BLACKHORSE, eh? My father taught me ANICESORWT (I think that was it) a long time ago.... perhaps it was his own code - not sure, but everything was cost marked.... made it easy to negotiate, if necessary.... you knew your cost by looking at the retail price tag.

Thanks - that might help with yardbird dickering.

Frank

Just don't let 'em know I told ya... They'd throw me in a Daewoo & crush me with it to make a few vegetable cans...

Ed

Picked up the engine... the price went down to $325 <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />.... took it apart..... mostly. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> It's had the head gaskets replaced with Felpro, but so far it looks fine. Crankshaft and bores look very good - very little rust on the block. The big trouble reared up with a head bolt.... the hex socket is stripped in the bolt head. I also stripped the hex socket in both oil gallery plugs. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> It's gotta go to the machine shop anyhow, so I'll let them have the fun of getting those out.

The pistons are definitely different from the 8.9 CR engines. These 10:1 pistons are flat-tops with a small fly cut valve relief. The oil filter adapter is different - the oil pump looks different, but I haven't looked closely. The crank pulley is different. The water pump is different. The timing belt covers are different, but once they're off, things begin to look familiar. As Ed said, the main bearing saddle is the same as the Montero/Raider, so the holes for the oil pickup tube braces are already drilled and tapped.

Be glad our engines aren't sideways - I've never seen such a mess of brackets and other "stuff"..... wouldn't want to be a mechanic on the Diamantes.

My desktop PC is out for repair - I'll post a couple of pics when I get it back.

Frank

Please do keep us updated Frank <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

When I did my Stealth engine, I had to use the whole oil pump setup from the Raider. Checked to see what could be used out of it & all of the part numbers are different.

Ed

Here's the poor critter dumped on the garage floor:


On the perch for exploratory surgery:

This picture shows the knock sensor and mounting plate in the middle of the engine block valley..... you can also see the 10:1 pistons - they look like there's been a little valve train interference collision at some point:


The poor thing has no idea it's about to become a Frankenstein Special. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

I read something on the 3si forum about oil squirters falling out of the DOHC 24v blocks - and read the other thread about incompatibility between 24v/12v blocks - so, there'll likely be no oil squirters on this engine.

Future pics will be on the S/C thread when the fun begins.

Frank

SO is the diamante camÆs in a 1992 Montero.
Is it worth the effort ? Has any done this?