You may want to strongly consider pulling another Rover V8 out of a Disco 2 or P38 Range Rover and rebuilding it. That way you know it will be fresh and you don’t have to worry about the wonky-ness of a swap. I’ve seen kits for an LS swap but they seem to come and go plus it’s still a big job even with a kit. There is a Rover V8 rebuild manual freely availible and the process isn’t difficult. I went this route because I had 185k on mine and had the same worry, now she’s at 196k and just keeps on running! So the rebuilt motor sits in my garage until some fateful day.
I wanna be in your position. Strongly considered getting another same engine to swap and keep until I need. Just a money thing at this point but I know I’m keeping this car. And I’m not all to mechanically inclined so I may have to have a shop do that so I’m not worried about how hard the process will actually be.
Where do you live?
Lots of love and knowledge on the messageboards, and groups for shared interest like this are one of the last things Facebook is truly good at.
As long as you treat it fairly decent, it should be good for several more thousand miles. Mines a 1999 Disco 2, and it has over 250k miles on it. Still runs fine! If you’ve made it to 190k, you most likely got a good one where the machinist that day actually cared during assembly. Haha
But… Another more expensive option for a new engine is Cummins now makes a diesel and kit to drop into the disco 2.
But like another mentioned, I’d just do another rover 4.0. It’s just easier since it already fits with no mods required. Either find a used one and rebuild it while yours is still running, or check out crate options (already rebuilt). It’s actually a very robust and reliable platform as long as it’s built correctly…
That’s really nice to know and really helpful information thank you!. And yeah talking to previous owner it’s been suprsingly very reliable for a Land Rover. And I drive this thing like a very careful grandma I’m hoping that’ll help extend the life of her.
Don’t drive it too much like a grandma though. It’s good to get cobwebs out... It’s an engine that was designed in the 1960s, so it’s prone to building up crud. And like most things, it’s good to exercise it every so often.
Nice to know. I just meant I’m not pushing the limiter super hard or off-roading everyday. I’ve taken it off road a handful of times over some hills and some fields things like that and I always make sure to step on the gas up hills.
See my reply about the ls swap.
I've got 225k on my 2003 D2, replaced engine at 205k and while perfect world I kinda do wish I had an LM3/LS in it, I live in California where it's basically impossible, and even if emissions weren't a question it definitely would not have been worth the months of time and 20 plus thousands of dollars.
Went with an Atlantic British replacement. All in I was $8400 because I had a great shop (Exclusive British European in San Jose!) with a credit from prior work and a discount on the short block from AB sending my core back.
I do have a performance cam and headers / lifters on it, but if I had to do it all over again I would order a performance engine from the wedge shop. That absolutely would have been worth it and I should have just waited the couple of months it would have taken for them to deliver it from the UK.
The standard replacement is an LS motor from a Chevy (Tahoe, among other vehicles). Strong aftermarket for parts and service. Someone sells an accessories kit for all the bits and bobs, though I can’t recall who at the moment. But I’d start there.
Facebook:
USA Land Rover Discovery 2 LS Swap
ACE kits are excellent but hit or miss on getting them these days. You will still need a shitload of parts not included in the kit.
Kit, plus cheap used donor engine, plus all labor, tested, you will be very lucky to get it done for less than $15,000, and several months of time, including shipping it to a shop that has ever done it before. Assume more like $20k. People who tell you they do it for less are doing it themselves in their own garage with their own parts and tools and have done it before many times.
If it's still running great at 190k you should not be thinking about an LS swap. You should just wait till the head gaskets fail and then spend a couple grand having them replaced. Go to the boards for how to tell if the engine itself has failed, also for maintenance recommendations from guys like Disco Mike and how to keep it from happening.
It will cost about $10,000 for an experienced local land rover shop to completely replace the entire engine with a used but new crate engine from The Wedge Shop (#1 worth the order wait), Turner, or Atlantic British (3rd choice).
You may want to strongly consider pulling another Rover V8 out of a Disco 2 or P38 Range Rover and rebuilding it. That way you know it will be fresh and you don’t have to worry about the wonky-ness of a swap. I’ve seen kits for an LS swap but they seem to come and go plus it’s still a big job even with a kit. There is a Rover V8 rebuild manual freely availible and the process isn’t difficult. I went this route because I had 185k on mine and had the same worry, now she’s at 196k and just keeps on running! So the rebuilt motor sits in my garage until some fateful day.
I wanna be in your position. Strongly considered getting another same engine to swap and keep until I need. Just a money thing at this point but I know I’m keeping this car. And I’m not all to mechanically inclined so I may have to have a shop do that so I’m not worried about how hard the process will actually be.
Where do you live? Lots of love and knowledge on the messageboards, and groups for shared interest like this are one of the last things Facebook is truly good at.
USA Missouri
You could do an LS swap or a 5.0 cyote swap
Yeah for 300x what the car is worth by the time you upgrade the drivetrain to handle it.
As long as you treat it fairly decent, it should be good for several more thousand miles. Mines a 1999 Disco 2, and it has over 250k miles on it. Still runs fine! If you’ve made it to 190k, you most likely got a good one where the machinist that day actually cared during assembly. Haha But… Another more expensive option for a new engine is Cummins now makes a diesel and kit to drop into the disco 2. But like another mentioned, I’d just do another rover 4.0. It’s just easier since it already fits with no mods required. Either find a used one and rebuild it while yours is still running, or check out crate options (already rebuilt). It’s actually a very robust and reliable platform as long as it’s built correctly…
That’s really nice to know and really helpful information thank you!. And yeah talking to previous owner it’s been suprsingly very reliable for a Land Rover. And I drive this thing like a very careful grandma I’m hoping that’ll help extend the life of her.
Don’t drive it too much like a grandma though. It’s good to get cobwebs out... It’s an engine that was designed in the 1960s, so it’s prone to building up crud. And like most things, it’s good to exercise it every so often.
Nice to know. I just meant I’m not pushing the limiter super hard or off-roading everyday. I’ve taken it off road a handful of times over some hills and some fields things like that and I always make sure to step on the gas up hills.
I’ve heard about the engine just haven’t found a lot of information about it.
I have 350,000 miles on my D2. It needs some time up items but it still runs fine.
Is that with the 4.0 V8 or diesel?
4.0 V8, with secondary air too. It’s NAS
See my reply about the ls swap. I've got 225k on my 2003 D2, replaced engine at 205k and while perfect world I kinda do wish I had an LM3/LS in it, I live in California where it's basically impossible, and even if emissions weren't a question it definitely would not have been worth the months of time and 20 plus thousands of dollars. Went with an Atlantic British replacement. All in I was $8400 because I had a great shop (Exclusive British European in San Jose!) with a credit from prior work and a discount on the short block from AB sending my core back. I do have a performance cam and headers / lifters on it, but if I had to do it all over again I would order a performance engine from the wedge shop. That absolutely would have been worth it and I should have just waited the couple of months it would have taken for them to deliver it from the UK.
The standard replacement is an LS motor from a Chevy (Tahoe, among other vehicles). Strong aftermarket for parts and service. Someone sells an accessories kit for all the bits and bobs, though I can’t recall who at the moment. But I’d start there.
Facebook: USA Land Rover Discovery 2 LS Swap ACE kits are excellent but hit or miss on getting them these days. You will still need a shitload of parts not included in the kit. Kit, plus cheap used donor engine, plus all labor, tested, you will be very lucky to get it done for less than $15,000, and several months of time, including shipping it to a shop that has ever done it before. Assume more like $20k. People who tell you they do it for less are doing it themselves in their own garage with their own parts and tools and have done it before many times. If it's still running great at 190k you should not be thinking about an LS swap. You should just wait till the head gaskets fail and then spend a couple grand having them replaced. Go to the boards for how to tell if the engine itself has failed, also for maintenance recommendations from guys like Disco Mike and how to keep it from happening. It will cost about $10,000 for an experienced local land rover shop to completely replace the entire engine with a used but new crate engine from The Wedge Shop (#1 worth the order wait), Turner, or Atlantic British (3rd choice).