To say that I'm a shade-tree hack would be a gross overstatement. IMHO, The cylinders look great to me, nice cross hatching very visible, no galling seen in the pics. Piston tops all look fine. The one injector that I could see clearly had very clean nozzles. It's common for GDI engines to build up carbon deposits on the intake valve side of the cylinder heads. There's a service for this called walnut blasting. Mechanics remove the intake manifold to expose the intake valves and use an adapter to blow walnut shells into the chamber and suck them out. Depending on the motor design and other variables, this can get done from around 40k on the odometer on up. I could see some buildup on the one pic with the intake valve open. Definitely worth a second opinion from a reputable shop that's familiar with JLR engines

 

Any further luck/ resolution with this?

 

Still making the noise during acceleration/maintaining high speed. I am cycling a tank of normal gas between system cleaners. Rover recommended b44. Trying to warm up the engine quicker, keeping auto start off, keeping the revs higher. Maybe that helps clear out some of the "buildup"? Honestly, it's more fun driving as I'm revving out the engine at every shift 😂

I have also learned that you have to be extremely specific when you tell the mechanic that "there's a problematic sound and it sounds like a rattling tin Can". You have to actually get out and replicate it with them and show them specifically what you were talking about. Since September I have been told five they have identified/ fixed at least three sounds, none of which I reported 🤔

So, I just talked to the first shop (that replaced the coolant pipes and fuel pump) that told me they were not master techs and take it to Rover and said please give me a second opinion on spark knock and let me ride with the mechanic and show him the exact noise and when it happens. Well, maybe that's a 4th or fifth opinion of this point 🫠 not ready to drive it 2 hours to go see Bear Valley...

 

Gonna go back to the supercharger coupler - have you looked into that? Not a costly thing to at least replace and check off of possible issues

 

Is there an easy way to diagnose a busted coupler without taking apart the supercharger? I have read there is a clonking noise at shutdown, which my engine does not have. I brought it up with Land Rover a few times and they said it wasn't the problem.

 

I have taken it to a local shop that sells a lot of Euros, Rovers and the occasional Jag in town. So, they service those rovers too. They said the engine is running 20° hot and throwing knock codes. they want to replace the thermostat with a V8 thermostat and in their experience that has lowered the operating temperature of the V6 engine. $1155 🤔

 

Has it been running hot? You can easily manually check temps with a cheap OBDii tool or GAP. Thought the issue was noise. You ever look into SC coupler?

 

What are normal operating temperatures of the engine? The thermostat gage has never budged once. I have the IID.

Haven't ponied up the time or skills to take off the timing belt. It doesn't make the broken coupler noise on started or shut-off that I've heard.

 

Mine runs anywhere from 200-215 normally.

25:23 shows how to use a 3/8 breaker bar or long ratchet to rotate the tensioner and take pressure off the supercharger pulley. I haven’t done it on this car yet so not sure what you have to take off. Typically after that, you can rotate the coupler back and forth by hand and check for a rattle.

 

I have had the same pinging sound for 2 years and 30k miles. I'm not sure what it is and I have added a lot of jectron liquimoly to several tanks. I think it's the injectors. Maybe, due to the lean idle bank 1 and 2 codes I get in cold weather AND I RUN 94 OCTANE FROM SUNOCO I noticed 2 possible causes.

1. Fuel filter could be causing pressure issues
2. Injectors might need to be replaced

Something else that happens is I think the supercharger isn't always kicking in at consistent rpms which is almost like belt slip but perhaps I have a broken plastic part and the spring is causing the sporadic supercharger response?

Other than that, I will run it into the ground.