Engine not starting

[w3526602]

Hi,

"INTERFERENCE ENGINE" means the pistons can hit the OPEN valves if the valve/cam timing is incorrect (or the timing chain broken or not yet fitted). Everything should be OK to turn until the push-rods and rockers are fitted. My advice is that the battery is removed ... or at least disconnected ... if the timing chain is disconnected.

I suspect that DIESEL engines ARE interference, possibly due to the higher compression ratio pistons. A diesel engine pumping rich blue smoke is a sign of a very worn timing chain, (or a PO failing to get the timing chain wrong). Land Rover do not provide timing marks on the sprockets.

OT. Owners of early Minis were recommended to fit a new oil pump every time they could see the old pump. New pumps were only about £3 (I think), but a PITA to access. I suggest the same policy should apply to Series timing chains and sprockets ... my S2 sprockets had half a dozen sets of PO's centre punch marks. ENGINEERS BLUE  and a scriber would be preferable.

I think DTIs and DTI stands were about £25 EACH (then). I managed to contrive a way of finding the mid-way point on the cam without a DTI. Maybe I was lucky, but it started virtually instantly, with nary a trace of blue smoke. Not a job that I want to repeat.

My local Land Rover specialist charged me £90 (twice the normal price, then) to supply and fit a new crank pulley to my DISCO ... told me they had to gas-ax the old pulley off the crank.

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