Well normally I would say some sort of insert (I am not going to get in to the debate about which is best). I used a helicoil with success on a 6 cylinder Volvo aluminum block but with these blocks I would be concerned about the block cracking due to the material removed for the insert. Just be careful you never have to go there, if you do then get an early 4.0 Thor block.

 

I got a "deal" on a p38 which the PO claimed just needed HG's but it turns out he had stripped out several block holes so I bought the timesert kit and preemptively fixed them all and the heads torqued up normally. Probably better to just have a machine shop do the work but it was educational for me at the time.

 

Great information , but still seems like a mystery . Par for the course , I guess . My engine is a short block from Turner engineering . Nothing on their part . I might text them , and they would know . They have worked on thousands . Local shops just don't seem to have the passion anymore , so I might go to Land Rover themselves to solve the issue. Cheers , all .

 

I don't think Land Rover cares about our old Rovers.