Back to the Series Service Section
Please be aware that ECR is now a Defender repair and modification shop only.
We no longer work on Range Rovers, Discos or Series Rovers.
These pages are from work we did in the past and left up for your enjoyment.
Series IIA 88 Station Wagon
Cylinder head repair and service
This very nice Series IIA 88 Station Wagon was recently brought to us via tow truck. It turns out while traveling in Maine the owner had a problem with the engine. He had it towed to another repair shop where they diagnosed the problem as a broken camshaft. In a wise move he decided to have the 88 towed to ECR for a closer look by full time Rover mechanics. ECR located the problem and found that it was actually a leaking head gasket (the camshaft was just fine). The engine is a new Turner HP engine that was installed by another Rover shop. The problem was that the timing had been set to 34 degrees (way too much advance), and over time the "pinging" had eaten away at the metal parts of the head gasket,
We removed the head, located the problem, installed a new head gasket and corrected the timing problem and got the 88 back on the road again in a day or so. In the image above you can see the head gasket failure as the dark spots between the cylinders.
Imagine if the owner had gone with the judgment of the first repair shop and had his engine taken apart to repair the camshaft!! Also consider that this problem that left the 88 stranded on the road side never had to happen in the first place. If the full time Rover mechanics of ECR had installed this engine, the problem would not have occurred. You may want to consider these factors next time you feel that ECR is ,"Too far away to handle my repairs."
Now back together with the problem repaired, and most importantly... the cause corrected, the 88 is road ready again. After a quick service including oil/ filter and a full inspection for other issues, the owner of this 88 can continue his trip in confidence.
The choice is simple... ECR.