Thread: Fearing the worse

If you are going to sell it you could just fix the blown head gasket , but if you plan to keep it, fix both.

If you buy a RRC 4.6 with bubbles in the radiator, you have to be prepared for the possibility of slipped sleeves, particularly if overheated even once.

The only water channels in the head and block are at the very ends of the heads , so if you find a wet plug in 2,3,6,or7 you will now know why the bloke sold it. If water is in 1,4,5,8 there is a better chance that it is only a gasket.

Good luck with it.

Regards Philip A

I guess if it was just a coolant issue you could take a risk and just do the head gasket (I wouldn't) but with milky oil that would normally indicated some cracking behind the liner allowing it to slip or the slip has caused some seepage.

So my guess is when it overheated it has slipped a liner and blown a head gasket. If so, you will need new liners (top hatted) and as a minimum new rings - you go that far and you might as well do the rest of the engine which does work out expensive.

A side issue not related to your problems. You say it is a 4.6 - have you actually checked this as the 4.6 was not fitted to your vehicle - the engine number is a clue but to be sure a 4.6 crank has 4.6 cast into it - drop the sump to have a look. Also what injection system is on it?

If you want to keep the vehicle than I would be looking for a second hand engine - 3.9, 4.0 or 4.6 - would probably be the cheapest way out of it. Use your current ancillaries.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

I guess if it was just a coolant issue you could take a risk and just do the head gasket (I wouldn't) but with milky oil that would normally indicated some cracking behind the liner allowing it to slip or the slip has caused some seepage.

So my guess is when it overheated it has slipped a liner and blown a head gasket. If so, you will need new liners (top hatted) and as a minimum new rings - you go that far and you might as well do the rest of the engine which does work out expensive.

A side issue not related to your problems. You say it is a 4.6 - have you actually checked this as the 4.6 was not fitted to your vehicle - the engine number is a clue but to be sure a 4.6 crank has 4.6 cast into it - drop the sump to have a look. Also what injection system is on it?

If you want to keep the vehicle than I would be looking for a second hand engine - 3.9, 4.0 or 4.6 - would probably be the cheapest way out of it. Use your current ancillaries.

Garry

Thanks to yourself and PhilipA. Is there any way to ID the engine with the engine number?
I have on advise from my step-son a knowledgeable car guy but no LR experience! flushed the engine oil out and when I get hold of a new filter (SCA unable to locate it on their system for a 4.6 as pointed out by yourselves)fit that so all the old oil is out of the system completely We just want to rule out a cooling system issue etc before going mad with the spanners (and wallet). IF it is a HG blown I may look at chucking a diesel in it IF I can find one that fits at a good price.

Just google your engine number with Landrover V8 and see what you come up with. There are listings but I don't know where they are.

Think a bit more is the milky oil just in the rockers or all through the engine - if just in the rockers could just be condensation that would normally evaorate out on a hot running engine.

While I suspect the worst it does pay to exclude or confirm the easy stuff first.

Garry

All 4.6 have cross bolts on the mains. You can see the heads at the bottom of teh crankcase above the sump. I don't think 4.0 have em.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

All 4.6 have cross bolts on the mains. You can see the heads at the bottom of teh crankcase above the sump. I don't think 4.0 have em.
Regards Philip A

The 4.0 and 4.6 blocks are the same and are interchangeable so both have cross bolted mains.

Differences in the basic engines are cranks and conrods - pistons, while specific to each engine can be fitted to each engine giving different compression ratios. Eg low comp 4.0 pistons in a 4.6 give a compression ratio about half way between a low compression 4.6 and a high compression 4.6.

Also 4.6 gudgeons have the same outside diameter as the 4.0s but have a smaller inner diameter so are stronger than 4.0 gudgeons.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

Just google your engine number with Landrover V8 and see what you come up with. There are listings but I don't know where they are.

Think a bit more is the milky oil just in the rockers or all through the engine - if just in the rockers could just be condensation that would normally evaorate out on a hot running engine.

While I suspect the worst it does pay to exclude or confirm the easy stuff first.

Garry

The oil is black as. I have drained it now with a flushing additive, will replace the filter when I get up to Belconnen to SCA and then I'll have clean oil to monitor. The milkyness was only minimal so you have given me hope!

Originally Posted by snowbound

The oil is black as. I have drained it now with a flushing additive, will replace the filter when I get up to Belconnen to SCA and then I'll have clean oil to monitor. The milkyness was only minimal so you have given me hope!

Well, I have changed the oil and filter, run it for a while and so far so good. I am cautiously optimistic that I have dodged this bullet ???