Bad news on the block. A couple of the bores are oval and out of limits. So going for a re-sleeve. The company assures me they have being doing it to this type of engine for many years and guarantee that it will work ok. They will do the crack tests and cleaning. They also recommended a cleaner that will get rid of whatever sludge I cant get to on the other bits and pieces.

Was hoping for quick fix but not this time. I have scored well on many Land Rover "non runners" that I have bought so I am not too dissappointed. It will still end up costing around half market value when it is up and running so I cant complain. It just means I wont be able to get it running for a couple of months as my job will taking me away for a few weeks around about the time that it ill be ready to start rebuilding.

Many thanks to all the advice and suggestions that have been forthcoming. I will be updating my progress over the next few months and will be seeking more answers to many other questions.

I can try fix my dash and radio pixel problem while I wait for the work to be completed. ray:

 

Sorry to hear that! Aluminum blocks and heads don't take to overheating like the old cast iron used to.

John

 

Please can someone attach or email me some photos of the engine / engine bay of the L322 BMW 4.4L. Mine is 2003 but I think the BMW versions are all the same.

I need them for two reasons. Firstly to help me with the assembly process - particularly the engine install and secondly I need to do some cosmetic work on the engine bits and need to see the correct factory colours. My cam covers for example are very stained and I want the factory standard look. Mr Google has not been very helpful today.

 

I got my cam covers done in a textured black, looks clean and simple IMHO.
Not home now but will take whatever you need when I return if you still need them.

Martin

 

Thanks Martin. I think I will stay with the standard silver cam covers but I would like to see how yours look in black. I have got a couple of cans of black crinkle paint as used on British classics that I was considering using.

 

Not a problem mate.
I will (hopefully) be home next week, and will snap pics if you remind me to do so!
I went with black for a very simple reason mate, it was whaty the powder coaters were doint that day! Nothing more to it than that unfortunately...:lol: .

Martin

 

Re-sleeved, heads overhauled, crank polished, new rings, big ends, chain and tensioners, etc. etc.

Now the fun starts.8~

 

I love clean engine parts. They finished them fast too. Have fun with the assembly!

John

 

I second the very fast machine work, great job on their part!
All clean parts, assembly is easy .

Martin

 

Well the fun has already started.

Crank fitted - no problem.
Everything laid out and ready for the impending arrival of my spares parcel - no problem.
Delivery man arrives bearing gifts and I am like a kid getting his Christmas present. Open it up and start playing with my new toys and something tells me there is somethin missing. Us kids can notice these things.

Sure enough bottom gasket kit, crankshaft seals, and the big one - big end bearings - all missing. So I phoned the parts man and he says sorry but he is still waiting for the bits and will send them next week but he forgot to mention it when he phoned to say the parts were on the way. So I put away my new toys and had beer instead. So frustrating dealing with spares people.

But I got another amazing Christmas present yesterday as well. Got given extra time off from work - nearly three weeks extra so I am still smiling and it means the car will be finished by the time I go.

 

Good looking motor.

 

They look so much better without the engine cover in place. :thumb:

 

I am amazed by how much bigger the M62 motor is than the P38 4.6.

28 inches wide vs 22 and 23 inches long vs 18. Thats not including the ancillaries.

The P38 motor is very compact.

 

All those extra cams up top! They sure make it idle nice.

John

 

Motor is fitted now. Still connecting the 3000 sensors and things and may try start it up tomorrow (depends if the family allow me in the garage on Christmas day. Maybe I will sneak in for a while).

The build went well except for the spares man sending me two of the same head gaskets. Held me up for a couple of days which was a blessing in disguise as it allowed more time for cleaning etc.
But the install was a pig. The guy who removed the motor left all the ancillaries in situ and getting the motor in around the A/C pump and power steering pump etc. was a mission. Fitting the starter motor with the engine complete with manifolds fitted was a nightmare I would not recommend. Should have RTFM before hand.

I replaced the gearbox input seal for good measure and noticed the transmission oil was quite dirty although it smelled good so I will be doing a fluid change ASAP. A couple of faults showed up when connecting the battery but that is another problem to be investigated at a later date.

There were a whole bunch of bolts left over which had me worried until I looked closely and noticed thay were UNC threads. The garage that removed the motor also do classic Landrovers and must have got them mixed up

 

And the classic L322 cooling fault. The pipe literally crumbled in my hand as I was investigating. Perhaps it was the cause of the overheat in the first place.

 

Yep, that could have been the problem. I've had that piece fail, but my failure was the hose not the plastic pipe. The water goes QUICK. I was fortunate, it broke as I drove in my driveway. Sometimes things just go your way.

 

Way to go Geoff!.I'm sure with the family busy with all the new prezzies Santa bought,you will be able to sneak to the garage for a bit.!

 

Its alive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Put the tools away and crack open the champagne and enjoy the rest of the day with your family. Well done.

 

Hey congrats!! Big job, but the motor looks great, especially with those valve covers all redone!

John

And oh, that fitting on the back of the motor is the same one that blew out on my "04. When I picked it up from the dealer, they said the service dept. replaces it as a matter of course any time they do work at the back of the motor. Good catch on your part...

 

Congratulations!
Always a great feeling when the engine runs and the butterflies go away! I haev built countless engines in countless vehicles, and always have the butterflies until all the warning buzzers go off, the lifters pump up (if it has them), and it starts to purr!

Martin

 

My Christmas present. Running very smoothly except for a slight vanos noise I suspect. I was expecting it due to the sludge contamination I found when I stripped the motor. Who knows what damage or gumming up it may have done to the vanos units. Will wait and see if the noise changes. I need to check the front diff oil and then the test drive.

All faults that showed up when I connected up have dissappeared so I am a happy boy.

 

for a slight vanos noise I suspect....

Are you sure it isn't the fuel injectors?

 

Congrats ,look forward to a test drive next time in Cape Town!!

 

Thanks John. Could not have done it without the use of your engine crane. Worked perfectly.

 

Had a scare today. Was finalising the job before the first test drive and the exhausts started smoking. A little at first from the left exhaust then after a while the right. And then it got worse. When I say worse I mean it got really bad. Vacate the premises bad. Listen for the wailing of fire engines bad.

But I am not scared of Range Rovers so did some troubleshooting and came to the conclusion that the crankcase vent / breather / valve located on the rear of the inlet manifold was bad. I was a little suspicious of it when I built the motor but thought I would try it first and see. So I removed it and opened it up and sure enough the diaphram was torn around more than half of its circumference.

Then I remembered what the previous owner had said "it was smoking so bad people were staring at him". Could that have been the main problem all along? In spite of the oval bores and suppossed overheat perhaps the main snag was just the faulty valve. Anyway fitted the new one and once the oil that had been sucked into the manifold had burnt off the engine ran perfectly.

Test drive went without a hitch and it drives beautifully. The only glitch is an oil leak that I cant pinpoint. It appears on one of the pipes from the oil filter to the block and I suspect the leak may be under the braiding so it just appears downstream of the braid. So the car will continue to mark its territory till I pull off and pressure test the offending pipe.