P38A 2.5 diesel- want one but scared!

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@Coley53

valley gasket or also known as an intake gasket ;)

xZmNAxNl.jpg


A liner tap is a very distinct noise..

See here.

 
Coley53 said:
Gave it some welly and it’s bad news the dipstick is glowing orange but also seems to be a leak on the two pipes just behind the top of the radiator as there seems to be a fair bit of UV glowing there as well.
Redone sniff test that’s still negative.
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Coolant in the Oil on the RV8 is usually caused by a failed front cover gasket, so don't write the motor off yet.. :D
 
Henry_b said:
Coolant in the Oil on the RV8 is usually caused by a failed front cover gasket, so don't write the motor off yet.. :D
Click to expand...

Tapping sound could potentially be HG blowing out or exhaust manifold leak or just a tensioner for a belt. Be nice if you could find its source.

I think most liners that weren't pressed in properly have already dropped by now. Even the youngest P38 is nearly 20 years old. Tends to happen after an overheat.

Given the coolant in the oil I think it is heads off time. Might as well do the valley gasket and front cover and timing chain while you are in there. Follow RAVE and take your time. 1 weekend to disassemble, buy parts and then reassemble the next weekend. Slow and steady as it is your first time.
 
Last edited:
Henry_b said:
sounds like we've found your issu then..

time to pull the heads
Click to expand...
Beyond me I’m afraid, the bloke who initially identified the problem has offered to do the job and replace them with top hat liners but it needs the engine out and a rebored and says I won’t get much change out of 4K….that sound a fair price?
 
Coley53 said:
Beyond me I’m afraid, the bloke who initially identified the problem has offered to do the job and replace them with top hat liners but it needs the engine out and a rebored and says I won’t get much change out of 4K….that sound a fair price?
Click to expand...
Once the block is cracked it is scrap..

A new recon engine is the way forward, or you can get a 2nd hand engine and lob it in, I'd give any 2nd hand unit a refresh new cam and followers + timing chain and sprockets and a gasket set..

V8developements is the way to go a "long block" is around £3800 and thats with a slight performance bump over standard, plus they stud their engines and top hat liner them..

The ancillaries off your old engine will go straight on..
 
Henry_b said:
Once the block is cracked it is scrap..

A new recon engine is the way forward, or you can get a 2nd hand engine and lob it in, I'd give any 2nd hand unit a refresh new cam and followers + timing chain and sprockets and a gasket set..

V8developements is the way to go a "long block" is around £3800 and thats with a slight performance bump over standard, plus they stud their engines and top hat liner them..

The ancillaries off your old engine will go straight on..
Click to expand...

Sorry, bit out of my depth here, does the liners dropping indicate the block is cracked? I’ve cancelled my D2 in order to make sure I concentrate on getting the auld sod sorted and back into the land of the living, not a money issue, it’s purely because SHMBOd pointed out if I had the D2 to play with the P38 would be parked up and forgotten.

I’m trying to figure out the best options, the bloke who (seemingly rightly) identified the problem gave me two options a top hat replacement, which apparently means removing the engine, and a rebore to accommodate the new liners, he says giving the mileage (68k) there shouldn’t be any need to replace other major components, but I could also replace it with a diesel, a 3.something BMW?…ring any bells.
He said the replacement diesel would be the slightly cheaper option but he would have to look up mating the gearbox and various ECMs and other electronics.
Also he told me that though I could continue to drive it ie (topping up the coolant every thirty/forty miles) I was damaging the engine and making the eventual repairs more expensive?
My questions…..
Does this bloke sound like he knows what he is talking about? He has a very good reputation locally
Do I go for a rebuild, top hat liners etc?
Do I replace it with a diesel?
Bear in mind I was comfortable with the petrol engines of the Series 1/2/3 the the earlier RRs..the NA Diesel engines on the S3 station wagons, the more modern D 1/2………
And nearly crapped mesel when I first lifted the bonnet of my current LR cuddle.
With thanks to you, and all who who have offered advice and guidance, really pleased to have rediscovered this forum.
 
Coley53 said:
Sorry, bit out of my depth here, does the liners dropping indicate the block is cracked? I’ve cancelled my D2 in order to make sure I concentrate on getting the auld sod sorted and back into the land of the living, not a money issue, it’s purely because SHMBOd pointed out if I had the D2 to play with the P38 would be parked up and forgotten.

I’m trying to figure out the best options, the bloke who (seemingly rightly) identified the problem gave me two options a top hat replacement, which apparently means removing the engine, and a rebore to accommodate the new liners, he says giving the mileage (68k) there shouldn’t be any need to replace other major components, but I could also replace it with a diesel, a 3.something BMW?…ring any bells.
He said the replacement diesel would be the slightly cheaper option but he would have to look up mating the gearbox and various ECMs and other electronics.
Also he told me that though I could continue to drive it ie (topping up the coolant every thirty/forty miles) I was damaging the engine and making the eventual repairs more expensive?
My questions…..
Does this bloke sound like he knows what he is talking about? He has a very good reputation locally
Do I go for a rebuild, top hat liners etc?
Do I replace it with a diesel?
Bear in mind I was comfortable with the petrol engines of the Series 1/2/3 the the earlier RRs..the NA Diesel engines on the S3 station wagons, the more modern D 1/2………
And nearly crapped mesel when I first lifted the bonnet of my current LR cuddle.
With thanks to you, and all who who have offered advice and guidance, really pleased to have rediscovered this forum.
Click to expand...

The Block cracks around a water jacket due to a casting imperfection from the factory the water jacket is offset in the block, unfortunately the thin wall cracks and the slight expansion allows the sleeve which is press fit to drop ever so slightly, the tap you hear is the piston lifting the liner up/down and it making contact with the head and block..
Coolant finds its way through the crack and either makes it way up through the headgasket or down in to the sump.

Once the block is cracked there is no going back, it is scrap ready to be turned in to a fancy table.

A new recon engine is your best bet fitting a diesel engine whether that be an M51 or M57 out of a Diesel P38 or 325TDS bmw will be an unnecessary farce and will end up more expensive in the long run, a recon V8 will drop right in..

A top Hat liner is a liner with a Lip that is machined to fit flush with the deck of the block and is used to prevent the slipped liner issue that can become an issue with a non cracked V8 block, this usually happens if you happen to cook the motor and the ally block expands away from the liner which again causes the characteristic tap tap slipped liner sometimes without a water loss issue..

The lip is clamped down by the head and corrects the issue so long as it isn't a crack.

:)
 
Henry_b said:
The Block cracks around a water jacket due to a casting imperfection from the factory the water jacket is offset in the block, unfortunately the thin wall cracks and the slight expansion allows the sleeve which is press fit to drop ever so slightly, the tap you hear is the piston lifting the liner up/down and it making contact with the head and block..
Coolant finds its way through the crack and either makes it way up through the headgasket or down in to the sump.

Once the block is cracked there is no going back, it is scrap ready to be turned in to a fancy table.

A new recon engine is your best bet fitting a diesel engine whether that be an M51 or M57 out of a Diesel P38 or 325TDS bmw will be an unnecessary farce and will end up more expensive in the long run, a recon V8 will drop right in..

A top Hat liner is a liner with a Lip that is machined to fit flush with the deck of the block and is used to prevent the slipped liner issue that can become an issue with a non cracked V8 block, this usually happens if you happen to cook the motor and the ally block expands away from the liner which again causes the characteristic tap tap slipped liner sometimes without a water loss issue..

The lip is clamped down by the head and corrects the issue so long as it isn't a crack.

:)
Click to expand...
I actually understood that, really appreciate your trouble, very explanative for the those of us who are new to modern engines …or relatively ‘new modern engines’
If you don’t mind me asking…is 4K a reasonable price for the work involved in replacing the liners?..given its an LPG conversion?
 
Coley53 said:
I actually understood that, really appreciate your trouble, very explanative for the those of us who are new to modern engines …or relatively ‘new modern engines’
If you don’t mind me asking…is 4K a reasonable price for the work involved in replacing the liners?..given its an LPG conversion?
Click to expand...

No 4k is what I'd expect to spend on a tweaked new Long engine, your current unit is scrap..

And even if new liners were an option a machine shop wouldn't charge that to do the work around £850 for the block to be cleaned magna fluxed and liners fitted.

Plus whatever the labour charge for engine removal.

best get a quote from either your bloke or a LR specialist, the removal shouldn't take more than 5hrs.. :D
 
Henry_b said:
Once the block is cracked it is scrap..

A new recon engine is the way forward, or you can get a 2nd hand engine and lob it in, I'd give any 2nd hand unit a refresh new cam and followers + timing chain and sprockets and a gasket set..

V8developements is the way to go a "long block" is around £3800 and thats with a slight performance bump over standard, plus they stud their engines and top hat liner them..

The ancillaries off your old engine will go straight on..
Click to expand...
They have been In touch, their quote is a 1/4 of the local bloke??
Now just need to figure out how to get it there.
 
If you've got the engine out you could try shipley.com. maybe drop it on a pallet for them.

Or isn't there a Landyzone courier service? Could someone tow the whole car for suitable recompense?
 
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