Thread: D3 - engine jammed on a highway

Originally Posted by technoplague's mechanic

With over 12 years’ experience myself and my technician Landrover trained with over 4 years’ experience rest assured Your engine is non-repairable,
If you would like a second opinion I can send the vehicle anywhere you like.

What sort of workshop is this? At the beginning of the thread, you're referring to LR Service as if it's a dealership doing the diagnosis but now it's a 2 man show with only one with LR experience (4 years - apprenticeship?),

Originally Posted by workingonit

I guess some of the luck may be down to whether its a long haul vehicle or frequent stop starter. Interesting to know the percentage of failures over total production runs.

Some links (hope they work):

DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - Major Engine Failures - TDV6
DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - Conrods and pistons for TDV6
DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - Failed main bearing / crankshaft
2009 Discovery 3 -blown engine 89000km !! - Page 2 - 4x4 Community Forum

Sounds like oil testing should be part of the maintenance routine for the D3, rather than after the breakdown. Makes sense that you cannot see with the naked eye an unusual build up of bearing material when doing regular oil changes - consider backing up some of the oil changes with a chemical test?

Originally Posted by TerryO

X2

There are thousands of D3's out there and a relatively small number have failed, engine failures happen with nearly every brand. How many 5.7 and then 6.0 litre Chev V8's have been replaced under warranty by Holden since 1999 do you reckon?

How many 3.0 Nissan Patrol diesels have blown up do you think?

What has happened to Techo is extremely bad luck but seriously is it a reason for all of this collective angst?

By the way earlier on I mentioned that my 2.7 engine was replaced, which it was, this happened not because the engine failed it was because a workshop stuffed it and to their credit they ended up replacing it for free.

Thanks for posting that workingonit, it's appears LR knows about this design fault and in traditional LR fashion yet again ******** up a first run design only to quietly fix it in the later 3.0 litre engines. So D4's and RRS with the 3.0 litre engines where slightly redesigned to advert this disaster.

Terry in response to your post yes I think collective angst is justified. I feel sorry for the maybe small % of D3 owners like the OP that are sitting on time bombs. Put yourself in their situation without being able to get compensation. A lot of money to be out of pocket if you can't afford it.

Thanks Rich84 for mentioning 'cracked' connecting rods - googled it - interesting idea.

Originally Posted by ak

fix it in the later 3.0 litre engines. So D4's and RRS with the 3.0 litre engines where slightly redesigned to advert this disaster.

The D4 2.7 bottom end was also changed,it is different from the D3 2.7,although later D3's may be different as well?

Which makes it more than probable that LR/Ford knew the issues and what was wrong.

I'm not sure angst was justified, but lets stick with it. The aggregate of human angst often leads to some action.

Yes, other manufacturers have disasters. But we as automotive consumers are left in limbo, because we cannot connect one set of outcomes with another because manufacturers withhold the statistics. You need to be able to compare the percentage of failures with production runs of each manufacturer before making any sort of judgements. We cannot simply say LR are the same as Nissan and Toyo. Yes, we do move on, but we also want to understand to save guard ourselves.

So what do we do? Go quiet? Maybe. Often as not we gather anecdotal and experiential information to draw some sort of conclusion, which is what I thought these forums were about.

The best thing would be if LRover jumped on forums and explained stuff!

Without wanting to state the obvious the OP's D3 is a 2006 model, which makes it roughly seven years old.

Why I said 'collective angst' is other than getting wound up about this what can be achieved other than gaining knowledge? After all if you own a early model 2.7 then its been out of warranty for years.

If we don't get wound up and we don't collect knowledge, then we just buy another engine - second hand, new, rebuilt - which is what is happening, I think - yellow pages, simple - and do it again, and again and again...so why did Techno bother posting?

Anyway, looks like I'm wrong about tabs...from The 4-cylinder Engine Short Block High Performance Manual by Des Hammill, p.27...manufacturers make bearing shells to exacting standards...the material used...affects...the time the bearing can take the load before...(it) wears out. All crankshaft and big end bearing shells have tabs...for location...not...to stop rotating.'Bearing crush'...is a definite requirement.

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=...%20rod&f=false

Originally Posted by workingonit

If we don't get wound up and we don't collect knowledge, then we just buy another engine - second hand, new, rebuilt - which is what is happening, I think - yellow pages, simple - and do it again, and again and again...so why did Techno bother posting?

]

Techno posted in here to try and get good advice on his predicament, hopefully from others who may have experienced a similar issue with a D3 I'm guessing, nothing more nothing less.

Seriously when has getting wound up (especially in someone else predicament) a prerequisite to collecting knowledge?

If you like the idea of pulling a D3/4 apart to try and get to its bottom end and seriously good luck trying without a hoist and some very specialised knowledge on these late model Disco's, then that is your choice.

However 99% of people have no interest in becoming mechanics, especially on that scale, so chances are if and I mean if they have a major failure then they will pay someone else to do the work. At this point in time when it comes to major engine failures in a D3, if you intend to keep it, then buying a new crate engine is the quickest, easiest and most cost effective medium to longterm option.

Getting wound up doesn't achieve anything other than high blood pressure.