Please help

Back to a 'proper' land rover. Only think i've dropped a big B-ll-ck!

just starting a project, only seems a bit more of a project than i planned! Bought a s3 that was meant to have poor running.
Having done a compression test 1-3 and 4 all report around 130 psi. Number 2 around 40 psi. Put some oil in the bore to find this brought up the pressure to much the same as others.
The exhaust in 'poping' while running too. There is emulsion in the oil filler too(should have spotted that).
This to me suggests to me there in a problem with the block rather than just a head gasket or head problem.
Ideas please, very limited budget.
I think i might be looking a replacement block! So if anyone has one......
Cheers


5 Bearing 24volt ffr.

Right head pulled, and nowt, well almost. Bores not showing any sign of wear of water marks. Loads of emulsion inside the rocker cover so it coming from somewhere? Gasket looks fine, not too old either. Must say head bolts not as tight as i would have thought. The only thing is the piston in number 2 seems to be sloppy in the bore compared with the other so will drop the sump tomorrow and see. Not very much be just a little.
All well will continue......................
Had another look, piston does not move as much as i thought, still going to drop the pistons though...this far in might as well.

Thanks

ARGH!!!!​

Sticky rings in no.2 might explain the two compression readings. My old S3 usually has mayonnaise inside the rocker cover 'cos i only use it for short journeys and the damp never seems to get boiled off - it's probably coming from exhaust gasses finding their way past the pistons of a fairly worn engine. I've had no evidence of head gasket problems, minimal coolant loss, no overheating and it's been like this for years! Do you have any other head gasket symptoms? Oil in the water? Bubbles in the top of the rad? pressure in the coolant system (top hose will be rigid with the engine running and hot)? Smell of exhaust gasses in the rocker cover?
Popping might be worn carb running a bit rich or air getting in - is it a Zenith, cos they're prone to warping and leaking air.
Of course it could be the head gasket has blown between two cylinders, might explain some of the symptoms, but it should be obvious from the old gasket.

If you have a good oil pump do this.

Drain the oil, don't touch the filter. Refill to the correct level with diesel, no oil, just plain diesel. Start the engine and let it come up to normal temp keeping an eye on oil pressure, or diesel pressure in this case. Drain the sump and repeat. From then on, use a good quality diesel engine oil.

If your oil pump is not so good do this.

Drain the oil, don't touch the filter. Half fill the engine with fresh oil, fill the remaining half with kerosene. Let it run for a while keeping an eye on temp and oil pressure. Drain the oil and refill using a bit more oil and a bit less kero, repeat. Keep repeating the process until there is nothing in the sump but oil. Only change the filter when you've finished with the kero and are about to refill with just plain oil. From then on, use a good quality diesel engine oil.

Between the diesel, kero and diesel oil you will eventually clean out all the rubbish that has built up inside the engine over the years. If it's going to work you will notice a huge difference over the next month or so in terms of performance, reliability and smoothness. I've done this to many engines over the years, not just Land Rover and it works 9 time out of 10. It wont fix broken rings or burnt valves but it's often worth the effort.

I once saved a 307 Chev that was all but knackered using this method and within days I had noticed a difference. That was 14 years ago, and I still have the engine.

Mayo in the filler cap and rocker cover seems pretty normal for old series petrol engines - lots of people seem to have it, my engine's been doing it for years and it seems to persist even after a long hot run. As long as there's no other head gasket failure symptoms I'd just ignore it. Might be worth cleaning out the breather, though.

Yup, I have slight mayo in filler tube - not had rocker cover off but breather seems to breathe OK. no oil in coolant or even any coolant loss

mine used to pop on overrun and idle before i fitted the SU (was a weber that cut out).

my money may be on worn piston rings in that one bore. head gasket could be leaking but sneakily - usually (as mentioned) can be seen.