1995 NAS Defender 90 Station Wagon
4.6 V8 install and Upgrades
This Defender 90 Station Wagon (hard top) has come to us from Indiana with a blown engine. We'll be curing that problem, not with another weak 3.9 V8, but with a fully balanced, new 4.6 V8 long block. This will not only give the 90 the new engine it needs, but it will give it a longer lasting, better preforming engine that believe it or not will even get better fuel mileage! We'll also be doing some small repairs and upgrade items while it is here to make the 90 ready to head back to the mid-west for years of enjoyment.
When people talk about blown engines, they usually mean that the engine knocks or has bad compression. In this case, we are talking a blown engine. The image above shows the crankshaft bearings that came out of this engine. Ouch! The bearings were starved of oil due to sludge build up in the engine and they got so hot they started to melt out! That's the bad news for this 3.9, it is garbage. The good news is that the ECR 4.6 will bolt in with no modifications and make this D90 even better.
The first step is to remove the deceased 3.9 and strip it of all its parts that can still be re-used. Here you can see that we have removed the engine and will now strip to down and clean up all the cross over parts for install onto the new 4.6 engine assembly. On the floor you'll see the old clutch disc and pressure plate. While we have the engine out this is a great time to replace the throw out bearing and clutch parts. This saves a lot of money in the long run and will hopefully help the 90 go a long time without needing major work.
This image shows the new heart of this D90, the new ECR 4.6. As you can see the ECR 4.6 is already set up with everything so that it bolts into the needed application. The correct oil pan, computer chip, crank spacer, camshaft, etc are all in place ready to bolt in to this 1995 Defender. Our 4.6 long blocks are fully balanced and ready to rock and roll. The factory new engines are not balanced, that is why our performance figures are higher on our engines, and why our engines are smoother and longer lasting. At ECR we've been doing 4.6 conversions for many years. Even as far back as when the guys at the dealerships used to say that it "couldn't be done", we were already installing stock and performance 4.6s in all types of Rover V8 powered machines.
Here you can see that the new 4.6 has been assembled with the take off parts from the 3.9 and it is now ready to drop back into the D90 engine bay. Each item off the old 3.9 is cleaned and closely inspected and anything that doesn't make the grade is replaced with new parts so that the 4.6 will last a long time. We also always do small things that others may not think of, but that really can alter engine life. We install new belts, you don't want to loose your water pump belt with a brand new engine. We also do all new oil pump parts, new seals throughout and more. This assures performance and longevity.
Once everything is bolted back in place it is hard to tell that a new 4.6 now resides under the hood of this Defender 90, but a quick test drive will let you know. Now that the engine has been installed we'll do some of the smaller work orders that the owner has requested. Items like new door hinges on the drivers side, a stainless steel bolt kit and a few other odds and ends.
One of those upgrades is a new NRP stainless steel exhaust system. This will keep the 90 tail section from rusting out and it will give the 4.6 a nice "mellow, with attitude" engine note.
Here you can see the completed D90. It now has a new 4.6 engine and is ready for the trip back to Indiana. The new engine will not only give more performance, but it will be longer lasting and even give the customer a little bit better fuel mileage.
From something as large as a 4.6 engine install, or as small as a new set of brake pads, we'll be happy to assist you in any way we can. Contact ECR and let us know if we can help make your Defender worlds class... just like this one.