P38A 2001 4.6 V8 engine rattle

Eventhough i was looking for a L322 i had a look at P38's today. First one was a 2001 4.6 hse vogue. only had 84k miles on it. Barely used by the looks of the service intervals. Very nice, most of it worked. Just the temperature screen backlight wasn't fully visable and radio (it said it needed a code) didn't work. It looked pretty too. Drove it. Was nice, made me smile ... till the point where the engine was properly warmed up after 30 min orso the engine started to rattle, like valve rattle i have on my beemer and guzzi's (bikes). It was loud. It suprised me a bit.

Second one was used and abused from the inside. No idea what the hell they did with it, but that was a no go. Third one was sold just as i got there. 3, 4 and 5 are at a laro specialist. Those cars are more expensive there, but he claims they are all checked and good. Will go back there next week. Maybe spending a bit more will save me some money later.

Anyway, about the first one. The garage owner said he will have it looked at and call me back. Something tells me it's a no go. I don't think new oil and a valve check will solve this. Any thoughts on this?

yep, it sounds exactly the same as this disco

Most probably a slipped cylinder liner. Run......Run Far!

yeah, google told me the same. too bad. it was a very nice car.

A very nice car can be ruined by a failed engine block....mine included.

will this occure 100% of the time? and how far can you continue driving it?

Koen said:

will this occure 100% of the time? and how far can you continue driving it?

Click to expand...

Not all will suffer slipped liners...luck of the draw unfortunately....

As for how far to go on one with a slipped liner....hmmm....some will go for a while, others will just overheat on the spot and ruin the engine.

Only cure is a top hatted block fitted.

yeah. well, if it was cheap to get i would have considered that, but this car was top price. i don't think he will sell it for less than half the price orso. I guess i'll have a look at the other ones and hope they are ok. atleast i've learned to do a propper testdrive with them

Koen said:

will this occure 100% of the time? and how far can you continue driving it?

Click to expand...

Mine was tapping away for around 5 months (8K miles) before i got a top hat block rebuilt engine. Started with an intermittent quiet tap (could dissapear for days). This turned into a constant tap at full operating temp. Then turned into a constant tap after the temp needle started to move from cold. Never lost a drop of water but the noise just got louder & louder as the liner worked it's way through the fire ring on the head gasket.

I thought the later ones, from '99MY onwards had a step machined in the block to stop the liner from slipping? Well - that's what everyone seems to keep saying - I've never stripped a Thor one down to check the validity of the claim - so not sure if it is just an urban myth (like the 4 pin front diff on the post 99MY P38's!)

Definitely doesn't sound like something in very happy in there though - and I suppose even if there is a step at the bottom, the liner could still shift up into the space of the head gasket...

martyuk said:

I thought the later ones, from '99MY onwards had a step machined in the block to stop the liner from slipping? Well - that's what everyone seems to keep saying - I've never stripped a Thor one down to check the validity of the claim - so not sure if it is just an urban myth (like the 4 pin front diff on the post 99MY P38's!)

Definitely doesn't sound like something in very happy in there though - and I suppose even if there is a step at the bottom, the liner could still shift up into the space of the head gasket...

Click to expand...

all the blocks have a step from the factory, ,people fitting new liners dont allways fit them properly ie pressing down to step then skimming to flush ,they press short liners to flush and leave a gap at the bottom

jamesmartin said:

all the blocks have a step from the factory, ,people fitting new liners dont allways fit them properly ie pressing down to step then skimming to flush ,they press short liners to flush and leave a gap at the bottom

Click to expand...

I figured they would have had some kind of step in there as to me it doesn't make sens not to!, but see where you are coming from with the machining vs using short liners...
Interesting to know, thanks!

martyuk said:

I figured they would have had some kind of step in there as to me it doesn't make sens not to!, but see where you are coming from with the machining vs using short liners...
Interesting to know, thanks!

Click to expand...

I had a look at my old failed block (a later LR Exchange engine - LCF block). There are partial steps on the bottom of the block for the liners to seat but as James said, the liners were not located fully before facing off. My no5 cylinder liner slipped approx 0.5mm then with constant movement worked it's way through the fire ring & into the cylinder head another 1mm. Made a hell of a noise!

Just got a phone call from the garage owner. He had it looked at and said it was only a case of not enough oil in the engine ... yeah right. I've told him I didn't want to run the risk, which he accepted without even trying to convince me otherwise.

I have another question. Is the slipping liner thing something that will only happen within an x amount of miles? Is it fair to say that after if the car has done whatever many miles and it hasn't happen yet it will not happen?

I think it can happen at any time and at any mileage some will slip and some wont slip as said before its luck of the draw with it I think