Thread: Blown Head....apparently

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Almost 360K on mine and it still pulls like a train, original bottom end but reco'd head.

X2 300k and just had the valves reseated and head gasket, it was still flat and pressure tested fine, wouldn't worry about the bottom end yet!

Thanks to you all for your comments and recommendations! Greatly received!

So, the result? As I have done for some years now, I called upon Steve at Lifestyle 4WD to find out what's happened and what to do next.
Now either Steve read all your recommendations and acted on that, or as I've found time and again, he's gotten in to it, and confirmed that the replacement head was <insert appropriate local descriptor here>/ stuffed. Not only stuffed, but someone who had previously replaced the head, didn't do that good a job of it, leaving little things like lash caps out of the job (hence the lack of power previously raised with Steve).
Anyway, I left the repair to Steve and within a week, the Ute was returned to me ready for work and as the kids of today say, OMG, does the ute get up and go now! Ollie and Steve put a sh*t load of time into getting this back on the road within a week, which saved me $$ in a rental Patrol (which had to be done to keep the guys out in the field working - did I mention we provide an extensive range of on-ground environmental services?).
Rebuilding the topside and ensuring all the lash caps were fitted, along with replacing all the hoses, thermostat, various fuel hoses, clips, bolts etc and getting the radiator cleaned and checked - I was anticipating a bill close to $8k (cause as you know, when you start with one thing in repairing our trusty steeds, something else shows up needing some TLC as well.....), I was pleasantly relieved that this came in about half of that!!
Ollie and Steve, I can't thank you both enough for what you do for me and both of my Defenders - really appreciate the patience, attention to detail and desire to help/do the best you can.:thumbs:

And then, in true Land Rover form, I come home in another vehicle, and in a passing look I note a wet patch on the inside of the front right steer - of course, something had to happen didn't it? Back to Steve after a day and again, Ollie and Steve hooked in, replaced both front hub seals (we'd recently done the rear) and then we found the passenger ball joint had been poorly repaired at some point as a result of a bearing failure Another overnight stay to get a new one, and now its time to get back to work.

Steve and Ollie at Lifestyle 4WD - awesome work, thanks very much, I really do appreciate your efforts.:thumbs::thumbs: