 1.6, maybe 1.8 was too much?.

 

[Kayos]

It was originally designed as a 1.1 & 1.4, then they took it out to 1.6, maybe 1.8 was too much?.

This is based on the internet but seems plausable, the 1.8 has smaller water jacket and a low water content, hence the oveheating.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

It was originally designed as a 1.1 & 1.4, then they took it out to 1.6, maybe 1.8 was too much?.

I believe that was the case. Similar story to the 4.6 rover v8, just one overbore too far

 

[Robotstar5]

This is based on the internet but seems plausable, the 1.8 has smaller water jacket and a low water content, hence the oveheating.

I based it on the fact I was working in the East Works (engine build) Longbridge at the time they introduced the K series

 

[tomsutton529]

It was originally designed as a 1.1 & 1.4, then they took it out to 1.6, maybe 1.8 was too much?.

Isn't the bottom end from a Honda design?. One of the main problems with the engine is the thermostat not being up to scratch and letting too much cold water through and causing thermal shock. One of the first mods I have done in the past is use the thermostat from the Lotus Elise, that and multi layer metal head gasket from Landrover.

 

[normspanners]

Isn't the bottom end from a Honda design

No Powertrain ltd

There was also a 2.0 litre k series engine in the super 2000 MG's.

 

[dannyp]

big problems with the K were, it used to thermal shock itself as said above. also the mls headgasket as also mentioned above. also since when were plastic pegs ever going to keep a head located, sort that lot out and it has potential.

the rover v8 well that just a story of muppetry the bore size only increased when going from 3.5 to 3.9 ltrs the rest of the capacity increases were done by strokeing it. problem is the way they held the liners in, they are just a shrink fit in the block heat the block up and drop them in, big problem there is its done at a relativly low tempriture and the cretins at rover kept on upping the thermostat temp as well as trying to run the engine a stochometric air fuel ratos. both of the v8 never liked much. but they were to tight to buy a new horse or even get the vet. so they just kept on flogging the old donkey no suprises why they die. the old v8 as in 3.5 on carbs or the 3.9 efi with the right tune resistor and 4 missing head bolts is a hell of a tough engine espectaly for its era , and for it's era a very long lived engine. tho possobly its biggest problem is its ablity to sound and appear healthy when actualy its completly knackerd a few people i know that i actauly talked into rebuilding there sick v8 rather than buying another unknown proably half dead example were astounded by the diffrence with a fresh engine

 

[normspanners]

It is a later engine, with the stat at the front rather than hidden under the inlet manifold

That is the best type of stat for the K series, they work by bleeding the cold water from the rad slowly mixing it with the hot engine water that is constantly circulating around the system, this stabilize the engine temp because with the original stat the temp starts to yo-yo and the outer block cools quickly and the liners do not so you have a constant push pull on the headgasket, which eventually fails to seal the block outer face you loose coolant and overheating occurs. By jamming it open you are running the risk of overcooling or thermal shocking which is not good for that engine. The engines need to be warmed thoroughly before giving them any serious grief.

 

[Kayos]

That is the best type of stat for the K series, they work by bleeding the cold water from the rad slowly mixing it with the hot engine water that is constantly circulating around the system, this stabilize the engine temp because with the original stat the temp starts to yo-yo and the outer block cools quickly and the liners do not so you have a constant push pull on the headgasket, which eventually fails to seal the block outer face you loose coolant and overheating occurs. By jamming it open you are running the risk of overcooling or thermal shocking which is not good for that engine. The engines need to be warmed thoroughly before giving them any serious grief.

It's only jammed as a test, new one arriving this week and will be fitted hopefully before mot, if not it will be straight after when I do the rest of the service.

This is not a motor a want to give grief, when I booted my Cav turbo you could see the petrol gauge move, I'm not overly concerned about mpg as it will barely be used but I don't it as bad as the Cav

 

[normspanners]

This is not a motor a want to give grief,

I may have worded that incorrectly, by grief I mean any heavy throttle openings at low revs because they are a short conrod engine this means they create greater piston thrust and that thrust is more evident at slower speed with high load IE high torque situations which tends to try to move the liners more, this is called liner shuffle, which doesnt help the head gasket remained sealed , so when cold they are better reving freely under light load untill everything is warmed through, and then kept at a high consistent temperature.
The K series engine was a similar design to F1 engines and for that reason need to be handled gently at start up F1 engines take about 1hr to start and are pre heated artificially to about 80/90C before they are even allowed to have any ignition.