thousands of miles of reliable service.
Conversely, a neglected engine may require
an overhaul very early in its life.
Excessive oil consumption is an indication
that piston rings, valve seals and/or valve
guides are in need of attention. Make sure
that oil leaks aren’t responsible before
deciding that the rings and/or guides are
worn. Perform a cylinder compression check
to determine the extent of the work required.
Loss of power, rough running, knocking or
metallic engine noises, excessive valve train
noise and high fuel consumption rates may
also point to the need for an overhaul,
especially if they’re all present at the same
time. If a full service doesn’t remedy the
situation, major mechanical work is the only
solution.
An engine overhaul involves restoring all
internal parts to the specification of a new
engine. Note: Always check first what
replacement parts are available before
planning any overhaul operation; refer to
Section 1 of this Part. Rover dealers, or a
good engine reconditioning specialist/
automotive parts supplier may be able to
suggest alternatives which will enable you to
overcome the lack of replacement parts.
During an overhaul, it is usual to renew the
piston rings, and to rebore and/or hone the
cylinder bores; where the rebore is done by an
automotive machine shop, new oversize
pistons and rings will also be installed - all
these operations, of course, assume the
availability of replacement parts. The main
and big-end bearings are generally renewed
and, if necessary, the crankshaft may be
reground to restore the journals. Generally,
the valves are serviced as well, since they’re
usually in less-than-perfect condition at this
point. While the engine is being overhauled,
other components, such as the starter and
alternator, can be renewed as well, or rebuilt,
if the parts can be found. The end result
should be an as-new engine that will give
many trouble-free miles. Note: Critical cooling
system components such as the hoses,
drivebelt, thermostat and water pump MUST
be replaced with new parts when an engine is
overhauled. The radiator should be checked
carefully, to ensure that it isn’t clogged or
leaking (see Chapter 3). Also, as a general rule,
the oil pump should be renewed when an
engine is rebuilt.
Before beginning the engine overhaul, read
through the entire procedure to familiarise
yourself with the scope and requirements of
the job. Overhauling an engine isn’t difficult,
but it is time-consuming. Plan on the vehicle
being off the road for a minimum of two
weeks, especially if parts must be taken to an
automotive machine shop for repair or
reconditioning. Check on availability of parts,
and make sure that any necessary special
tools and equipment are obtained in advance.
Most work can be done with typical hand
tools, although a number of precision
measuring tools are required, for inspecting
parts to determine if they must be replaced.
Often, an automotive machine shop will
handle the inspection of parts, and will offer
advice concerning reconditioning and
replacement. Note: Always wait until the
engine has been completely dismantled, and
all components, especially the cylinder
block/crankcase, have been inspected, before
deciding what service and repair operations
must be performed by an automotive machine
shop. Since the block’s condition will be the
major factor to consider when determining
whether to overhaul the original engine or buy
a rebuilt one, never purchase parts or have
machine work done on other components
until the cylinder block/crankcase has been
thoroughly inspected. As a general rule, time
is the primary cost of an overhaul, so it
doesn’t pay to install worn or sub-standard
parts.
As a final note, to ensure maximum life and
minimum trouble from a rebuilt engine,
everything must be assembled with care, in a
spotlessly-clean environment.
3 Engine removal -
methods and precautions
If you’ve decided that an engine must be
removed for overhaul or major repair work,
several preliminary steps should be taken.
Locating a suitable place to work is
extremely important. Adequate work space,
along with storage space for the vehicle, will
be needed. If a workshop or garage isn’t
available, at the very least, a flat, level, clean
work surface made of concrete or asphalt is
required.
Cleaning the engine compartment and
engine/transmission before beginning the
removal procedure will help keep tools clean
and organised.
An engine hoist or A-frame will be
necessary. Make sure the equipment is rated
in excess of the combined weight of the
engine and transmission. Safety is of primary
importance, considering the potential hazards
involved in removing the engine/transmission
from the vehicle.
If this is the first time you have removed an
engine, a helper should ideally be available.
Advice and aid from someone more
experienced would also be helpful. There are
many instances when one person cannot
simultaneously perform all of the operations
required when removing the
engine/transmission from the vehicle.
Plan the operation ahead of time. Arrange
for, or obtain, all of the tools and equipment
you’ll need prior to beginning the job. Some of
the equipment necessary to perform
engine/transmission removal and installation
safely and with relative ease, and which may
have to be hired or borrowed, includes (in
addition to the engine hoist) a heavy-duty
trolley jack, a strong pair of axle stands, some
wooden blocks, and an engine dolly (a low,
wheeled platform capable of taking the weight
of the engine/transmission, so that it can be
moved easily when on the ground). A
complete set of spanners and sockets (as
described in the front of this manual) will
obviously be needed, together with plenty of
rags and cleaning solvent for mopping-up
spilled oil, coolant and fuel. If the hoist is to be
hired, make sure that you arrange for it in
advance, and perform all of the operations
possible without it beforehand. This will save
you money and time.
Plan for the vehicle to be out of use for
quite a while. A machine shop will be required
to perform some of the work which the do-it-
yourselfer can’t accomplish without special
equipment. These establishments often have
a busy schedule, so it would be a good idea
to consult them before removing the engine,
to accurately estimate the amount of time
required to rebuild or repair components that
may need work.
Always be extremely careful when removing
and installing the engine/transmission.
Serious injury can result from careless
actions. By planning ahead and taking your
time, the job (although a major task) can be
accomplished successfully.
4 Engine/transmission
(4-cylinder engine) - removal,
separation and refitting
3
Note: The engine can be removed from the
car only as a complete unit with the
transmission; the two are then separated for
overhaul. The engine/transmission are
removed upwards and out from the top of
engine compartment.
Removal
1 Extract the retaining clips and release the
support struts from the bonnet. Tie the bonnet
back in the fully-open position.
2 Drain the cooling system, the engine oil,
and the transmission oil or fluid as described
in Chapter 1.
3 Remove the complete air cleaner and intake
trunking assembly, as described in the
relevant Part of Chapter 4.
4 Remove the battery as described in
Chapter 5, then undo the three bolts and
remove the battery tray.
5 Undo the three bolts and remove the air
cleaner support bracket, located below the
battery tray.
6 On cars with single-point fuel injection,
undo the three ignition/fuel ECU mounting
bracket bolts, and move the ECU and bracket
aside.
7 Slacken the clips and remove the radiator
top hose, then disconnect the expansion tank
hose at the thermostat housing. On single-
point injection models, disconnect the two
heater outlet hoses at the inlet manifold.
Engine removal and general engine overhaul procedures 2C•3
2C
1380 Rover 800 Series Remake
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