Both my 05 Jeep Wranglers that weighed half of what a D2 weighs got 9-10MPG and they were to the floor constantly just to go 65MPH. A lot of 4x4 SUV's get around the same MPG. It's just the nature of the beast, not aerodynamic, solid axles, tall, heavy, and usually a V8.

 

I'm agreeing with best4x4, I've never seen a slipped liner

 

 

OP, pay no attention to redwhitekat, he is a serious negative nelly. I have owned 12 including my current 5 and have only owned one slipped liner that was easily cured with a lower temp thermostat (it only ticked over 190 degrees) and I have looked at one 04 that ticked from the moment it was started, so it was likely an oil pressure issue anyway (did not buy that one). I have never had a cracked block, warped heads, or other fatal issue that caused the engine to be non-repairable. Do they have their issues ? Absolutely. They are not as reliable as a Toyota or Honda or even a small block chevy, but they are no worse than a lot of other popular luxury makes such as Volvo, BMW, etc. The issues tend to be relatively simple to fix, low cost and easy to identify.

BTW, yours is the first I have ever seen with this particular issue.

 

 

 

I too had 10+ RV8 powered trucks.

RRCs, D2s, P38s.. yeah not lucky enough to have found a good Defender or non rusted D1.

I've blown two HGs I believe. One on my 2002 D2, at 180-190k miles (first one), and my $500 2003 D2.
Never have owned a truck with a slipped liner.

However..I also have a very unfortunate 2004
When it was newer, it had a replacement 4.6 installed ~50k miles.
At around 120,000 it had another installed, when I bought it at 150,000 it had blown another. It was a low mileage 03' deathvin. So it is technically on its fourth engine!

All of my 4.0 and 3.9 RV8s never blew up. My 3.9 RRCs never blew HGs.

And I'm ROUGH on my trucks. My normal daily is a tuned 600HP RRS, going to a D2 I am constantly flooring it to get to speed, whether that be 25MPH or 70. I never let off. Constant redline.

180stats in all (besides RRC), M1 301A filter, and Pennzoil Platinum Ultra synthetic 10w30 every 3,000 miles.

I like my thin oil.

 

I have never seen a rover tick, that WASNT the rocker shafts.

 

I had a horrendous tick in my original 4.6, never really diagnosed before it died, but there is no evidence on the heads that there was one.

 

Last engine I had with a nasty tick, ended up being the hardened pad on the rocker fell off and the aluminum rocker was hitting the connecting rod with a 1/4" gap.

As an update, the engine is back together and resealed. New water pump, oil pump, head gaskets and some other crap. Oil pressure is good and Im not losing water anywhere that I can see. Not sure where the metal came from. Only time will tell with this one.