Internet Mailing List Jun 96
A low mileage car can be more at risk from some elements of wear
and tear than one used regularly. The V8 has a relatively low
oil pressure of 30-40 psi in any case, but infrequent use can
allow the oil to drain from the top of the engine. This accelerates
valve gear and tappet wear out of all proportion to the mileage.
The problem is made worse if a non-synthetic oil is used, or oil
changes have not been carried out to the letter. The same problems
will apply to any car with a Rover V8 derived engine, current
models included.
As with most things prevention is easier than cure, so I always start the car once a week to circulate the fluids even if I don't drive it. After a week or so there is no increased mechanical noise when the engine first fires, but once when I had a fiat battery and didn't start the car for 3 weeks it was immediately apparent that there was initial oil starvation in the top of the engine - it was noisy for a couple of seconds.
Unless anyone else has good reason to believe otherwise you can be fairly sure that your 350i has a standard Rover engine in 3528cc tune (190-197 bhp depending on whether you believe Rover or TVR). The only differences are some anciliaries eg. the oil pump and remote oil filter. If you are going to do any work yourself I suggest you invest in a Haynes manual for the SSD1 Vitesse which should provide all the technical information that you need. Any parts needed should be easily obtainable from your local Rover dealer, although they may not keep them in stock.
It's quite likely at this low mileage that the wear is restricted
to the valve gear and/or tappets, which in a simple ohv engine
like the Rover should be reasonably easy and cheap to fix. I suggest
you get two professional opinions on the state of the engine -
dealer advice is tree even if nothing else Is. Another useful
place to go might be your local Land Rover/Range Rover dealer
since their mechanics are well acquainted with the engine as fitted
to Land Rover/Range Rover/Discovery which is obviously very similar
even if it produces less power. They will have seen examples of
this engine at a range of mileages so they may be able to assess
the origins of any noise immediately. If it is more serious than
tappets/valves then the engine will probably have to come out,
so keep your fingers crossed.
Steve Powell