After just replacing the radiator, and putting new tires on, my 98 sounds like it has dropped a liner. It only makes a clacking noise when hot, and overheats quick when the noise is present. I have detected exhaust gases in the coolant (bubbles) but no coolant is used. I will probably have to look for a used engine now. DAMN!

 

Sounds like the head gaskets are bad.

 

I would think the same, except the clacking noise when hot only sounds like a slipped liner.

 

Or maybe some of both. Gets hot enough to allow liner to slip. So perhaps temporary fix is take out the thermostat so it will run as cold as possible, not great mpg. If it only slips when it gets hot, this is one way to hold off getting hot while you work on other options. Also look at https://landroverforums.com/forum/ge...hlight=pinning, because you can pin liners. And there are plenty of articles on head gaskets.

Thin oil when overheated can allow noises, should be running 15W40 or 20W50 if conventional. 10W30 too thin.

Now cracked block behind the sleeve - that is another issue. Last ditch effots include KSeal.

At this point you don't have much to loose. If sleeve drops into contact with crankshaft, engine gone. You have options, just not good ones.

 

I would rather not put any k-seal in the radiator to mess it up. I currently have a 160 degree thermostat and don't think removing it would help much. Once the block gets to operating temp, the metallic tick starts and the bubbles start to come out in the reservoir. It is odd though since I am not losing any coolant or don't see the engine smoking white smoke out the tailpipe.

 

So this has been going on for a while if you popped in a 160 thermostat?

The KSeal won't mess up the radiator like the styles with all the particles in suspension. It is a very small quantity, like 8 ounces, compared to a quarts or more of some products. If your tick is a slipping sleeve it can also have a tiny crack in the block that is allowing the hot gas to pressurize the cooling system. Will come on strong and fast from other reports. If you had just the tick, pinning would help. If you have the overheat, bubbles in coolant, could be HG or worse - like cracked block. If the problem is HG cylinder to cylinder as you suspect, the KSeal might help that. Otherwise you are pulling the heads off anyway, draining the old coolant, etc. When you get the head off you may find coolant oozing up between the sleeve and block. KSeal is a way to extend the life of this until you can locate replacement engine and arrange the work and funding required.

The bubbles could be steam (and if steam maybe watter wetter would hold it down), but an exhaust gas in coolant test will confirm one way or the other. $50 from parts store, does more than a dozen tests, so it can also "prove" that future repairs are doing what they should.

The "mechanic in a jar" products do work in some cases for some length of time, just not in all cases for the next 10 years. They work well enough in many cases to sell the vehicle to the next sucker (kidz - don't do this to people). That's why many auction hunters take a good look at the coolant looking for signs for the products leave behind. Note pix with "stopz leakz" used on the left, you can see the coating.

 

Buzz, pinning is not a viable option on these motors, use of the top hat liner is, precludes leakage.

Bantham1 do a compression test. Normally a pressure test is used but a compression test will give you a quick look.

 

my bad, pinning for d2. But for price of a top hat job - better be in love with the truck...

 

Just buy a known good used engine

 

Thanks for the info. I am going to pull the plugs and see if I can identify which cylinder has slipped. The noise sounds just like one I heard on youtube except it is not that loud and only happens when engine is at operating temp. I will try to identify the cylinder then do a compression test on it. What I don't want to do is spend a lot of time and money replacing a head gasket and still have a junk motor. I have already spent enough time and money on this thing.