I am new to Land Rover and Just ordered a 130 with the P500 5.0 V8 engine. I was hoping someone that has owned or currently owns this engine can share reliability experience or any other tips in regards to this specific engine.

 

The AJ133 5.0 V8 has been around since 2009 and there are a few things you need to look out for. Early versions of this engine are notorious for timing chain issues. The current ones are a lot better, but the slack in the timing chains can still be a problem. The best way to prevent this is by doing frequent oil changes. I had a 2011 LR4 with the 5.0 V8, and I did my oil changes every 5000 miles and never had any issues with the timing chains in the ten years and 95k miles I had it. If you do oil changes every 5000-7500 miles, you will be fine. The other big problem is the coolant crossover pipes, which are crappy plastic and deteriorate every 4-5 years. They have recently updated the design, but it is still too early to tell if the new pipes are actually better. They are a pain in the *** to replace, as you have to remove the supercharger and replace all of the main coolant lines. On my LR4, which was the naturally aspirated V8, it was a $2k job. On my old Discovery 5, which had the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 (the V6 has the same block as the V8, it just has six cylinders drilled into it instead of eight) it was around $3k, because of the extra labor time to remove the supercharger.

There are aftermarket metal coolant lines you can get that in theory would prevent this issue from happening again, but I have no firsthand experience with the metal lines. Other than the coolant lines and the timing chain issues (which can be prevented) this engine is pretty solid. One other thing to mention is the 5.0 has an electronic dipstick, and checking the oil level is a lot more complicated than it should be. Overall, I still love this engine. It has loads of power & torque, it sounds fantastic and it has so much character.

 

Thank you very much for sharing all of this information. I am a firm believer in frequent oil changes and typically go 3000 miles between oil changes.

 

I took delivery of mine (130 V8 p500) in September. It broke down instantly. Been sitting at the dealer since then. Let them know last week that I'm refusing it and they have to order a new one. Haven't heard from them since.

 

That doesnt sound good, hopefully your situation can be resolved quickly.

 

I have a 2022 110 v8 CE and no issues with the engine though I’m not sure if it’s the same tbh. I change my oil once a year whether it hits 16k miles or not (it’s averaging 13k right now)

 

Glad its working out for you. I just happen to be a firm believer in frequent oil changes. I feel it prevents premature wear. I like to stick with every 3000 miles.

 

It is the same engine, and if you plan on keeping your car long term, I HIGHLY suggest you start changing your oil every 5000-7000 miles regardless of how much you drive. Timing chain tensioners go bad on the AJ133 V8, and frequent oil changes are the key to avoiding this issue. If you come on here complaining that you need timing chain replacement at 85k miles, don't say I didn't tell you so.

 

I am very grateful people are sharing their experiences with this engine as I wait for mine to arrive. Unfortunately many fail to associate what is seen as premature breakdowns or unreliable engines with lack of basic maintenance. I blame the manufacturers for putting the oil life indicators that make people believe its ok to go 10 to 20 thousand miles between oil changes. It seems every manufacturer has a issue that is easily avoided with more frequent oil changes. A big factor is they only need these engines to make it past the basic warranty period.

 

Lots of folklore around oil change intervals on the internet. I wouldn’t listen to a single recommendation unless the person is showing you their oil testing results. And even then whose to say they spend the same amount of time towing or in dusty conditions or even just making short trips that don’t warm things up as you do?

An analysis such as one from Blackstone will tell you how much life is left in your oil as well as what the wear patterns are looking like. Maybe you need a 3k mile change… maybe 20k? A test is cheaper than an oil change so it’s worth it imo.