Is the design of the 3.9/4.0/4.2/4.6 inherently bad?

David Harris

Expedition Leader
Needing head gaskets at 160k is terrible IMO.

According to threads over on the Toyota forum, some Tacomas are needing them at 100K. . . :Wow1: Honestly, doing head gaskets after 21 years of use is no big deal to me. I just did them on my Rangie last week and it took a couple of days and 250.00. Should last until over 300K at least.
 
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LR Max

Local Oaf
Needing head gaskets at 160k is terrible IMO.

I'd rather need a head gasket at 160k than a frame.

Personally, no matter what the vehicle, if it can get to 100k without needing major engine work (or anything major), I think that is pretty gosh darn good.

Speaking of which, flushing the coolant from my DD is probably a good idea...
 

Douglas S.

Adventurer
Personally, no matter what the vehicle, if it can get to 100k without needing major engine work (or anything major), I think that is pretty gosh darn good.

I would be pretty disappointed in my truck if it needed major engine work at anything less than 200k miles.

Had to do a full rebuild on my Dad's 95 RRC @ 85k miles. Cracked block, holes in pistons, not an abused truck either.
 

brushogger

Explorer
I'd rather need a head gasket at 160k than a frame.

Personally, no matter what the vehicle, if it can get to 100k without needing major engine work (or anything major), I think that is pretty gosh darn good.

Speaking of which, flushing the coolant from my DD is probably a good idea...

My friend got the frame on his Toyota pickup warranted and it was 7 years old. They actually replaced the frame! Unthinkable the big issue is Toyota steps up after acknowledging a major issue. Rover- not so much. Examples: the disposable Freelanders, the tsb on the disco oil pumps, and now slipping liners. They just pretend it never happened. The Freelander buyers REALLY took it in the backside. Rover stands behind nothing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

RangeBrover

Explorer
My friend got the frame on his Toyota pickup warranted and it was 7 years old. They actually replaced the frame! Unthinkable the big issue is Toyota steps up after acknowledging a major issue. Rover- not so much. Examples: the disposable Freelanders, the tsb on the disco oil pumps, and now slipping liners. They just pretend it never happened. The Freelander buyers REALLY took it in the backside. Rover stands behind nothing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I do believe that Land Rover has gotten substantially better with warranty claims since the Disco years, but I can only speak from my own experiences. My Range Rover had a good amount of warranty work done on it and I was never given any hassle even when I was slightly out of warranty. Land Rover USA even went as far to extend the warranty's of the front diff on the BMW era L322's, so that's a thumbs up in my book.

Yes some companies are better about admitting fault and taking care of their customers than others but saying Rover stands behind nothing is a pretty one sided statement when you consider how bad some of the other automakers are. Plus I think Rover stands behind every vehicle they build, because if the brakes fail they don't want to be in front of it, and if it catches on fire they want to be able to see it coming. ;)
 

Oilburner

Adventurer
I would be pretty disappointed in my truck if it needed major engine work at anything less than 200k miles.

Had to do a full rebuild on my Dad's 95 RRC @ 85k miles. Cracked block, holes in pistons, not an abused truck either.


Have you replaced your bottom end bearings yet? :sombrero:
 

AndrewClarke

Adventurer
I haven't read all 12 pages of this but I'm going to comment anyway. In my opinion, they were probably a great engine in the '60s and '70s, an OK engine in the '80s, an outdated engine in the '90s, and an embarrassment this side of the new century.

Saying a vehicle has acceptible cooling "as long as everything is working", and the heads won't warp and sleeves won't slip as long as the cooling is fine, etc. etc., only show that they're not competitive engines in today's terms. I don't even think of these issues with my Volvo, and I probably wouldn't with a modern Land Rover either. My 200tdi has been night and day more reliable and better cooled than my 4.0L V8 ever was.
 

Frontier Phreak

New member
I'd rather need a head gasket at 160k than a frame.

POW! LOL Fair point!

Personally, no matter what the vehicle, if it can get to 100k without needing major engine work (or anything major), I think that is pretty gosh darn good.

But this is pretty pitiful. Seriously? This shows why you are happy with your Rover, as you standards are pretty low. I wouldn't consider major engine rework at anything less than 200k to be acceptable, and "good" doesn't even happen until 300k. And I do consider head gaskets as major work. I don't care if you can do it in your driveway or not. I could change conrods on the side of a freeway if I had to, doesn't mean it's not major work. I've had a *fleet* 4Runner go 280k without taking the valve covers off, let alone the heads. And that thing was constantly ridden hard and put away wet.

I've seen Jeeps make it out of a trail with a major cooling system problem and overheating. Fix the problem, and keep going. A Rover can't make it to the next freeway exit with the needle in the red before it's all over.
 

JSBriggs

Adventurer
... Plus I think Rover stands behind every vehicle they build, because if the brakes fail they don't want to be in front of it, and if it catches on fire they want to be able to see it coming. ;)

So that is why they never fixed the Defender oil cooler lines!

-Jeff
 

getlost4x4

Expedition Leader
for the nay sayers

From a 1998 RR Granite

300K+ All original. (motor, trans, t-case,axles)

http://www.rangerovers.net/forum/7-...me-sybil-thornedykes-twin-granite-4-10-a.html

16936d1370147038-dame-sybil-thornedykes-twin-granite-4-10-img_0070.jpg
 

R-Overland

Adventurer
I have a 4.0L with 400.000 miles sitting outside. starts right up and runs smooth as silk. I was very impressed.
That's what you get, if you maintain your car with good synthetic oil and the proper maintenance it deserves.
 

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