ENGINE/BOX SWAP.

The Rovering Member

The Rovering Member

Well-Known Member
I've noticed the '74 2000 box I'm (temporarily) substituting for the '75 2200 is different in the remote dept. The 2200's remote has the housing with nylon bushes fixed to the gearbox while the 2000 remote has no housing, but a plate that bolts to the tunnel (& rubber bushes). Will I encounter any problems fitting it? I wouldn't have thought so myself & I'll probably check tomorrow anyway but your thoughts/experience will be welcome.
Also, do the clutch release bearings suffer much? Is it worth opening the race housing to replace it? I'm putting a driven plate & cover assembly in as a matter of course but was told recently that P4 release bearings (same as Moggy wheel bearings) hardly ever wear out & as P6 items are similar, I was wondering if it was worth it. I'll do it in the 2200's box but that will be rebuilt anyway.
I took the sideplates off the 2000 today. PACKED with sludge. I'll fit the JRW items currently fitted to the 2200 to it as I have a pair of Rover items to go on the 2200.
 
The box without the remote is not standard on a 1974,or any series 2, that should have the same as on the 2200. The gearlevers bolted to the floor are from series 1 cars although I'm not sure of the exact changeover point. If you remove the gearbox topcover you can change from early to late type, but be careful when doing it as the detent balls can drop into the gearbox. As for the clutch release bearing they're easy enough to change but I've only come across a handful or so with problems.
 
The box maybe from an earlier car than the one I got it from which I assume means it will fit to mine o.k seeing as it was fitted to the '74. I won't start taking the box apart if I can help it as time is always pressing. I'll leave the release bearing as is.
Thanks very much.
 
I'm cleaning this 2000SC up & must say, it's a fine looking piece of kit, never had an SC before. Very similar looking to my 110 engine, albeit not as long. Nice looking inlet manifold with the carb nice & central as you'd expect, polishes up with the rotary wire brush very well. It looks like engines used to. Lovely fat copper heater transfer tube.......on a '74? ??? The 2200 has the nasty black painted item which is what I would have expected on a '74 too. Is this a series 1 engine? If the gearbox is S1 maybe they were transfered into the '74 en-bloc. Number is 40085247 L. Had a quick look in the J Taylor book & the 400's are the first type numbers listed, (2000, manual, 9:1 compression) which suggests it's an early lump if the numbers are in sequence.
Just hope it goes as well as it looks. I heard it running before we removed it, a bit tappety but it ticked over & revved fine. It moved under it's own power round a yard when my friend bought it so the gearbox works. How well remains to be seen. Even though it's a temporary subsitute for the 2200, it could be in there a year or two if it's all hunky dory as the rest of the fleet needs returning to the road. :)
 
Took the clutch off yesterday. The 2nd bolt sheared flush with the flywheel but when the clutch was off it became apparent that it was knackered anyway. Scoring from previous worn clutches & plenty of rusty pitting on the clutch face. Phoned up a man in the club mag who was fairly local to me & he sold me a very nice one for £20. :) Just got to get the flywheel bolts out now, I only succeeded in turning the engine (bodily) today when I tried so I'm going to strap it to the engine hoist (which I'm using as a platform) to stop it moving. I've got a couple of those straps you use on the back of lorries which should do the trick. The clutch cover was equally bad. I've got a couple of new ones, a Borg & Beck (the same as the old one) & a Fleetwood one which says re-conditioned on the box & is different in appearance, the actual cover being rounder & not having holes in it other than the bolt-holes. Anyone had any experience of these? I'm thinking of saving the B&B one for the 2200 rebuild. I picked the Fleetwood one up at the Enfield pagaent. £22 for the cover, plate & release bearing so it wasn't a fortune.
 
I may be wrong but I would think you've got a "Fleetway" clutch, firm favourite of the minicab brigade, (cheap & cheerful) They aren't something I'd use personally but if it hasn't got to last long term you'll probably get away with it.
 
You're right, it is a Fleetway. I asked Rich of P6spares & he said you might get 40'000 miles instead of 50'000 but that'll do me. The strap worked & I swapped the flywheels. I went to torque up the clutch bolts (12lbsft as per the manual) & the 2nd bolt sheared again though left a stub & came out easily. Didn't bother torquing after that, just tightened. Made quite a nice job of drilling & bolting the remote plate up today. I had to mix 'n' match the gearstick mounting as I hadn't brought the entire remote from the 2000 foolishly assuming it'd be the same as the 2200. Wrong! The mounting is smaller & the stick locating pin is on the other side. Why?? I drilled some new holes in the plate & made good & it all looks the business. No reason it shouldn't work when the 'box is in. ??? :D Got to swap one of the oil pump pipes tomorrow so I can have the oil gauge working along with the light. It's all the little jobs that take so long isn't it? I am enjoying it though. I need a small lottery win to stave off work for a few months more.... :)
 
I would think you'd get far more miles out of a B&B clutch, but clutches and brakes are 2 things that definately last as long as the driver will let them. I worked for a company doing P6 repairs and they had a "supply & fit" price so we used Fleetway clutches because our S&F price was only a bit more than the cost of a genuine clutch. We never had any problems, but they can be prone to judder if you have problems refitting the box. Not something that should affect you because your engine and box will be assembled on the floor.
As for the lottery win, you and me both!
 
Speaking of B&B Clutches, I expected to find one when I disassembled the 2000TC, but found one marked "Laycock", and no part number. Cross references over here do not even list Rover ...("what's that??") Does anyone have a part number for the later clutch and plate for the TC? Maybe with a number I can locate one here.
Dick West
 
I'm pretty sure the Fleetway housing has "Laycock, Sheffield" stamped on it. Weren't they the firm who pressed the assemblies.
Funnily enough, I did have problems refitting the 'box until I realised the thing stopping it going right on was the bit of 4"x2" the rear of the engine was resting on. Moved it forward so the engine was overhanging it & guess what? Straight on.....Doh!! :D Finally put the engine in tonight. Not too much hassle though I removed the starter & side exhaust mount halfway through so I could clear the servo. I didn't want to disturb the brake system as I fixed that up last time & in a year & a half standing around she hasn't lost a drop of brake fluid, which is the way it should be of course & is more than I can say of our P6B. Probably our P5B too but hopefully I'll be getting round to her very soon. I do feel sorry for people who don't tear old cars apart as they'll never have the satisfaction of putting them back together.
Discovered the advance/retard on the 2000 is duff/seized today. Can I use the 2200's dizzy in place of the 2000's? If so, can I use the old cap & leads from the 2000 as a guide to placing the new leads. Timing is something I as yet, have no knowledge of.
 
The Fleetway clutch could well have Laycock or any other make stamped on it because they are reconditioned not new units.
 
Bolted up the gearbox mount & connected the gearstick today. Took an hour or so to re-connect the speedo cable. Had to drop the box down again to do it, luckily I hadn't bolted the engine mounts up just in case. Dropped it again when I realised I'd forgotten the tie-bar which the 2200 doesn't have. Phew! After all that, discovered that the gearchange is fabulously crisp & precise. The best I've experienced in a P6 though our S1 is nice too. Just hope the 'box is a good'un.
 
I have bought a rover. is not yet here.

I have a question about the gearbox, I have a manual version in a 3500S car, is there a way to get it to automatic? or do I need
to make a lot of changes. I read a lot of trouble with manual gearboxes, If so I keep it manual.
 
Hi Kees

It would be best to swap the 4 speed for a 5 speed LT77 or similar, if you feel you need to. Very difficult to change it for an auto as the auto box is much bigger and won't fit the centre tunnel.
 
Oke that was what I need to now, the 5 speed is not common here, 4 speed is oke, because I ride it only for oldtimer meetings.

THanks
 
Holy thread resurrection Batman...!

I remember those days when l could have a few winter weeks to myself. Didn't l used to work hard? :LOL:
I didn't know who Harvey was either.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top