'03MY L322 Petrol 114k5 miles

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The only thing I had done was the LPG vaporiser's barrier rubber membrane change out.
Must say that, together with using the proper purging procedure to ensure no air locks in the water jacket did seem to help and gave about 250 to 350 miles of use before needing to be purged again.

There also was a small end knock that only showed itself at about 1800 revs and then went quiet again -- whether that was gudgeon pin wear or something else (remember I'm not a mechanic) I don't know. But given the deal available from this Peterboro engine re-builder, what I'd paid for it, its otherwise good condition, and having fixed the suspension, IMMO problems with steering lock, battery drain issue, odd intermittent fault with the ABS controller and a wheel speed sensor, decided to go for the re-build. Previous keeper and I had also changed out cooling components as well: lower temperature thermostat, fan viscous coupling, and the most problematic of hoses (due to ageing) going pop
 
And you love me - after all you are not made of wood ..;)

i missed out an important part of my made up fact and that was the 90% of M62 engines with head gasket failure had been converted to LPG.:oops:
 
My M62 was converted to dual fuel by Tasso Autogas approved installer September '09 (Prins system) at 75k.
I bought at 114k. The previous annual mileages from new were never more than 9k having done 51k in its first three years. Not excessive mileage IMO. So must assume no heating problems were evident when conversion was done otherwise owner then wouldn't have invested.
Are you saying that the 39k since gas conversion caused the overheat problem? It's true that the majority of keeper changes seemed to be in this period ('09 to '18) and annual mileages were much lower over this period.

Mechanic confirms gudgeon pin / conrod shells no8 U/S, same cylinder's plug threads crossed and re-tapped, but otherwise it looks like a 117k M62 engine should look like when oil changes haven't been done as regularly as he (he's BMW-time served remember) says should've been done. My years with Jag XJ8 (3.2 and 4L three off) tells me -- also from watching those forums -- that 5k oil changes do enhance engine life especially if majority of use is just tooling around commuting.

I've now got some more pix that'll follow of strip down -- it's now ready for re-build once parts' supply is restored
 
head-gasket.jpg


head-gasket-closer.jpg
 
RichardSEL said:
Coz Vikki Butler-Henderson said it was a wonderful car:
https://www.questod.co.uk/show/fifth-gear/video/season-28-episode-2/EHD_258235

Besides which, when petrol runs ou t LPG will still be there so I'll still be able to tool around
in the predicted dystopian nightmare.
My followers and I will have the only anti-viral drug that cures Covid-19.
Tomorrow belongs to us!
Click to expand...
I give all my cult members Whyte and Mackay whisky, it cures all known diseases and some unknown ones as well .V B-Henderson, Mmmm. Imagine the lipless bitch squealing . Got to lay down in a dark room now. :oops::D
 
RichardSEL said:
My M62 was converted to dual fuel by Tasso Autogas approved installer September '09 (Prins system) at 75k.
I bought at 114k. The previous annual mileages from new were never more than 9k having done 51k in its first three years. Not excessive mileage IMO.
Are you saying that the 39k since gas conversion caused the overheat problem
Click to expand...
I did say it was a made up fact :)
Just something that stuck in my mind , before I bought my L322, a mate of mine who is second generation Landrover / tractor mechanic told me to get a non gas one. But he did also tell me to get a manual one if I could ...
 
Aha! I've heard of arguements that LPG combusts at a higher temperature without any difference in force produced. Some have gone on to wibble that there's effects on valves because of this. I'm not a mechanic.

But here's some more pix from someone who's daily job is to rebuild BMW engines. He says the current supply difficulties mean that I'd be better off with a replacement crank, and lower block. Which would mean a few hundred quid more outlay but far less fumble. He hasn't yet seen the lump, but would reject it if there's any scoring. Mine's scored more than was originally seen: "whilst stripping your block down yesterday to replace the rings and little end we found another problem, the big end on number 8 cylinder has gone and unfortunately damaged the crankshaft also there is damage to cylinder 7 due to a oil sprayer being blocked, basically because of all the dirty, solidified oil in the engine it has started to block oil galleries and this is what’s caused most of your problems, I have hopefully got another good block and crankshaft here so I can build you a completely fresh engine using these."

No8-shells.jpg


Crank-scuffing.jpg
 
RichardSEL said:
Aha! I've heard of arguements that LPG combusts at a higher temperature without any difference in force produced. Some have gone on to wibble that there's effects on valves because of this. I'm not a mechanic.

But here's some more pix from someone who's daily job is to rebuild BMW engines. He says the current supply difficulties mean that I'd be better off with a replacement crank, and lower block. Which would mean a few hundred quid more outlay but far less fumble. He hasn't yet seen the lump, but would reject it if there's any scoring. Mine's scored more than was originally seen: "whilst stripping your block down yesterday to replace the rings and little end we found another problem, the big end on number 8 cylinder has gone and unfortunately damaged the crankshaft also there is damage to cylinder 7 due to a oil sprayer being blocked, basically because of all the dirty, solidified oil in the engine it has started to block oil galleries and this is what’s caused most of your problems, I have hopefully got another good block and crankshaft here so I can build you a completely fresh engine using these."

No8-shells.jpg


Crank-scuffing.jpg
Click to expand...
Shows the benefit of regular oil changes.
 
RichardSEL said:
Aha! I've heard of arguements that LPG combusts at a higher temperature without any difference in force produced. Some have gone on to wibble that there's effects on valves because of this. I'm not a mechanic.

But here's some more pix from someone who's daily job is to rebuild BMW engines. He says the current supply difficulties mean that I'd be better off with a replacement crank, and lower block. Which would mean a few hundred quid more outlay but far less fumble. He hasn't yet seen the lump, but would reject it if there's any scoring. Mine's scored more than was originally seen: "whilst stripping your block down yesterday to replace the rings and little end we found another problem, the big end on number 8 cylinder has gone and unfortunately damaged the crankshaft also there is damage to cylinder 7 due to a oil sprayer being blocked, basically because of all the dirty, solidified oil in the engine it has started to block oil galleries and this is what’s caused most of your problems, I have hopefully got another good block and crankshaft here so I can build you a completely fresh engine using these."

No8-shells.jpg


Crank-scuffing.jpg
Click to expand...

A proper investigation at last.
 
Good effort on the rebuild, the engines are great but the aluminium bores are very vulnerable and catastrophic failure can result with relatively minor issues. I think they have been sleeved with iron or steel and you can even buy the alusil liners to be machined to replace a single failed bore.
I have a stripped M62 3.5 and 4.4 in my garage as a project on hold....
The 4.4 had horrendous damage to the bores.
Keen to see your progress, good luck.
 
Grrrrrr said:
A proper investigation at last.
Click to expand...

Yes. Had to eliminate the lowest-cost possibilities first. The more of those I did, the better its cooling became until about 250 to 350 miles could be done before a sudden catestrophic loss of coolant: viscous fan coupling, lower temperature mechanical thermostat, proper bleed procedure, LPG vaporiser membrane change out, leeching valley heater matrix hose, busted header tank cap -- all of them produced improvements to this M62 that'd done 115k

Having seen the condition of lower components now as per the pix, with the extra cost of the lump it now stands me in at just a few hundred quid over market value. But were you to buy either a P38 or other engine-ed fully loaded RR in that condition you'd still have to spend a grand or so getting it right and to the condition you want to run about in. I'm still winning inasmuch as the other faults that plague the L322 are all fixed

... Pssst. Know anyone who wants to buy a SLR-bodied 2000 reg SL320 with LPG? 10% in it for intro leading to sale
... https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1186573
 
holidaychicken said:
Good effort on the rebuild, the engines are great but the aluminium bores are very vulnerable and catastrophic failure can result with relatively minor issues. I think they have been sleeved with iron or steel and you can even buy the alusil liners to be machined to replace a single failed bore.
I have a stripped M62 3.5 and 4.4 in my garage as a project on hold....
The 4.4 had horrendous damage to the bores.
Keen to see your progress, good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the encouragment -- appreciated -- asked about the liners but re-builder says can't get new parts at the moment due to suppliers being closed.
Cyl-scoring.jpg


Cyl-scoring2.jpg
 
I've seen Jaguar XJ8 (AJV8) stripped down after over 180k with bores in better condition than those at 115k
And I'm not a mechanic. The debate (I wasn't involved) was then whether to change the liners or not.
Unlike with this BMW M62 telling that they've gotta be changed whether I like it or not. Corresponding piston:
Piston-scoring.jpg
 
My understanding of liners in Alusil bores I think has been proved wrong by somebody using and iron or steel liner.
The knots I tied myself in when I looked into is was -
Very thin walls and different expansion rates of iron / steel and aluminium block
Piston rings suited to Alusil not suited to steel/iron
Replacement pistons need ferro coat if used in alusil to prevent pick up.
Alusil liners only intended to repair a single bore maybe 2 in a block not multiple due to strength plus cost of liners aren’t cheap.
Specific bore and hone / lap required for alusil boring
The blocks have been repaired and I probably still have information of kits you can buy from the usa which I think was liners and pistons to suit.
The damage in your photo is mild compared to the block I have, again I think caused by blocked oil ways.
Did you say you have a block on the way ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

O
03 L322 EAS ECU Can bus fault / ABS temp system deactivation
Replies
1
Views
589
oldradiotech
O
S
Height suspension / sensor issue - can't calibrate
Replies
3
Views
1K
Graculus
Graculus
K
Is my RR Classic in EAS shutdown?
Replies
12
Views
854
kevleaper
K
Blob
L322 Adaptive Dynamics Height Sensor issue (but it works...)
Replies
2
Views
747
Graculus
Graculus
Stev
suspension in extended mode and Suspension failure
2 3 4
Replies
68
Views
6K
Stev
Stev
Back
Top