Why does my LandRover engine still run?

[zarati]

Seriously though, this is my Thought for the Day.
I've been driving it for over 25k - 30k miles with a known blown headgasket.
It has progressively gotten worse to the point that it now actually blows out the side of the block (Between the Head and Block) enough that I can feel it with my hand from 6-10 Inches away. You can hear me coming a mile away. Its become more of an experiment at this point. How bad can it get before it just quits. I'm amazed at the abuse that vehicle can take. People call them Unreliable, but those that drive them know to just leave at least three things wrong with them. NOTHING ever seems to work right, but it keeps going. I didn't even change the oil from 2010 - 2015. THat was 5-years and about 10k miles. I kept thinking it was going to quit. I finally broke down and changed it a couple months ago.

So why does it keep going, but if you look at a modern Audi motor the wrong way, they quit. I suppose the fact that my motor puts out a whopping 47.5 HP / Liter might have something to do with it. And the fact that there is minimal emissions equipment, etc. My old Audi 4000 quattro was the same way. You can't kill those motors, and they keep going, even when abused.

[Mcstiff]

Somewhat likely it's basically an old Buick motor.

[dana]

low performance engines are pretty damn durable. My dad used an old ford tractor around the farm that my grandpa bought new in 1953, it had rod knock my entire life, and never cared. He restored it for fun recently, but it was still running.

Also, when I was a kid our family caprice classic with a small block cheby lost a rod bearing in florida. My pops limped it all the way home pulling a pop up camper and 5 people. Still ran alright.

[loxxrider]

Current farm tractor, farmall cub, been going strong for almost 70 years! Low performance for the win?

[dana]

my tractor is a 1975, engine appears to have never been apart. Perfect compression, zero oil loss, and now turbocharged and loving it. Still probably making 25 hp/liter or less
Will also run at full throttle and full load for days on end with no issue.

[loxxrider]

Haha I want to see videos or at least a picture of this turbo tractor

[dana]

Haha I want to see videos or at least a picture of this turbo tractor

oil feed line has been improved since these pics, has a 90 degree fitting on the top and a true connection at the block side without the bullshit clamped braided hose.



more pics here in reverse order
http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/danap ... t=3&page=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crNrTY4hSYw

[pkw]

Seriously though, this is my Thought for the Day.
I've been driving it for over 25k - 30k miles with a known blown headgasket.
It has progressively gotten worse to the point that it now actually blows out the side of the block (Between the Head and Block) enough that I can feel it with my hand from 6-10 Inches away. You can hear me coming a mile away. Its become more of an experiment at this point. How bad can it get before it just quits. I'm amazed at the abuse that vehicle can take. People call them Unreliable, but those that drive them know to just leave at least three things wrong with them. NOTHING ever seems to work right, but it keeps going. I didn't even change the oil from 2010 - 2015. THat was 5-years and about 10k miles. I kept thinking it was going to quit. I finally broke down and changed it a couple months ago.
.

tighten the head bolts of the leaky side and call it a day?......if you dare....and you probably do.

[zarati]

Somewhat likely it's basically an old Buick motor.

It absolutely is an Old Buick motor. Based on the Buick 215ci block.
I'm actually running a Mallory Optical distributor for a Buick 215 in mine. And FORD 302 Injectors.

[zarati]

Seriously though, this is my Thought for the Day.
I've been driving it for over 25k - 30k miles with a known blown headgasket.
It has progressively gotten worse to the point that it now actually blows out the side of the block (Between the Head and Block) enough that I can feel it with my hand from 6-10 Inches away. You can hear me coming a mile away. Its become more of an experiment at this point. How bad can it get before it just quits. I'm amazed at the abuse that vehicle can take. People call them Unreliable, but those that drive them know to just leave at least three things wrong with them. NOTHING ever seems to work right, but it keeps going. I didn't even change the oil from 2010 - 2015. THat was 5-years and about 10k miles. I kept thinking it was going to quit. I finally broke down and changed it a couple months ago.
.

tighten the head bolts of the leaky side and call it a day?......if you dare....and you probably do.

LOL, Did that once 10k miles ago. Now its beyond that. I have a new motor and gasket set waiting. But the S8 and now S6 get priority.
The truck isn't worth much, but it will go anywhere, works as a decent utility vehicle, and is kinda fun sometimes.

[Mcstiff]

Somewhat likely it's basically an old Buick motor.

It absolutely is an Old Buick motor. Based on the Buick 215ci block.
I'm actually running a Mallory Optical distributor for a Buick 215 in mine. And FORD 302 Injectors.

I only said somewhat because the newer models are not.

[AngryTaco]

We have a 3.9 in the shop right now. Only real issue is the camshafts like to flatten over time because they cheaped out on the nitriding process.

Other than that, they are a pretty bulletproof motor

[Foscora]

I know a VAG 1.6D (B2 Passat) in the same condition, 400.000+km, head cracked (one full coolant tank emptied in like 30 km), runs on 3 cylinders (under 2000 rpm). It ran for about around two years and 30.000km in this condition.

The car have been stopped ever since (for other reasons) but recently we threw a battery ... and it started ... once again

[Noisy Cricket]

The the LR engine is anything like the Buick engines, there are large expanses of deck where there are no coolant passages.

It's very common for the turbo sixes to blow a 2-3" long section of head gasket into the valley, retained by the pushrods. Engine still runs, albeit down on a cylinder and pumping oil into the exhaust But cooling system stays intact.

[zarati]

The the LR engine is anything like the Buick engines, there are large expanses of deck where there are no coolant passages.

It's very common for the turbo sixes to blow a 2-3" long section of head gasket into the valley, retained by the pushrods. Engine still runs, albeit down on a cylinder and pumping oil into the exhaust But cooling system stays intact.

Interesting. I'll see what it looks like when I pull heads.
S8 project is done. On to S6 valve job / head gasket now. Then on to Rover.

[Noisy Cricket]

Oddly enough I have NO photos of a Buick 6 with the head off! At least no pictures of a production block. Have some of the Stage II blocks and the aluminum TA blocks, which have two extra rows of head bolts per side, for 14 per deck instead of just eight.

The other odd thing, here's a "109" block Buick 6, this is the block used in the cold-air Grand Nationals (pretty much the only stock blocks we work with) as well as the last of the nonturbo sixes:



It does have two coolant passages up near the valley. But I've never had one leak coolant after blowing the head gasket into the valley. (And you can see why they blow the gasket out like that, and why the big power blocks have six more head bolts...)

Now, here's a Buick V8, which is loosely what the Rover engine is based on:



Deck is completely dry except for the front and rear!