Sitting with my thoughts and a 2002 D2 at 131k miles that I bought 9 months ago.

I've done over $4k in DIY, non-engine repairs so far, and the one thing that scares me is the engine. I have no idea if the head gaskets have ever been done. I was prepared for all of the headaches of the D2, but I'm feeling a bit clueless on how to make sure the engine can last until at least 200k.

Are there things I should be checking to determine the engine health? Is it worth tearing it down and just doing the head gaskets proactively? Should I be worried about the liners for a 4.0?

I love this thing, but the amount of shoddy repairs I've uncovered has me pretty damn nervous. Crappy inner door vapor barrier repairs, overfilled oil, missing sunroof drain tubes, a very sqeaky PSP, missing covers inside the engine, you name it. I've spent over 40 hours doing repairs, and I'm still at the point where I don't feel like I trust the vehicle, and I could use some encouragement and wisdom.

 

One simple way to build engine trust is to perform a simple cylinder compression test. Read the spark plugs while you are at it, then pop in a fresh set. A common head gasket failure involves corrosion-caused leakage out the back sides, so be sure to use good coolant with long life corrosion inhibitors. Get familiar with the sound of the engine after cold start, rev it up a bit until the fan clutch slips so you can hear it better without much fan noise. Read the spark plugs again after 4 - 6,000 miles, and repeat compression test. Enjoy the ride!

 

@CharminULTRA well @JohnZo had some good points. But I take a very zen point of view just drive it,and take care of things as they happen. If you engine temps are good no huge cloud of white smoke you are likely good. Most guys who do crap maintenance will never touch heads.

The simplest things you can do:

1. A series of low mileage quick oil changes 1000 miles oil and filter use a oil with sludge breakdown and change 3 times in 3000 miles
2. Replace the coolant if you have not done so
3. Crawl underneath with a hammer and nail set and check the frame for rust the rear 1/4 is most important. Set the nail set against the frame and tap it listen for crap falling and of course it should at most put a tiny dimple in the steel
4. Lift your carpets and check for rust mostly drivers side and passenger side front

Engine work is dead simple on a push rod V8 when the time comes, liner slip happens but generally to engines that have been badly over-heated repeatedly.


Working on my head gaskets, snow got a fair bit deeper

 

I’ll add send a sample of of oil to blackstone for analysis. This will provide a good indication of the condition of the internals

 

In 5+ years of ownership, I've invested over $20K and countless hours making my D2 as nice as it is, and then last month it broke my heart. The block cracked behind the cylinder 3 liner, and it's slipping as well as drinking coolant. This engine has a new cam, heads, oil and water pump, etc., etc., It has an inline thermostat and has never over heated under my ownership. Everyone tells me this is just part of the ownership experience. Mine is too nice to scrap or part out, but even in perfect running condition the value of these isn't very high. Professionally rebuilt engines cost $8k-$12K. Throw in labor and your easily spending more than the trucks are worth. If you go with a used engine, you will probably be repeating this process again in the future. I guess it boils down to how much you enjoy the truck. If you love it, than spend the big bucks and understand that you wont recoup it. Nothing about these trucks make financial sense, just emotional.

 

Well, until I read Tim's post above, I was going to add we can take comfort from the fact that all the weak ones have been weeded out by now. Sorry about that Tim.

Another easy thing to do is to use the Maintenance Checklist included in the Land Rover Workshop Manual. Take your time and go point by point. They cover all the basic stuff.

 

Your 9 months in and I would assume no signs of head gasket failure, correct? There have been people who have not had head gasket failures and the rigs have over 150K -200+K on them. Some have changed head gaskets only to have them fail again. Since you don't know the history of the truck I would dive into the cooling system. Renew all the hoses and ditch the plastic connections in the hoses with aluminum one. I would go with an inline setup and 180 t-stat. I would put a Flowkooler water pump in and replace any plastic lines running to the coolant tank. Replace those with rubber lines. I would ditch the throttle body coolant setup as well. Check radiator for aging and coolant tank. Replace if needed. Check coolant cap and replace if needed. Ditch the Dexcool and replace with something else. I would monitor the system with an Ultragauge or Torque app. Learn where the trucks sweet spot is on operating temps with and without A/C flowing. Once you have a solid cooling system in place you'll be more confident in your temps and what is normal. I also would change all the fluids (Brake, Diffs, T-Case, Trans/Filter). Great advice above about swapping oil changes frequently. Then I would just enjoy the ride because plenty of other things will pop up that isn't on your radar. That's just Rover life. I've had mine since 02......None of it makes economical sense but I love driving it!

 

It sounds like you're really dedicated to getting your D2 in top shape, which is awesome! Given the age and mileage, it's definitely worth checking the head gaskets, especially if you're unsure if they've been replaced.
You can look for signs of leaks or coolant loss as a first step. As for the liners, it's not uncommon for 4.0s to have issues, so keep an eye on any rough running or unusual noises.
If you're feeling nervous, proactively doing the head gaskets might give you peace of mind, especially if you’re planning to keep it long-term. Keep up the good work & good luck!

 

Proactively doing HG is just asking for trouble imo. They rarely fail in such a way that you'll get stranded. I've driven both of mine for months with leaking hgs...also the 4.0 is far less likely to have liner issues than the 4.6. Go through and redo entire cooling system and fluids and stay on top of oil changes no more than every 5k miles and enjoy the truck.

 

The Ultragauge or external monitoring is the most key thing. As mentioned, each engine has a personality and you only learn that personality when you have the data.

I’d also add an external oil pressure gauge.

I’m also a recent firm believer in the PCV modification. That actually solved all the leaks I had in my 184k mile HSE.