Head Gasket or slipped liner? HELP!

I purchased a 2000 Range Rover 4.6 (LPG Landi Renzo Omegas) 2 weeks ago, after taking on a long run a few days in to the south coast I first noticed it was a bit sluggish on gas but was on cruise for 70miles with problems. Had my eye on the dash continously and then noticed high temp red light on. I pulled over strait away and called RAC. He came down an imediately said there was alot of air into the system, he got the air out and it drove fine after that with no over heating, but only on petrol as the LPG stopped working.

I remember the last owner telling me a new rad was fitted as when it was last serviced in May the garag said there was a slight leak etc? Anyway the bastered forgot to mention the oil leak under the rad, my fault for not looking hard enough. Anyway had to change both engine and auto cooler via my local mechanic. Got it back from him last week, started to drive it work this week (15 miles each way steady traffic A-Roads and normal etc.) noticed coolant level low after each run, needed 1-2 pints water, but go up a bit once the cap came off?

Weds night after a run from work I wanted to check the coolant and it was near the bottom of the expantion tank, but my attention went to the hissing that was coming from the Zavoli Zeta VAP and strong smell of gas coming from it?! Anyway yesterday morning I took it to my local mechanic down the road and noticed white smoke from the back, I did notice this the morning before but the smoke cleared up after the car warmed up?

Anyway my mechanic thought the smoke was a bit much for condensation and because I told him of the 1-2 pints of water I had topped up the last few days he thought it best to take it for an emissions test. He gave me the printout and it failed all of the test, about 10x more than the required level!! Forgot to mention that the last few days on cold start up the I would have to keep the key turned for the car to sart as if the battery was low? Anyway my mechanic was certain that the emissions test proved that head gasket has gone?!

But what worries me also is that the noise I keep hearing on cold start up, he told me its sounds like water may be in one of the cylinders and thats why the car now misfires on cold start?! I'm really gutted at this point so done some research and came across two products 1. K-Seal and 2. CarGo Seal-Up, just ordered both this morning as I cant afford the estimated 1-2k for a new head change! Anyway Seal-up requires a complete flush of coolant so I spent all day yesterday flushing the rad, first with WURTH rad cleaner which required the car on running temp for thirty minutes, after 45 minutes I noticed frost on the Zavoli VAP? That never happened before and this is before me flushing anything out?!!

What the hell did my mechanic do?!!! Anyway flushed out WURTH cleaner with water and thereafter another 3x and then made the mistake of trying the car on a run on gas after the VAP thawed out. It drove fine but then overheated after 10 minutes, I stoped the car strait away waited for 15-20 minutes and had to continue this for about 4 times to get back home, stopping the car as soon as the needle would shoot up (quite erratic as it would fluctuate and then shoot up) etc. Anyway the VAP keeps freezing up when on gas now so I dont know what thats about either?

The car never overheated all week untill I gave it to my mechanic to test the emissions, he told me that while they were testing it in the garage the car started to overheat and they switched the engine off, but he told me that because the car was stationary hence overheated, but I've been driving it to work and back all week with no sign of overheating (45 minute journey each way, mild traffic of 15miles A-roads and normal roads) I'm really paranoid my mechanic may have done something or am I just peeved off with it all?

While searching up on the net I came across people taking about slipped liners etc. and its now scaring the @!## out of me?! The noise/minor struggle on cold start and also noticed 1hr after the run on water and over heating start/stop journey I tried to start the car and this time heard a loud thud?! but the car then started, making no noise thereafter, was that loud thud on star-up the sound of a slipped liner? If so no matter what I buy for a HGF it wont cure a slipped liner right?! I just dont know anymore?!!

Just to add, me ol'man checked the plugs this morning and said he found water in number 8, he did not check the other four though and plug itself was rusty! Was that the loud clunk I head yeasterday when starting up after the little mission run on water? Any idea further indication of either a Head Gasket or Slipped liner or bloody both?! AAAhhhhh Cheers

Mmmmm first off iced vaporiser. This will be due to the fact that there is no hot water supply to it. Most likely caused by your constant water loss causing an air lock in the system. Make sure the system is bled correctly when you fill up. The loud clunk you heard was probably the engine locking up when it was trying to compress the water in the cylinder (we all remember from school that you cant compress a liquid dont we? ). So we have accertained you have water in one of the cylinders, but how is it getting there ? Obviously there is a chance you have slipped liner, but I feel it is more likely no worse than a blown head gasket, they usually blow at the rear cylinders . I have never been a big fan of water additives to fix things like this, all they do is clog the cooling system making it even more inneficient than it is already, which will lead to more greif. I think you have to bite the bullet and get that head off and have a look. If it is the gasket it is worth doing both at the same time.

Book a week off work buy a halfords pro tool kit and sort it yourself plenty of help on here. Does sound like BHG though. Especially the rusty spark plug. Check them all, the chances of both banks going is low so find out for sure which bank is blown and fix that one. YOu are supposed to change both banks together but if the other ain't broke then why bother fixing it??

Hi Guys, thanks for the support! It was spark plug number 8 that had signs of water and a rusty plug! My dad left the spark plug out and told me to turn the engine to make sure and it made a horrible cranking noise and squirted out dark substance, so I guess water is in Cylinder #8, but has it dropped / slipped or a HGF? I am no mechanic but my brother will have a go at anything! So if you think its something a novice can attempt then please do post some guidence mate. Cheers again for the response!

Trouble with this is theres no way of telling till you take it off and have a peek inside!
I had exactly the same trouble, the first sign of low coolant for me was the lpg wouldn't "switch on" so to speak as the low coolant would not reach the vapouriser, and it needs at least 4 degree temp to go to gas, i had cracked block and big ends on there way due to hydraulics of water in cylinder! i tried kalimex K-Seal but it did no good at all, £2700 later it now wonderful with Top Hat liners as well.....
i had signs of rust on No's 4 & 6 spark plugs, and just incase, when on lpg it will produce more condensation, thats normal aparently but not to the levels i was, i was making rain where ever i went!!

There is some good information here on gaskets and general engine condition. Once you have the head(s) off take some pictures and post them on here so we can have a look.

Right then, I've probably flushed the cooling system about 14x now spending yesterday evening and most of today as the stuff I'm going to try wants rid of all coolant. My question is that water thats draining out now is near enough clear and shows a very, very, very light tint of coolant, is that as good as its going to get so I can start the treatment or do have to keep doing it until the water coming out is absolute clear?

why do yu want to flush the cooling system, if yu know it is leaking into no8 pot. wouldnt yu be better taking the head orf and checking it out? if yu have had coolant in the cylinder, it is possible to have bent a con-rod. Everytime you turn it over after that, you are creating a bigger problem.

Mate, I've just done both my heads and I had the same thing. I had water loss over night under pressure that filled one of the cylinders up. My gasket also went allowing gases/compression into the valley.
the only thing to do is change the gaskets. its a very simple push rod engine, if you've ever had any experience of old Morris engines or similar its like 2 of these in a V just a lot bigger.
The additive you are thinking of adding will not seal the kind of gap in your gasket you will have, so I wouldn't add it as it will not cure your problem and cause more probs.
You'll be much happier just knowing that its done properly.
Mines fine now, runs better on both gas and petrol and no water loss.
jase