'03MY L322 Petrol 114k5 miles

RichardSEL said:

Apparently 50% is the norm. But still dunno whether Dex Cool is the right stuff or not.
Don't want to end up with some sludge in the system because remnants of the previous and Dex Cool have interacted. But last mechanic used Dex-Cool...
My overheat problems may be down to the electric thermostat that others in here have experienced.
So have ordered one up for swap out as my iCarsoft is giving the error code: "P0000 Electric Thermostat Fault. Last occurance - plausibility."
The fan viscous coupling has already been changed

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So changed the electric thermostat for a 105º version. New mechanic (not versed in Range Rovers, Mercedes time-served) found that there was an 84º on bridge installed but whoever in the past had installed it had creased the gasket across the gasket groove and so the join was weeping. He pressed up again and again the coolant blew out from the expansion tank's cap. Examined cap and found seal perished (I told the previous shop that months ago <sigh> ) So also had changed ECT sensor too as it's adjacent to the thermostat within easy reach.

The heater now does pump out heat, and apart from a burp heard in the system while driving, needing top up again (presumably coolant had not been fully circulating to all coolant areas for some time?), have done two longer trips in it - 180 and 156 mile. Suspect coolant level sensor at top of the resovoir as that will occasionally flash a dash message and a Bong! But then doesn't repeat.

Resisting the temptation to check coolant level every other day -- but still driving around with containers of water --
just in case

Temp gauge comes up much faster now to ½ scale -- needle falls about a needle's width occasionally and then comes back up to ½ again. Guess that's the new electric thermostat cutting in and out? Or the electrically controlled fan?

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Had a very rattly start up from cold yesterday which immediately changed into smooth running. What cam belts or chain system is used on this 'ere BMW 4.4L engine? If chain do tensioners need change out? If belt/s what time or mileage? Now at 116k miles, sparse service history. Engine oil grey not black, last changed 106k

Clarice has been driving it. She's got used to me wearing the canvas zip-up skull cap now. Although I find it awkward to eat my soup

RichardSEL said:

So changed the electric thermostat for a 105º version. New mechanic (not versed in Range Rovers, Mercedes time-served) found that there was an 84º on bridge installed but whoever in the past had installed it had creased the gasket across the gasket groove and so the join was weeping. He pressed up again and again the coolant blew out from the expansion tank's cap. Examined cap and found seal perished (I told the previous shop that months ago <sigh> ) So also had changed ECT sensor too as it's adjacent to the thermostat within easy reach.

The heater now does pump out heat, and apart from a burp heard in the system while driving, needing top up again (presumably coolant had not been fully circulating to all coolant areas for some time?), have done two longer trips in it - 180 and 156 mile. Suspect coolant level sensor at top of the resovoir as that will occasionally flash a dash message and a Bong! But then doesn't repeat.

Resisting the temptation to check coolant level every other day -- but still driving around with containers of water --
just in case

Temp gauge comes up much faster now to ½ scale -- needle falls about a needle's width occasionally and then comes back up to ½ again. Guess that's the new electric thermostat cutting in and out? Or the electrically controlled fan?

---
Had a very rattly start up from cold yesterday which immediately changed into smooth running. What cam belts or chain system is used on this 'ere BMW 4.4L engine? If chain do tensioners need change out? If belt/s what time or mileage? Now at 116k miles, sparse service history. Engine oil grey not black, last changed 106k

Clarice has been driving it. She's got used to me wearing the canvas zip-up skull cap now. Although I find it awkward to eat my soup

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I'm no expert on that engine, but I think it's the VANOS that rattles on start up, others will confirm or deny.

Chains do stretch and guides can/do break up and deposit themselves in the sump,

mine rattled a bit but was cured by the simple replacement of the hydraulic chain tensioner, a mere 20 or thirty pounds and 10 minutes work.

myfirstl322 said:

Chains do stretch and guides can/do break up and deposit themselves in the sump, mine rattled a bit but was cured by the simple replacement of the hydraulic chain tensioner, a mere 20 or thirty pounds and 10 minutes work.

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Thanks for the reply, mine's only done it just a few times on start up then goes quiet straight away like a sewing machine. Slight <click><click> coming from somewhere though when fully hot and that's it...

Just checked in Rave and apparently its by the RH Upper timing gear cover with external access? £19 for a Chinese clone on eBait. Can't upload eBay pix. My experience on the Jag XJ8 was that the guides could wear too. See that they seem replaceable on this lump too. Or would that be overkill?

There's also listed LH and RH Exhaust timing chain tensioners -- I don't know about those (?)

Had aircon on yesterday, no cooling issues, no dash coolant level warning messages I'm pleased to report

I went for a genuine one, it's on the LH (drivers side UK) viewed from the front...and goes in almost horizontal,
there was something impeding direct access to the retainer but no biggy really.

The 'other' tensioners will be the ones under the cam covers at the front, between the cam sprockets.

It's the only external thing you can change, beyond that your into quite the job to renew the chain and guides, at least £1000 if farming it out.

Stories of chains slapping the timing case are common, and probably just on start up for most.

@Henry_b @biketeacherdave and @holidaychicken have all done it DIY.

Yours is very early days I think so maybe just plan for it down the road at some point, I'm surprised you haven't torched the thing anyway with all your gremlins!

The tensioner is hydraulic any crap or bad oil sludge etc will impede its action.

Replacement of the tensioner(s) is relatively simple'ish.

The one is accessed by removing a 19mm IIRC bolt on the left hand side of the block just below the cam cover.

febi-Bilstein parts usually last the course.

On the Vanos equipped cars there is also an upper chain tensioner which can fail but it's rare.

Unfortunately the Chain Guides are a brittle plastic and are prone to failure especially if the chain is allowed to go slack.

Replacement of those isn't that simple and requires the timing tools and removal of the front timing chest and assosiated parts.

Pics of RH tensioner, this was when I did my cam cover gaskets.

Henry_b said:

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Nice tidy pile of junk in the top picture ready for the scrap metal merchant

myfirstl322 said:

Yours is very early days I think so maybe just plan for it down the road at some point, I'm surprised you haven't torched the thing anyway with all your gremlins!

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It's so-called "experts" that take in, then do what they want as one job (the fan viscous coupling) when asked to do three others (electric thermostat, ECT sensor, and change coolant resovoir cap) but don't. Then respond with: "Oh, but I drove it around all weekend and it was alright!" when asked why my instructions hadn't been carried out when it decided to barf its coolant again all over the A102... Cost me £150 to truck to these Merc specialists in Tonbridge, plus two hours further labour to get done what I'd asked to be done at the previous "expert's" shop in the first place. Green Flag won't pick up for a fault that's already been declared for a previous call out...
Which is why those nice young men in their clean white coats come to see me with some Largatyl

It's not quite finished however. It still has a tendancy to "tramline" by which I mean it will try and follow a long ashphalt-filled trench in the road by lurching sideways into it when a front wheel enters. It's like the wheel bearings have excessive play -- but the "expert" first shop said wheel bearings were alright and diagnosed left lower arm joint to cure a knock. I had both LH and RH arms changed out and tracking done. That cured the knock but this "tramlining" effect's still there -- much more noticeable at speed.

But frightening when you brake heavily at speed of about say 60mph or over. The front will (not every time) give a lurch when brakes are applied. You just have time to correct it meaning it then lurches back to where it should be. It's like as if one front caliper's coming on before the other side is. I've had the old brake fluid flushed through because it was showing hydroscopic of 3% and figured a bleed out at each caliper would balance them out. Had previously changed out NSF wheel speed sensor and the ABS controller. Havn't tried driving it around without ABS engaged.

Havn't investigated that further yet -- in a normal car I'd suspect track rod ends or steering arms. No movement comes up the steering column into the steering wheel.

The car's shod with Toyo Open Country A/T plus 255/55R19 111H all round. Don't have my gauge to hand but believe I've done 34/36 psi. No uneven tread wear shown

RichardSEL said:

It's so-called "experts" that take in, then do what they want as one job (the fan viscous coupling) when asked to do three others (electric thermostat, ECT sensor, and change coolant resovoir cap) but don't. Then respond with: "Oh, but I drove it around all weekend and it was alright!" when asked why my instructions hadn't been carried out when it decided to barf its coolant again all over the A102... Cost me £150 to truck to these Merc specialists in Tonbridge, plus two hours further labour to get done what I'd asked to be done at the previous "expert's" shop in the first place. Green Flag won't pick up for a fault that's already been declared for a previous call out...
Which is why those nice young men in their clean white coats come to see me with some Largatyl

It's not quite finished however. It still has a tendancy to "tramline" by which I mean it will try and follow a long ashphalt-filled trench in the road by lurching sideways into it when a front wheel enters. It's like the wheel bearings have excessive play -- but the "expert" first shop said wheel bearings were alright and diagnosed left lower arm joint to cure a knock. I had both LH and RH arms changed out and tracking done. That cured the knock but this "tramlining" effect's still there -- much more noticeable at speed.

But frightening when you brake at speed of about say 60mph or over. The front will (not every time) give a lurch when brakes are applied. You just have time to correct it meaning it then lurches back to where it should be. It's like as if one front caliper's coming on before the other side is. I've had the old brake fluid flushed through because it was showing hydroscopic of 3% and figured a bleed out at each caliper would balance them out. Had previously changed out NSF wheel speed sensor and the ABS controller. Havn't tried driving it around without ABS engaged.

Havn't investigated that further yet -- in a normal car I'd suspect track rod ends or steering arms. No movement comes up the steering column into the steering wheel.

The car's shod with Toyo Open Country A/T plus 255/55R19 111H all round. Don't have my gauge to hand but believe I've done 34/36 psi. No uneven tread wear shown

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Lack of compliance in some tyre types can cause tramlining.

I've seen directional tyres fitted wrong.

I'd also suggest changing the changeable bottom ball joints (one is non-changeable unless you change the arm, but one is just a solo joint that's replaceable) if you haven't already done so, PAS hammers all ball joints but especially so in heavy 4x4s.

I'd also be disconnecting the steering at the rod ends and making sure the rack moves freely just by hand to eliminate a bent rack, as it could be binding or 'taking a light set' that when powered is masked.

Yes, some mech's don't seem to be able to carry out simple customer requests anymore.

myfirstl322 said:

I've seen directional tyres fitted wrong.

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Never thought to check -- yup, "Outside" is definately written on all four walls' outsides

myfirstl322 said:

I'd also suggest changing the changeable bottom ball joints (one is non-changeable unless you change the arm, but one is just a solo joint that's replaceable) if you haven't already done so, PAS hammers all ball joints but especially so in heavy 4x4s.

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Not entirely sure which component your referencing however here's diagrams that'd help me:


Tried directly from PC -- No go. Tried from host imaging site, no go. Now where's that Largactyl?

myfirstl322 said:

I'd also be disconnecting the steering at the rod ends and making sure the rack moves freely just by hand to eliminate a bent rack, as it could be binding or 'taking a light set' that when powered is masked.

Yes, some mech's don't seem to be able to carry out simple customer requests anymore.

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RichardSEL said:

Never thought to check -- yup, "Outside" is definately written on all four walls' outsides



Not entirely sure which component your referencing however here's diagrams that'd help me:

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Well at least the tyres are on correctly.

I can't view your pics for some reason.


They fit to the stub axle and connect to rearmost arm.

myfirstl322 said:

Well at least the tyres are on correctly.
I can't view your pics for some reason.

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Coz I'm still fighting this board to get them to either upload or accept my file imaging site's URLs.
Is this your posting of an advert or interloping spam? Nurse, NURSE...

I've had changed the bottom two already.









They fit to the stub axle and connect to rearmost arm.[/QUOTE]

RichardSEL said:

Coz I'm still fighting this board to get them to either upload or accept my file imaging site's URLs Is this your posting of an advert or interloping spam? Nurse, NURSE...

I've had changed the bottom two.

They fit to the stub axle and connect to rearmost arm.

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Sounds like they never changed the ball joints, unless I'm mistaken?
To the untrained eye they can appear un-obvious and/or a hassle.

Assuming its your post with the pic from ©JGS-4x4, should I get two of the curved items and two of the ball joints then?

You're right, I was with the mechanic who went levering about underneath with a pry bar and concluded that the bottom two needed changing. Well, one actually as the other was changed out because they wanted the off-side one to be changed out as well to provide "balance". They then did a fresh tracking. I kept the off-side (driver's) as the sleeve was tight and no cracks were in the rubber, and the swivel was tight too with no tears to the cover.

RichardSEL said:

Assuming its your post with the pic from ©JGS-4x4, should I get two of the curved items and two of the ball joints then?

You're right, I was with the mechanic who went levering about underneath with a pry bar and concluded that the bottom two needed changing. Well, one actually as the other was changed out because they wanted the off-side one to be changed out as well to provide "balance". They then did a fresh tracking. I kept the off-side (driver's) as the sleeve was tight and no cracks were in the rubber, and the swivel was tight too with no tears to the cover.

https://i.ibb.co/Df2Kgpx/Front-susp-chart-amp-parts.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/KLG3Q3N/l322-front-suspension.jpg

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Yes they are my pics, (gleaned from internet) who else would have put them up?

Ah so, (pardon my Asian)...you didn't change the uppers (rears), well that's what I'd do next.

OTE="myfirstl322, post: 4639608, member: 95542"]Yes they are my pics, (gleaned from internet) who else would have put them up? [/QUOTE]

Coz that pic contains a company name it could've been one of those spam inserts we have to put up with in here. Which is why I asked...

myfirstl322 said:

Ah so, (pardon my Asian)...you didn't change the uppers (rears), well that's what I'd do next.

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Really pleased to have your advice. Will do that next.

Meantime, I'll not let this fool board beat me -- let's try this
Clarice: Now, now, don't upset yourself, you know what the doctor said....

At last, sorry about the double pasting in my previous.
Should I get both of the curved arms, and then both of the UJs?

Thanks for your patience, I've had another pill now