Hi all, Im looking at getting a 4.6 motor soon out of a car that has been standing 18 months, and have been looking at a lot of the postings here.. and getting a bit worried. How could I tell if there is a problem with the liners or the 'porous' problem..? The motor turns over but wont fire due to an electrical/ignition problem..I will be running a dizzy and carbs so this bit doesnt worry me. What am I looking out for..? Im obviously going to be looking for any oil/water mixing, but is there anything else to look out for that can be established with a few tools and an hour or two..?
Thanks........Bazza
problems with 4.6 motors
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AriesSnake
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You will be unlikely to see oil water mix as that doesn't really happen but even if it was a pointer it wouldn't be very reliable on an engine that has been sitting for 18 months. Other than getting it running the only other way is to take it apart. There is a chance if it has a problem the tops of a piston or two would be very clean but again this isn't always the case. If you can get it running you can use a sniffer kit that will tell you if there is exhaust gases in the coolant. I honestly don't know if that test would be valid on an engine that hasn't ran for so long without getting it running first. Best way of all is to take it apart and get it pressure tested but you would have to buy it I guess to do that and its too late then. I guess it all depends on how much it is as to whether its worth the gamble or not.
Re: problems with 4.6 motors
AriesSnake wrote:is there anything else to look out for that can be established with a few tools and an hour or two..?
Thanks........Bazza
If the seller will let you you could easily get both heads off in a couple of hours. You need to check very carefully to see if any of the liners have dropped as this is what causes the loss of coolant. The liners do not drop very much at all, maybe 10 thou. If there is a ridge in the deck between the liner and the block then it will need top "hat-ing". (Big bucks)
Check for play between the rockers and the rocker shafts, I've got a scrapper 3.5 lump and there must be 1.5mm of play!
Check the followers and the cam. on the above engine I do not think that it was legally correct to call the "camshaft" a camshaft as there were no cams on it!
HTH,
Pete
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AriesSnake
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Hi, thanks.. Id guess if l took the heads off and then didnt want it, the owner might not be too happy.. 
It was running fine till it failed an MOT on rust and stuff...and has since stopped starting after sitting around on a driveway, though he turns it over every month still.. £300/£400 will buy it, so l might take the gamble.. its got other stuff on it to sell, like a full s/s exhaust and brand new disks, so l shouldnt lose out. A friend told me that the 'banger racers' would buy the manual 5 speed box...so all in all its worth it l think.. I'll keep you posted if l get my hands on it,
Bazza
It was running fine till it failed an MOT on rust and stuff...and has since stopped starting after sitting around on a driveway, though he turns it over every month still.. £300/£400 will buy it, so l might take the gamble.. its got other stuff on it to sell, like a full s/s exhaust and brand new disks, so l shouldnt lose out. A friend told me that the 'banger racers' would buy the manual 5 speed box...so all in all its worth it l think.. I'll keep you posted if l get my hands on it,Bazza
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AriesSnake
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AriesSnake
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AriesSnake
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if its 3-400 squids for the whole motor its a no brainer IMO. You'd get half that for the shell alone, 150 for the box, and even if you dont want the engine, there are people on here, and more on ebay that'd rip yer arm off so you'd easily get your money back and more 
Check out the calipers (front especially) - should be meaty 4-pots i think (same as Jag XJS or similar at least i believe).
If the gearbox is an R380 I'll have first refusal please lol!
Check out the calipers (front especially) - should be meaty 4-pots i think (same as Jag XJS or similar at least i believe).
If the gearbox is an R380 I'll have first refusal please lol!
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AriesSnake
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chodjinn wrote:if its 3-400 squids for the whole motor its a no brainer IMO. You'd get half that for the shell alone, 150 for the box, and even if you dont want the engine, there are people on here, and more on ebay that'd rip yer arm off so you'd easily get your money back and more
Check out the calipers (front especially) - should be meaty 4-pots i think (same as Jag XJS or similar at least i believe).
If the gearbox is an R380 I'll have first refusal please lol!
Im after the motor...thats why lm after it. My motors down on compression. I believe its got brand new front disks... As soon as I have it, I will post all stuff on here first
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AriesSnake
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chodjinn wrote:Good lad! you certainly know how to makes friends hehe
Its the least l can do...
Its great to find such a friendly and helpful bunch of people.. When l first got my trike, l had no idea that the motor had such a vast history and such a huge list of possibilities and options.. I'd feel a bit lost, without having found this forum.. If l get my hands on this SD1, l'll be posting plenty 