P38 2.5 Large amount of fuel in the engine oil?

Hi all,
Looking at a project which seller says has suffered from diesel fuel in the engine oil, obviously more than is the norm. He reckons it is a fuel pump issue but not sure. On petrol cars and bikes I know it can be caused by over fueling and easily checked with a compression test, not so easy for your average DIY mechanic... me!
Does anyone have experience of this or knows if the BMW pumps are prone to these problems? Ta

Might also be a bad head gasket. Unless it's a bargain price, I would steer clear. Although, if it's a project it must be cheap.

Col

Colthebrummie said:

Might also be a bad head gasket. Unless it's a bargain price, I would steer clear. Although, if it's a project it must be cheap.

Col

Click to expand...

Tis a tricky one. I am trying to negotiate on another project P38 the seller is a local Farmer and so like most Farmers thinks his hunks of junk are worth big bucks and thinks nothing of shoving them in a hedge to rot! I haven't bought or owned a P38 for some years... back when you could buy a tidy example with MOT and a few niggles for £500-700. These days it seems sellers want forecourt prices for cars they can't be bothered to drag off for scrap! I don't want to pay more than £300 and he doesn't want less than £500 for a 2.5 P38, he has three, which has a suspected HG issue and hasn't run for a year, on coils, interior is toast and nearly every panel has either damage or corrosion! It is a doable project over time.... will need a lot of time. On the plus side it was previously owned by a stealer's Father and so comes with some goodies.... Walnut steering wheel, Mondial alloys, later light upgrade and colour coded externals. Don't think he has had people knocking his door down for the car, told him if not sold in a couple of weeks then we will have another chat.

A drippy injector can leak past rings when parked up ,But its more likely that the engine diesel pump front seal has failed and its pumping diesel into the timing chain and mixing with the engine oil .... ,.

Wait him out. I don't know how much it would cost to do up a rangie like that but it will probably be cheaper in the long run to buy a runner with an mot and no body damage.

Col

Colthebrummie said:

Wait him out. I don't know how much it would cost to do up a rangie like that but it will probably be cheaper in the long run to buy a runner with an mot and no body damage.

Col

Click to expand...

That's the problem with long term LR and RR ownership, as I posted on another thread, you become impervious to the pain! I find I buy the worst example I can and get it up to scratch... joke in my family is that my cars are only A1 on the day I sell them.... think I should start an animal shelter? With experience comes confidence that you can fix anything.... I have practically rebuilt my L322 and will go toe to toe with anyone who brings up the "unreliable" tag... the owners tend to be unreliable! My thought process is.... replace the stuff and fix yourself rather than pay more for something which might fail down the road. My passion is Motorcycles and restoration, not as a business but as a hobby. I spend more money and time fixing other people's bodges than genuinely failed parts... the old saying... "buy the best you can afford" doesn't really apply to old Land Rovers, it should be "expect to replace everything!" and "keep the welder warmed up!"

dubbleRR said:

A drippy injector can leak past rings when parked up ,But its more likely that the engine diesel pump front seal has failed and its pumping diesel into the timing chain and mixing with the engine oil .... ,.

Click to expand...

Yep, the seller seemed to think it was a seal... being a Farmer he has the space to leave things until he has the time to fix.... usually several years down the road. It may be a simple enough fix but out of sight and out of mind. I am the same, I have the luxury of a large barn and good dry storage, which means I never get stuff done in a timely manner unlike someone who only has a parking space or driveway. Friends comment on how lucky I am having the space, I always say "yeah great, I can collect other peoples crap!"

jimmacD said:

Friends comment on how lucky I am having the space, I always say "yeah great, I can collect other peoples crap!

Click to expand...

There's no such thing as crap except in the minds of wives.

Col