Thread: Most Common Causes of "doing" a Head of Range Rover Classic

People don't service the cooling system enough or properly. Pat

Pat is right. Not enough attention to the cooling system and it only takes one overheating incident and away they go.

But after acidentally over heating mine [I didn't know about the viscous cooling fan hub] and doing a head gasket I bit the bullet big time. I had a new short engine installed, heads tested and reconditoned as was the entire cooling system. And that included a radiator rodding. Everything was put back as good as new or was new.

40,000 kilometres later and without any over heating I've got coolant leaking into one pot. Right hand bank only. It was pulled down and the block was pressure tested and is okay, the heads were tested as okay but reconditioned and shaved again any way. When it was pulled down the left hand bank was perfect with the gaskert intact.

So far so good but it's only a thousand kays on. What caused the gasket to leak is a mystery - to me, the Landy mechanics and every one else who stuck their head under the bonnet. It's a 3.9.

Originally Posted by Vanderz

hey guys just trying to get your thoughts and experiences on why the Range rover Classic blows Heads Gaskets so Frequently. Thanks

As with any engine you have to keep on top of the servicing of the delicate parts.... I think the "why the Range rover Classic blows Heads Gaskets so Frequently" is a tad unfair...

Maybe people think big vehicle/ big lump of engine... bombproof!.... You can't expect bombproof with out maintenance.... Run the good oils, keep everything tightened to spec torques... Or as with many vehicles people trade in so often, they dont maintain and it becomes later buyers problems..

Think about those K series engines which shed gaskets at 3000 miles...

Dad had a classic from new which served us all very well.. BUT he was anal about service intervals and when a hose went they all got changed... Cost a packet i'm sure but then it worked for me because then I had the pleasure of cutting the chassis down to put a 2a rag top on her.... AND kept the 3.5 in there and put an offenhauser manifold with an edelbrock carb and a huge pancake filter on her...

Ran a treat and slaughtered the boy racers off the lights...rear wolf in sheeps clothing... Missus always thought it funny with the show us ure tits routines as well...

Ran her as a daily vehicle and the only thing I can remember dad or I having to change was the valley gasket twice and it was for a misdiagnosed failure... turned out to be hairline crack in the dizzy housing and waterpump putting liquids onto the valley....

Sadly a split fuel line after a heavy day off roading and a cross country trip home saw the old girl go up in smoke!...

Again service history helps but that will never show that bad owner who ran her short on coolant x number of years ago allowing that hot spot to form for others to pay the price....

I generally try and buy a car to suit from new and run her til the end... Then I at least know her history and dont get caught with a lemon....

James

thats a fair call. lack of maintenence is always gonna be a problem with anything.Has anyone had experience with the Engine Saver product that is advertised on this forum? the one with the low coolant alarm. any thoughts?

I've had both a 3.9 and Tdi,two engines known for head issue's but I've had none.Both had thier rads cleaned and pressure tested and thermostats replaced yearly by a rad shop and the fans were checked at the end of winter with the paintbrush method and both never had overheating problems and both drove in 45+ degree summers,the Tdi didn't overheat at 48 degree's,the hottest temp I have ever experienced.Lastly the most important thing is common sense,if it's hot,35+ don't drive at 120 with a van on the back and A/C going flat out,use your brains and drive to the conditions and you won't join the blown head gasket club.The low coolant alarm is a good idea. Pat

Originally Posted by Vanderz

hey guys just trying to get your thoughts and experiences on why the Range rover Classic blows Heads Gaskets so Frequently. Thanks

Old age in my experience, the frequency with which they normally blow is 200000 ks plus
Unless of course you don't run correct coolant and service things as you should.

Hi Vanderz,
I've found that if you replace the gaskets on a 120K basis this eliminates the majority of problems. This head gasket/s change also includes critical hoses. You will always find the money to do a $2000 engine repair but somehow you can never find the $120 to replace all the hoses when they appear to be fine.
This concept may sound a bit obscure I know but I'm heavily into predictive maintenance, at some point everything will fail, once you accept that and then do everything you can do to maximise the life the better.
It is amazing how many head gaskets go around the 120klm mark, or a multiple of 120k, you usually find vehicles for sale around this mileage, either because the head gasket went and they've just had an expensive repair and got frightened or they have seen tell tale signs of developing problems. A lot of car yards prefer vehicles to trade below the 100k mark, admittedly a lot is perception, once a vehicle gets over the 100k mark a lot of people regard them as old.
If you have ever heard of Weibull analysis, this is a very interesting topic. If vehicles are mistreated in general they won't last as long as one that is cared for, there is always the exception to the rule of course......
Me I'm doing pretty well with the 120k rule for myself, I give the engine and running gear plenty of TLC and change the head gasket/s at 120k I don't wait for the problem then replace them which is what a lot do. When the water leaks out and the engine overheats you have to go to a lot of trouble to get the engine back to the same place it was when it came out of the factory, if ever.
Not sure if any of this is any help, just a perspective.

The main reason I have seen for early failure of alloy V8 head gaskets has been on engines with a blocked bypass/heater circuit. The circuit through the heater on a RRC must be full flow to maintain even head temps with the thermostat closed. With the bypass blocked I have seen a gasket self destruct in 30K or less. Rapidly changing head temps due to the thermostat cycling will 'walk" a fire ring out the side to the water jacket.