Replace head gaskets or new engine?

My P38 1999 4.0 GEMS 146000 miles has started to lose water so I have been topping it up with no obvious sign of a leak, anyway the last 3 days when you go to start in the morning or after 4/5 hours standing the engine will not turn, its hydraulicing as its OK after 2 or 3 attempts, but when it does start it runs ok and does not overheat. My question is as I do not have the time to do any work on it myself should I send it into a Garage and have the Gaskets done (with the chance they will spend 4 or 5 hours stripping it down to tell me it has a dropped liner and I need a new engine, or should I just get them to fit another engine? If so where is the best place to get an engine? Your feedback on this would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance chaps.

where are you based ??????????? it does help,cheers mozz

Chelveston Northamptonshire. Thanks.

cheers mate , sorry but don't know any contacts down your way ..but put another thread up asking for good independants who will do some tests for you at the right price before spending big money on existing engine ,,theres plenty of good reliable places who will supply engines at a good price !!!!!!!!!! and hopefully get a good low mileage one as theres plenty of gems about ,,,if you need any info then P.M. me as theres a few in north west who will ship out for next day delivery , and will do u a good deal ,,ok mate cheers for now MOZZ:crazy_driver:

Dunno what this stuff is like, but maybe worth a try.. Steel Seal Simply Fixes Blown Head Gaskets | eBay

JonnyP said:

Dunno what this stuff is like, but maybe worth a try.. Steel Seal Simply Fixes Blown Head Gaskets | eBay

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The only thing that fixes blown head gaskets is a new gasket.

marmitemania said:

My P38 1999 4.0 GEMS 146000 miles has started to lose water so I have been topping it up with no obvious sign of a leak, anyway the last 3 days when you go to start in the morning or after 4/5 hours standing the engine will not turn, its hydraulicing as its OK after 2 or 3 attempts, but when it does start it runs ok and does not overheat. My question is as I do not have the time to do any work on it myself should I send it into a Garage and have the Gaskets done (with the chance they will spend 4 or 5 hours stripping it down to tell me it has a dropped liner and I need a new engine, or should I just get them to fit another engine? If so where is the best place to get an engine? Your feedback on this would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance chaps.

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If its hydraulicing then you have a good chance of a bent con rod and also a slipped liner could cause water entering the cylinder.
A compression test will reveal a bent con rod.