Engine Ideas, input welcome

[Clembs]

Once again here is my deal. I have a '67 SIIa 88 that is running well and is much fun to drive. The problem is the engine has never been rebuilt so i assume it's pushing around 40 wheel HP. Likely less.

Here are my options:

Rebuild the 2.25p that is in it with new seals and gaskets for the block, hone the cyls and re build the head with all stock setup (and new water pump, dist, and fuel pump)

Next; buy a base 2.25 from friend, and rebuild with the same but install 2.5 cam and turner or RN 8.1 head and .030 bore. still new (dist, Wat pump, and fuel). I have a friend selling his old engine and would sell his very cheep then i would sell mine after the rebuild and swap.

Last; the same friend and I may be looking into an SIII parts truck with the 2.5d and pretty low miles on the motor. I would simply (not overly) swap the motor for the 2.5d and enjoy the sound or be annoyed.


I am leaning toward the 2nd idea but i would be doing the work myself and my friend would help while working on his. I am wanting a good engine for an 88 that will run smooth and allow me to drive on 250-300 mile road trips without having to readjust/ fill everything possible.

ok let me know

[yorker]

why do you feel compelled to rebuild it- does it smoke, use a lot of oil, have poor compression?

I think I'd go with option 2- rebuild the 2nd motor and swap them, though I wouldn't expect to get much $ for your used engine.

[Jeff Aronson]

Why not run compression and leakdown tests on the existing motor first? If it was well maintained in terms of oil changes and tuneups, it might be in better shape than you think.

I now have 300,000 + miles on the engine in my II-A [its second engine]. By good fortune and by regular oil changes and tuneups, this engine seems to be in good shape. The car will certainly travel on the highway at 65-70 for many hours at a time.

Check your engine first and then you can make decisions.

Good luck!

Jeff

[StX_Rovers]

Or you could go with option 4;

Buy a crate 426 hemi, bolt on a 6-71 supercharger and drop it in. That would at least solve the acceleration issues but it might be a wee bit hard on half shafts.

Seriously, though. Do what Jeff suggests. Your engine might be in fine shape. A full on tune up might surprise you.

If you do go the rebuild and hop up route, why not just rebuild your existing engine? You could do the same thing with the 2.5 cam, Turner head etc. Unless you think it will take a long time to do the work and you really need the car every day, why get a different engine and then you will still have one to get rid of. If you discover something wrong inside of yours (cracked crank for example) then go looking for parts.

[Clembs]

yeah the thing of the second engine is that it will just be sitting around the shop where a bunch of us keep our rovers. I can build it while my friend rebuilds another for his series and never have to sit minethen just give him my core. I have tuned mine several times, valves at .001, pertronix, carb clean and tune, plugs, timing, and wires. If there is something i am forgetting please let me know. i am just tired of not driving long distance bc i will then have to retune it again. The 2.5d is in a S3 we may buy for parts and it only has 50,000 on it.
I haven't done a leak down nor compression on my engine but the others seem to think it has a lack of power for running so smooth.

[StX_Rovers]

Get a dial gauge and check the cam timing. It is likely that the TDC mark on the flywheel is quite accurate. Verify that your intake valve is fully open where it should be. A stretched timing chain will retard the cam, which will make the engine down on power but run smooth.

There is something to be said for building an engine at your convenience, andit sounds like your situation is ideal for that, then.

We have a diesel on our 67 109 SW and like that also if you go that route. I would think a 2.5 would be even nicer.

[Tim Smith]

When you get to the tune up on your current engine, make sure the accelerator is actually opening the carb all the way. This has happened to me umpteen times and is the single biggest performance boost I can get out of a tune up.