3/28/02-----Sent again 3/29/02, this time with the trailers
removed---Maybe someday I'll learn-----.
Kevin,
I was considering enlarging a 3.5 too, about 3 years ago, but I
found sleeves and installation to be extremely expensive. 1 potential
advantage though is that bore sizes as large as 3.780" can be used, thus
opening up options for different pistons, such as Chevy 305 small block
(3.736" std. size), which are very inexpensive. The largest bore that it
is safe to use in a 3.9 apparently is 3.710" which limits you to 3.9 Rover
or Ford 255 V8 pistons (others?). They are not extremely expensive but do
cost much more than Chevy stuff. I did not know about RB (Rimmer
Brothers?) at that time, nor did I yet know about 3.9 L. Rover engines.
American made engine rebuilding sleeves are very expensive. Machine shops
might also have very limited experience in boring aluminum and fitting
sleeves into aluminum blocks. Maybe somebody else knows more about that.
I found a 3.9 block at that time, including crank, rods, and low
compression pistons, for about $350.00, if I remember correctly. Meanwhile
the emphasis seems to be shifting towards the 4.0 L. and 4.6 L. engines
because of their larger displacement, better strength, larger main
bearings, etc. So maybe a 3.9 L. block could be had for less now. On the
other hand, Rimmer Bros. 3.9 sleeves are a lot less than the American made
ones I was looking at a few years ago. An excellent question you are
asking and probably each of us has to answer it for ourselves. You should
take a close look at the British V 8 Newsletter of Sept.-Dec, 2001 for an
excellent article with details of a 294 C I stroker engine. It might be
some help in deciding which way to go. This issue might still be available
on line from Dan Masters. I think the web address to go to is
http://members.aol.com/DANMAS/mgv8.htm Hope I copied that correctly!!
Regards,
Dave Kernberger
-------------------------------------------------
I'm wondering what is more cost-effective... buying a set of sleeves
>and having my 3.5L block opened up to 3.9L, or buying a used 3.9L
>block, and going from there.
>
>I figure I'm going to replace the pistons either way, and since I
>have a complete 3.5L engine, I already have the rods, crank, etc.,
>so basically, I'm wondering how much I can get a 3.9L block for,
>and how much it costs to have a block resleeved (I know I can get
>the sleeves themselves from RB for about $145).
>Everything after that should cost the same either way.
>
>I seem to remember an engine importer selling rebuildable Rover
>V8s for $395... but that was years ago, and I can't remember
>who it was. I know most salvage-yards that have Rovers want a
>_serious_ premium for the engines (one on ebay has a regular
>buy-it-now price of almost $1800!)... hard to believe it's
>cheaper to get them from across the pond.
>
>Too bad I never ever see one in U-Pull-It... the fixed engine price
>of $100 is awesome! (I've seen more than a couple Jag V12s in there
>that I've _really_ had a hard time resisting)
>
>
>Thanks!
>Kevin Burtch
> 1976 TR7 FHC w/dealer-installed sunroof
> 1980 TR8 DHC EFI (with a tired 115K engine)
> Spare EFI TR8 engine yanked from a scrapyard P6B
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