Range Rover 4.6 HSE Porous Block

Hi all,

I have just had a major failure of my engine (4.6) due to the porous block issue. There were no indications whatsoever until the pinking started very swiftly followed by my gliding to a halt on the hard shoulder. Isn't it bizarre that these engines don't have a water level indicator?

After some advice on the way forward. Some thoughts as follows (not saying that I'll follow these through - just thinking at this stage):

  1. Complain and seek some contribution from specialist that serviced the vehicle at 72k just 4 weeks ago and were asked to look for possible water leak but forund nothing.

  1. Complain and seek some contribution from Land Rover. No doubt they would deny there was a problem despite a large number of individuals suffering the same fate - any independent Land Rover specialist can confirm this. Has anyone else had any joy persuing Land Rover in court for a clearly defective design?

  2. Have engine repaired at cost of approx 3k.

  1. Buy uprated engine from someone like RPI Engineering.

  2. Have Chevy LS1/06 engine fitted. See
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    know someone who could fit this if I went down this route? The car is in immaculate condition so I will be putting it back on the road.

Regards and thanks in advance for contributions.

AlanC

Reply to
AlanC
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I can't see it would be fair to blame them, apart from a very slight drop in water level it's usually impossibe to tell there is a problem until something lets go big-time.

I don't know about anyone winning, but doubtless plenty have complained to LR.

Don't! Buy a new block/short engine/engine.

That's always an option.

That would put an awful load on your transmission that it's not designed for - it has been done, but why spoil a good car? "Refined" is not a word that I'd associate with those engines (in Defenders, anyaway).

Richard

Reply to
beamendsltd

I'll second Richard's comment about overloading the transmission, but I beg to differ about the refinement - the current Chevrolet V8s are a world different from their predecessors.

Reply to
EMB

And as far as I am aware, only won if it failed whilst still under warranty.

And then live with the ticking time-bomb under the bonnet, just waiting to happen again! Landrover have never modified the block in any way to prevent this issue from reoccurring, they go by the theory that by the time it happens it'll be out of any warranty!

Best option by far is to repair by fitting top-hat liners. Chances are you'll exchange your block for one already done as opposed to having your own block back. Some firms offering this service are better than others, I'd suggest talking to V8 developments or ACR in the first instance, but be aware an exchange block is around £900, and you still have the cost of the rest of the engine rebuild parts & labour on top of that. I'd stay well clear of progress engineering though, just had a block that they did fail, due to incorrect fitment of the liners. For any engines I build that require re-linered blocks, these are the two companies that I now deal with, and their work is excellent. RPI, as far as I am aware, only supply original blocks so there is always the danger of it failing again in the future.

LS1 is a lovely engine, nice and smooth power delivery, but as Richard says, your transmission will "spit the dummy"!

Badger. B.H.Engineering, Rover V8 engine specialists.

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Reply to
Badger

Guys,

Thanks for all the advice. Badger - until Oct 04 I was flying Nimrods from RAF Kinloss, I'm now down in Cheltenham - where exactly are you located?

The more I look into this the more I'm leaning towards an engine from V8 developments. As has been stated, why replace a engine with a known liner problem with another? Anyone any experience with V8 developments? I've e-mailed them but no repsonse as yet. I should get the opportunity to call them tomorrow as I travel to the Goodwood Revival.

Keep the advice/tips coming.

Regards

AlanC

Reply to
AlanC

Upper Hempriggs, 2 miles from Kinloss, just round the corner from "Thumper", if you know who I mean. Spent many a happy year working on the line at Kinloss, before they screwed up all the shifts, then I ran the engine test bed at Lossie until I got seriously disillusioned and took redundancy.

Don't bother e-mailing them, they take forever to return any mails. Phone them and ask for Ray. See what sort of price they want and let me know, it may be cheaper to send your engine to me and get me to do the rebuild with one of their blocks, believe it or not! Their workmanship in terms of the re-linering the block is excellent. Badger.

Reply to
Badger

Hi Badger,

I do indeed know 'Thumper' and where he lives so I know roughly where you are. No doubt our paths crossed as I signed over another broken aircraft ;-)

V8 Developments have not replied to my e-mail so I phoned them this morning and will almost certainly be having my car taken up to them. I've looked into the LS1 option with all the mods etc that that route would involve and the price would be well over 12k. I think it would result in an awesome car but the cost is excessive and I dread to think what the insurance company would do to the premium.

Anyway, I'll report back on what I have done, at what cost and what the results are.

Top tip, if your P38 is using water (a small amount) then look at getting the liners changed as when it all goes horribly wrong things happen very quickly - not helped by the fact that Land Rover failed to fit a water level warning indicator.

Happy motoring

AlanC

Badger wrote:

Reply to
AlanC

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