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Ranger 6



Member Since: 17 Jan 2019
Location: Yorkshireman trapped in a Surrey postcode
Posts: 197
United Kingdom 1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol CSW Rimini Red
3.5 to 3.9 - the long term re-engine thread
This is going to be a long term thread - I've found a bare 3.9 which may have a head gasket issue.

This is going to be cleaned, stripped and crack tested before a careful build into a 'refreshed' engine to replace the 3.5.

It will have an improved cam, at the same time retain the carbs and from the outside be indistinguishable from the original motor, just with more power and torque. 90 V8 CSW - 1988
Post #856055 14th Sep 2020 7:27pm
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L110CDL



Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
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Nice, i hope we are going to have plenty of pic's of the progress please Very Happy 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.

Keeper.

Clayton.
Post #856061 14th Sep 2020 7:46pm
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Ranger 6



Member Since: 17 Jan 2019
Location: Yorkshireman trapped in a Surrey postcode
Posts: 197
United Kingdom 1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol CSW Rimini Red
Well, here's the first

The world's first X3 3.9 V8 hybrid..... Laughing The engine stand comes tomorrow so will actually be able to take it out.

Then comes the cleaning Very Happy


Click image to enlarge 90 V8 CSW - 1988
Post #856066 14th Sep 2020 7:59pm
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muddypaws



Member Since: 22 Jan 2013
Location: Leicestershire
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England 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
I tried the hybrid route with a D3 - fitted in easily Very Happy

[img]https://www.defender2.net/gallery/albums/userpics/14272/normal_V8Con.bmp[/img] Richard

Defender 90 SVX

Last edited by muddypaws on 14th Sep 2020 8:31pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #856080 14th Sep 2020 8:29pm
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Ranger 6



Member Since: 17 Jan 2019
Location: Yorkshireman trapped in a Surrey postcode
Posts: 197
United Kingdom 1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol CSW Rimini Red
Laughing a bit different to mine!!

The next question, assuming the block is good and sound - which cam?

It's an improvement over the original low compression 3.5, but I don't want a standard 3.9 cam.

It's used off-road so I don't want a rev hungry high lift cam - what's the best for low end torque? 90 V8 CSW - 1988

Last edited by Ranger 6 on 14th Sep 2020 8:33pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #856081 14th Sep 2020 8:31pm
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muddypaws



Member Since: 22 Jan 2013
Location: Leicestershire
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England 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
'twas tricky getting it in/out without wrecking the headliner with the hoist! Richard

Defender 90 SVX
Post #856082 14th Sep 2020 8:32pm
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L110CDL



Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
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Thanks for the pic Thumbs Up

I'm no expert on engine building, but love watching them being rebuilt and i'm sure someone with the answer will be along soon Thumbs Up 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.

Keeper.

Clayton.
Post #856091 14th Sep 2020 9:17pm
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
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Will you be running auto or manual?
Post #856132 15th Sep 2020 8:41am
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Avelingporter



Member Since: 25 Jan 2016
Location: Southampton
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United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Why don't you ask John Eales or RPi about the cam choices. They will have for sure been and done that with cams, so should be best placed to recommend a cam profile to suit what you are after.
Post #856140 15th Sep 2020 9:59am
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Huttopia



Member Since: 23 Feb 2016
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 1972
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Ranger 6 wrote:


Then comes the cleaning Very Happy


Click image to enlarge


Quite a lot of cleaning by the looks of it! Was it set on fire?! Very Happy .

Would it be possible to build it out to a 4.6 using Range Rover parts?
Post #856141 15th Sep 2020 10:00am
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Lodelaner



Member Since: 04 Feb 2010
Location: Lambourn
Posts: 631
United Kingdom 1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol ST Shire Blue
4.6 crank journals are larger than the 3.9/3.5, and amongst other things the front end is different so that's just a whole load more work. JB

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Youtube greenlaning and other LR related content
Post #856144 15th Sep 2020 11:05am
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
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Be sure it is a 3.9, a mate had a 3.9 in his race buggy and after a few seasons he decided to rebuild it.. turned out it was a 3.5 with 3.9 plenum Laughing
Post #856158 15th Sep 2020 1:27pm
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muddypaws



Member Since: 22 Jan 2013
Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 122
England 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
Avelingporter wrote:
Why don't you ask John Eales or RPi about the cam choices. They will have for sure been and done that with cams, so should be best placed to recommend a cam profile to suit what you are after.


I used to live just down the road from John Eales; an extremely helpful chappie who knows everything about the RV8. He works from an old mill in Claybrooke that is a treasure trove of RV8 parts Richard

Defender 90 SVX
Post #856166 15th Sep 2020 3:36pm
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Ranger 6



Member Since: 17 Jan 2019
Location: Yorkshireman trapped in a Surrey postcode
Posts: 197
United Kingdom 1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol CSW Rimini Red
L110CDL wrote:
...I'm no expert on engine building....

Neither am I - this will be the first, but after reading many threads I can drop words in like 'plastiguage' and other apparently technical stuff Laughing

GREENI wrote:
Will you be running auto or manual?

Manual - it's (hopefully) going to be a straight swap for the 3.5 that the factory put in it

GREENI wrote:
Be sure it is a 3.9, a mate had a 3.9 in his race buggy and after a few seasons he decided to rebuild it.. turned out it was a 3.5 with 3.9 plenum Laughing

Already done - it came out of a Range Rover and has the little cut outs in the inlet ports where the injectors sit. The other part is the CR stampede in the block. See - that makes me sound like an expert! Mr. Green

For the other questions - yes, cam - I've heard RPi can be a bit condescending when consulted for advice. I may try John Eales.

No it's definitely not going to change capacity, this is a budget build and I'm really hoping there won't be any engineering costs other than a crack test and some skimming to true the block and heads 90 V8 CSW - 1988
Post #856231 15th Sep 2020 9:43pm
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Shroppy



Member Since: 25 Feb 2016
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 866
United Kingdom 1986 Defender 130 V8 Petrol HCPU Aintree Green
You could speak to Roland at ACR (I know Greeni and others have had a good experience using him) re the cams if you can't get hold of John as I understand he's pretty well booked up at the moment.

I've found RPi and V8 Developments to be knowledgeable but pretty difficult to deal with, I purchased a GEMS manual flywheel from one of the guys at the latter last week only after his colleague tried to flog me the very same one for £100 more. 1985 127 V8 Build Thread
Series 2 109"
Series 1 80"
Post #856249 16th Sep 2020 6:16am
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