New Engine 1.8K

[alltorque]

Last week the fan on my Freelander ran on when I switched off.
Checked the water and added some , 5 miles later the next day it got hot, I stopped and drove slowly to work about 1/2 mile. Filled up with water again and drove home.
I called the Landy agent they quoted £600 to £800 for a head gasket change, Put the car in and now they say a new head is needed @ £2000 or exchange engine @ £2500.

Love the car but how can they justify this!! they even suggested trading it in as an option, I dont think so.

Rae

[Lighting90]

Is the head gasket that has gone or do you have a leak somewhere?

Sounds abit expensive though, is that main dealer prices??

[Desert Warrior]

I would have thought the most you would pay is £1500. Might be worth getting a second opinion from either another garage or another dealer

[Lighting90]

Desert Warrior, I just noticed, you have Sawtry as your place, my father works on a farm there... :p Just next door to the Zoo/Animal sanctary place...

[Desert Warrior]

Cool its only about 4 miles away.

If you are ever in the area give me a shout.

[Lighting90]

I sure will, still thinking about going to the LRO show, so might be be in your area in sept, if I am I will surely let you know...

[Desert Warrior]

Please do. Be glad to see you.

[Lighting90]

I wonder how alltorque is getting on with his freelandie??:dunno1:

[alltorque]

It's in North Eastern Landrovers (Dutton Foreshaw)
Having a replacement engine fitted, they even had the b*lls
to ask for another £250 for a new clutch.

I expect it back this week, the most expensive one and a half years motoring i have ever had. I did think about buying a new one but now "for sale Freebie with recon engine" I like it but never again.

Rae

[badlands]

Alltorque,

That happened to me as well, the fan kicked in after wor lass turned the engine off, so took it to north eastern, (futton dorshaw), and was told the brakes shoes and disks were dead, so all i paid for is a service (200 plus), and i got new shoes, pads and a new head gasket, so it was not to bad. cud you not have complained or is the FL over 3 years old.

Darrin

p.s. have you sold it

[bucko]

just about to buy a freelander should the fan not run on, need to check this - it is a 1.8 le 1999 v reg, any other points to look out for??
will check back alot now, always nice to learn more about your new car, hopefully not too bad news!!

[DUNCIA]

Is this the engine 'Watchdog' just did a piece on?

[bucko]

yes this is the engine watchdog metioned, that SOME of the vehicles have problems.
They can't all have problems can they? Can they???
:dunno1:

[alltorque]

Yep, same engine.
The landy dealer that fixed mine told me that they had 3/4 cars in for new engines every Monday morning.
I contated landrover after the watchdog program and the have offered to pay half the parts costs @£2300 for parts labour and VAT i guess thats about £1000 for parts so expect about £500 beter than nothing but thats all.
I went to Audi and asked about trade in they said that they wouldnot touch a Freebie without a late engine replacement!!!
I bought the Freelander second hand from Landrover and intended to buy new 2 years on, read the other threads I have had "castelation" and replaced half worn tyres, sunroof rails, in fact all the faults mentioned, the most expensive 2 years motoring i have ever had, will I buy new I DONT THINK SO.
The sad thing is I love the car, did about 500 miles yesterday
comfy quiet dead easy.
Rae

[s.stirley]

There's plenty of people in the Freelander club with over 50k trouble-free on the 1.8k series engines, but then there's some died at 20k. Most is 95k I think ...

For £2500 I'm afraid I'd have found a 1.6 rover 200 or similar and nicked the head off that and then traded it in pronto. Not all of the K series will go wrong, but there are design faults in that engine - there was from day one. I'd not buy one personally, even though I could fix the gasket quite easily myself - I just don't want a motor that could do that to me, had enough old british cars that threw gaskets / big ends etc ! no more thanks :)

I bought a nice tried and tested early diesel ... cheap, well specced, reliable and does 37mpg. No complaints.

[bucko]

I called a LR dealer today and a helpful guy in parts said when they fit a new engine two extra parts are fitted different to before, to keep the engine cooler, and maybe save it happening again?
The part numbers are PCH001190 for a radiator hose assy. (£47) and PEL000040 for a blanking plug (£8) has anyone tried this before the engine gets too hot.
I will start a new thread about this, as if it saves one engine its worth it, and I would like some feedback...

[Lighting90]

I havew since been told, that checking the torque of the engine bolts with a torque wrench on a regular basis stops the head gasket from failing. The problem seems to be that the bolts stretch over time, and as they hold the whole engine together, it seems like it might have some truth in it.

[bucko]

cheers Lightning90 worth checking, I also believe though the bolts can become too stretched, if their cheap maybe replace at a major service, wonder what Mr dealer thinks?

[Lighting90]

becareful of Mr Dealer, I had an experience with a Rover Dealer, (no longer around anymore) where they undid one of the engine bolts on my Rover 100, to make it leak a bit of oil at the head, took it back when I noticed the start of the leak, about a week and a half after the service, was phoned to be told, oh sir, you seem to have a major problem, we will we need to take the engine part and replace all the gaskets.... I just said, strange, it had no leak a week ago when you serviced it. Was later telephoned to be told, oh, we found one of the bolts loose, we tightened it up and it okay now sir... and it was for another 90,000 miles which was when I sold it... and it never leaked after that single incidence...

[bucko]

maybe just nip them up myself!!

[s.stirley]

It's believeable .. I've seen one in bits and the bolts go through the head and all the way down to the main caps ! lots of bolt over which to stretch ... something like 25cm long in total, possibly more ..

[andyb43]

How do you tighten the bolts what torque are they? I have modded the hose and thermostat plate already at 9000 miles now done 21000 fingers crossed touch a rain forrest no probs yet.

[fatboy500]

thought I'd jump in on this thread to let the 1.8 owners know it's not just them. A mate at work bought a v6 new 3 years ago. For the last 12 months it's been losing water. It's been in dozens of times to get fixed, they blamed him for not fastening the radiator cap when he checked the water, it's been in and out ever since and still losing water and overheating. Last week they said it was a head gasket problem so have replaced it. As he was driving it home, it ran out of power going up a hill and went bang !!
They initially refused to come and recover the vehicle (the 3yr warranty ran out the day before he picked it up). Couple of snotty phone calls later, they turned up with a courtesy car and took it away. Rang him today, needs a new engine !!