Well I think thats the end of the P38!

I think this all started with a leaking throttle body heater plate gasket.

A couple of days ago the temp gauge kept twitching about all over the place.

So had a good look under the bonnet and found the heater plate to be leaking. Replaced the heater plate and the gasket.

Temp gauge still twitching all over the place, one minute its in the red, next its fine and sat in the middle where it should be, then all over the place again.

So decided to change the thermostat. Took a couple of hours as I did not have a ramp and I am not the smallest of people!

Fired her up and went for a drive. All good, no temp gauge issues, nice and steady, engine running sweet.

However, today the whole thing has come to an abrupt end.

Was driving along and heard some strange noise coming from the engine.

Pulled over and noticed oil pretty much gushing out of the rocker cover towards the rear of the engine. Checked the oil level and it was pretty empty. Luckily a garage was about 200 yards away so I grabbed 4 litres and filled her back up.

Fired up and all good again, no noises etc.

Got about half a mile down the road and noise started again, but this time it was accompanied by white smoke coming from the tail pipes!

Could not have lost all of that oil in only half a miles worth of driving surely! And after checking, no the oil is still plentiful.

I think the head gasket has gone, hence the white smoke, but not sure why the rocker cover is leaking as it was fine when I was checking over the engine after noticing the temp gauge.

Not sure what to do. I have just spent £1000 on the car with a new set of wheels and brand new General Grabber tyres, also just had a brand new custom stainless steel cat back exhaust put on as the other one was losing all of its baffling from the tail pipe.

I was just about to put it on ebay as I have purchased yet another car!

I think I might just put it on ebay as it is explaining the problems, and do no reserve. I cant be bothered to spend any more time, effort or money on this car.

Apart from the obvious, what are your thoughts?

Thanks.

Forgot to add, its a 2000 4.6 V8 Vogue with 135k on the clock

it sounds like you have a slipped liner..

j the range said:

it sounds like you have a slipped liner..

Click to expand...

Could you elaborate on that a little?

temp going up and down as the linner moves, and i would think the oil is comming out of your vally gasket..

OK, thanks,.

Is this expensive to fix!

Also, what would cause such a failure?

overheating is the main thing to start off only fix is engine or get it top hat linned, its not a cheap job. you could start by taking your heads off and having a look at the linners..

probably need a new top end or at least heads skimmed/new gaskets, top-hatliners.......not cheap but if rest of car good is worth the £££££'s!

What do you reckon its worth as it is, new exhaust and wheels and tyres and all that, good condition, apart from a small dent on rear quarter and crazing on the bonnet?

I really dont have the time or patients to sort it, or get it sorted.

Ill get some Pics uP later

j the range said:

temp going up and down as the linner moves, and i would think the oil is comming out of your vally gasket..

Click to expand...

You where bang on about the liner and the gasket, had a garage take a quick gander and they have also confirmed the above.

I have decided not to repair and the car available as it stands on eBay

HERE

sorry mate i wish i would have been wrong, what a shame you not fixing it looks a real nice car..

It is a shame, but to be honest I never really used it that much, if it was my daily driver I would have had it repaired. Just aint got the time or energy to put into to it now.

Plus its now taking up one of my parking spaces!

if it was closer to me i may have had a dabble at it tbh, its just to far for me. i could fix that for just over a grand, i did mine last year same fault haha same bloody year car as well lol..

Around £2000 would get the engine sorted, so for £2010 (Current price) it could be sorted.

Would suit a "Wheeler Dealer" !!!
Does anyone have Ed China's number ????????

:behindsofa:

I heard an interesting theory as to the cause of this issue, one of my colleagues has recently bought a race spec RV8 with a dyno readout proving 450bhp, the guy he got it off has been rebuilding rover v8's for 40 years, this came from him...

Apparently the location of the thermostat is to blame, when it opens it allows a rush of cold water into the block. the thermal shock eventually leads to slipped liners...

His solution is to drill two small holes in the stat to allow a small flow of hot water, to prevent the sudden temp change, he reckons this fix works..!

Sounds interesting...... but of how many engines has he fixed with this method, and how many miles have they done? But sounds like a good idea that doesn`t cost a fortune so nowt to lose..