Topic: Is my engine stuffed? Please help! (Read 4286 times)

JumboBeef · « **on:** July 26, 2010, 14:25:35 »

After bragging that my Disco never goes wrong, it has just gone wrong :'(

In the three years that we have had it, it has never used/lost any water. (Mileage is 140,000 btw).

This weekend, I heard a clunk, clunk, clunk from (I think) the nearside bank. This went after a few minutes when the engine started to warm up. This happened on Sunday and this morning, before a 40 mile drive (towing a caravan). Oil is fine.

When I got home, I noticed steam coming from under the bonnet. It seemed to be coming from the rear of the nearside bank. The temp gauge was bang on normal though.

I waited until it cooled down, and noticed that the expansion bottle was empty. I put more than 3 or 4 litres in(!). I had a look around the bay but couldn't see anything amiss.

Just ran the engine for more than 20 minutes. Again, the temp is bang on where it should be, but I noticed a lot of white smoke from the exhaust :'(

Felt the expansion bottle: stone cold. Took the cap off, no pressure whatsoever :'(

Just rang my local (non-LR) garage, and they suggested it was a cracked head :'( and they wanted

white disco · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2010, 19:45:00 »

sound like head gasket gone then could have cracked head is the water in oil

white disco

Devon-Rover · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2010, 22:27:10 »

Hi

It is common for a V8 to blow the headgasket from either of pistons 1, 4, 5 or 8 as they are next to the water galleries that are located at the end of each bank. Take the spark plugs out first to see if any look like they are "cleaned" as this would indicate what pot there might be water in. From there on it is more invasive investigations to cure the water loss.

JumboBeef · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2010, 08:20:57 »

OK, thanks.

I have found a LR garage who will look at it for me this weekend. If it is the head gaskets, he has quoted

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2010, 15:17:48 »

JumboBeef · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2010, 15:21:06 »

That does include both heads going off for a skim.

JumboBeef · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2010, 09:57:21 »

Tried to start the engine last night. Would not start, and made a lots of clunk, clunk, bang, bang noises, and the car shook like mad :(

The garage who is taking it in says they can source a replacement engine if required, and the cost should be less than doing the heads on this one (I am convinced that it is more than just a head gasket now)

:(

bogie · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2010, 21:46:00 »

Agree with rangerover blues,im in the wrong job,

mattyme · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2010, 22:09:19 »

it depends what sort of clunking sound it is.... if its a relaltively deep sounding clunk you may have thrown a shell off the crank - id go for a new engine.
if its relatively higher pitched then you may have dropped a valve and its hitting the piston.... which may have damaged the piston, but probably not if the engine hasnt been run too much... the engine services that skim the head will fit new valves and grind them in.... may be the way to go there.
if its a cracked head, along with the clunking. again id go for a new engine.

but without splitting the head off you wont know whats wrong really and without looking at it and hearing it i wouldnt like to speculate too much what the problem could be. but if you couldnt see any water leaking anywhere and there was no dripping underneath then the coolant has got to have gone somewhere and the only place for it to go is into a cylinder so the head gasket is a pretty sure bet.

if you get it fixed then you know the history of your engine... if you get a new engine you may end up facing the same problems at any point in the future.

sorry i cant help any more but i hope ive given you some points to contemplate.

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2010, 01:05:28 »

Clunking could be hydraulicing caused by water in the piston, or a shel or valve or half a dozen other things, the shaking might be because it's firing on 3 or more cylinders, or again hydraulicingg, easier to tell stood next to it.

Causes could be cracked head, block, warped head, failed gasket for other reasons, slipped liner.

Given that you may have now overheated it the heads need skimmming, place in Sheffield charges me

JumboBeef · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2010, 11:32:44 »

Thanks for all the replies.

I don't have the skills nor the time to attempt a repair. The car is now in the garage, and they will look at it on Monday.

Anyone got a decent 3.9 V8 engine they want to sell?

JumboBeef · « **Reply #11 on:** August 01, 2010, 20:05:05 »

At least the recovery truck was interesting! :D

gtomo2 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 01, 2010, 20:10:14 »

That recovery truck went passed me on the m6 saturday its got a nice BIG lpg tank on the back did look good.

JumboBeef · « **Reply #13 on:** August 01, 2010, 20:11:57 »

It's got two big tanks: holds 400+ litres.

JumboBeef · « **Reply #14 on:** August 02, 2010, 20:06:39 »

Well, the engine is u/s. The garage quoted

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #15 on:** August 04, 2010, 01:25:59 »

That's a shame :(

gingernutsv8 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 04, 2010, 15:41:16 »

i have a 95 rrc serp engine here only took it out of mine to fit a tdi had 109000 on the clock when changed

JumboBeef · « **Reply #17 on:** August 04, 2010, 18:06:54 »

Quote from: gingernutsv8 on August 04, 2010, 15:41:16

i have a 95 rrc serp engine here only took it out of mine to fit a tdi had 109000 on the clock when changed

Do you want to buy a Disco to go around it? ;)

gingernutsv8 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 05, 2010, 08:06:18 »

how much you wanting and what year condition any pics

JumboBeef · « **Reply #19 on:** August 05, 2010, 19:44:49 »

Quote from: gingernutsv8 on August 05, 2010, 08:06:18

how much you wanting and what year condition any pics

It is a 1996, on an N reg. Mot until 18th March 2011. 138,000 ish

It is an ES:

Auto
Air con
Cruise
Heated, leather electric seats
Sun roofs x2
Front fogs
Radio/CD
7 seats

Everything works perfectly. Good tyres (two are recently new).

We have had it for nearly three years, and I used it for my daily drive (80 miles per day) so I always made sure that everything works! Very solid underneath. Good auto box and brakes. LPG (twin tanks) works perfectly.

I was happy to keep it for another three years until this engine problem came up :(

Bodywork is ok, not perfect but not bad at all. Bumpers are a bit 'spotty'.

I was told by the garage that

JumboBeef · « **Reply #20 on:** August 08, 2010, 10:48:36 »

Will be on eBay tomorrow :(

JumboBeef · « **Reply #21 on:** August 09, 2010, 20:55:09 »

Now on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220651490774&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #22 on:** August 10, 2010, 01:39:48 »

Hmm, had a bid on that, see how it goes.

JumboBeef · « **Reply #23 on:** August 10, 2010, 11:09:31 »

Quote from: Range Rover Blues on August 10, 2010, 01:39:48

Hmm, had a bid on that, see how it goes.

I see you've been out bid. Have another go :lol:

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #24 on:** August 10, 2010, 23:58:18 »

Only one problem, no-where to put it

JumboBeef · « **Reply #25 on:** August 15, 2010, 09:05:13 »

Well, it sold for

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #26 on:** August 15, 2010, 23:22:17 »

Yeah, I saw. You could almost buy a runner for that ;)

JumboBeef · « **Reply #27 on:** September 30, 2010, 14:49:44 »

Had an email from the buyer. He replaced both head gaskets, and it now runs as good as ever!

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #28 on:** September 30, 2010, 22:10:18 »

They do that. No guarantee it will stayed fixed. Not your problem now though.

News:

AuthorTopic: Is my engine stuffed? Please help! (Read 4286 times)

mattyme