2001 p38 engine refresh worth it or not?

I am looking into getting the camshaft tappets heads done on my 2001 4.0 its done 129000 and running on lpg. Reason for wanting to get it done is there is a noise like as if an exhaust gasket has gone and there is excessive tappet noise. there is no overheating no water loss or oil loss. Its been quite a reliable car have had it 3 years now and bits have been fixed of course but nothing that's made me want to throw in the towel. But like it to drive and the comfort and for towing.


Have been told the car isn't mint don't spend the money on getting that type of work done to a car that age just wondering what the general consensus is towards getting this type of work done on one of this age or to just sell up give up on it.?

Thank you all for any reply might get

If you like the car, get it fixed. I have the same its an old lady but its a lady,not a pile of junk.What would you buy if you were to replace it?

Put some dye in the water and some in the oil and see if any transfer. MrGorsky's had a noise like exhaust gasket leaking and the water dye turning up on the dipstick was the only sign the head-gasket had gone!

And yes, give it a full set of gaskets, timing chain etc and it'll last another 15 years.

Get it fixed , as they say better the devil you know, I've wondered about mine and can't think of anything that will match up to it.

I would fix it. Not really high miles for such a big engine and very difficult to replace once you have had one

Mind you, he's not really asking the right people. A bit like a crack addict asking his mates if he should have one more hit before he jacks it in.

How much would you get for yours if you sold it as it is ?And how much money would you need to buy a replacement vehicle. This may justify fixing her up

The real question is what do you replace it with? I cannot think of anything other than perhaps a classic.

get rid imo

Thats the question I've been asking myself as this is my 3rd p38 in between that time had 2 grand Cherokees 1 3.1td bucket and a 4.7 v8 went like a beast but just lacked that something and santa fe 2.7 ok but very bland. Have been looking to replace it would only be another Grand Cherokee 4.7 but the overland

. Most things in the range rover are all done inside cabin wise o rings heater blend motors what doesn't work is heated seats and headline sag in the rear. I am attached to it from driving other cars then getting back into just makes you know you missed out.
condition its in now I would say between £600-800 the engine noise has been there for over 8000 miles and that includes towing various boats, caravans.

And think Range rovers must be like being on crack as they keep you wanting more.

Anyone know any places central Scotland to try for quotes. The one place called today said wouldn't be able to give a price till they take it apart but then said well you would then have a car in bits and have to pay to get it put back together fixed or not as there no way to tell whats wrong till its apart and overall wouldn't be worth it in his book.

Thanks

The heated seats are a couple of hours stripping the seat covers off and fixing the burnt out elements, the roof liner another couple of hours in the garage with a martrim kit as for the tappetty noise pull the rockers off and have a look see. I did mine after I did the hg and heads


Bit chewed up steel pad

Oil caps worn and jammed in there mounting I'd say these were the thing that made the most difference to engine noise and its a simple fix and often over looked.

Thanks for that tip as had never thought to check under the rockers always thought head gaskets first being that its a p38
Is there much to remove to get them off or can be done with everything in place with some wiggle.

Have done a compression test last September cant remember the numbers but know at the time they were all well within 10% of each

Inlet manifold has to come off that's about it

If you like the vehicle, then keep it... better the devil you know and all that...

I've just spent a shade under £4K on a new engine for mine - bought a top hat short engine from V8 developments, had a spare set of heads that I had on the shelf reconditioned by a local machine shop. Bought a whole load of other second hand parts to recondition (the RR is my only vehicle, so the more I had on the engine before it went it, then less I had to mess about with when actually swapping it!). I put in a Piper Torquemax cam, new rockers, shafts, oil pump gears, timing sprockets/chain, ARP head studs and a whole host of other parts. Put in a new radiator (Nissens) genuine LR thermostat, new flex plate etc...

I probably could have done it cheaper if I hadn't bought a replacement sump, front cover, lower inlet, pleunm chamber etc - but I wanted to have a nice clean set (which are all painted now too!) and as I said have as much rebuilt as possible to just drop it in.

Myself and a mate did the install over the course of a weekend (well, a long couple of days!) and I'm very happy with the result. New engine runs a lot smoother, has more pull on it and was well worth it given the state of the old one. No head gasket leaks, a couple of core plug leaks though (one was a coolant one which was the main reason for the engine swap... it was the excuse to actually do it!. all the liners are intact, no signs of slippage. The biggest wear on it (it had a shade under 119K on it) was the timing chain being really sloppy, and the crank being super easy to turn by hand (I'm guessing the piston rings are either coked up or worn).

The moral of my story anyway... I love the RR - I have done so much to it over the last 5 years of ownership (it's the longest I've owned one vehicle!) and have absolutely no intention of getting rid of it. As I say, I could have done it cheaper if I had the time/space at home to just do a 'refresh' on the current engine, but I figured that dropping a new one in would give it a new lease of life, and that if I had decided to not do it and get something else, then I would have gone for another P38 - and in this case, better the devil you know... I know what I've done to it, I know what needs to be done... I know it's intricacies, and it's still a lovely drive!

Each to their own - but I'd be overhauling it and enjoying it!

It is amazing how sloppy that timing chain gets after 100k miles.

Grrrrrr said:

It is amazing how sloppy that timing chain gets after 100k miles.

Click to expand...

Just a touch!!

@martyuk: one of the lads at your place had tied in the extra speakers in his doors somehow. The ex-copper car, I think, that didn't have the looms for the extra speakers. Can you remind me what he did? Was it in parallel or something? But I'm sure he mentioned capacitors.

Marty,
I like the special timing chain tool

I am taking it today to be looked over and see if can get a little more information on it and whats what. I am more looking towards the thinking of getting the work done, as has been said better devil you know plus the colour isn't very common of 624. If had my health still wouldn't have thought twice and done it myself but times change.

Will have hopefully have something to post later.

But thanks all so far

Sorry for the very slow update been unwell and forgot to post. Had the rangie looked at to be told it does sound like a lifter or rocker cap as was suggested by biketeacherdave. So thankfully no rush will wait till better weather and see what can do to it. Even who I got to look at it said its not a bad one and what would you replace it with as you know it inside and out.

So its another p38 that will be saved and kept on the road and on the air ride no springs. Now to deal with mot advisories first.

Save opening a new thread Front ball joints do them both sides top and bottom or just the ones with play which is drivers side?
Thanks again all