C

Caboz

New Member
Hi all!

I’m new to the forum, have been reading more than posting for the last year.

I’m recovering a 5 door Freelander 1 2.0 Di from 1998. This car has been in the family from new. And has 180000kms

The car was stopped for about 2 years and very neglected…

This year I replaced the head gasket as it was drinking coolant, and started restoring the car.

Today I removed the sump to change the gasket and inside I found aluminum shavings 😫

Does anyone have any idea of what could be?

The car had no noticeable knocking and was working normally.

Could this be dirt from the work on the head done when changing the head gasket?

Does anyone have any idea?

IMG_0603.jpeg
IMG_0607.jpeg
IMG_0606.jpeg
 
Can this be the remainings of a trust washer?

I will disassemble the main bearings and the big end caps.

Need to find out if in this engine I need new bolts.
 
No idea, but those are big bits! You have to wonder how far the smaller bits have got. I'd take the oil filter off and cut it open to see what is in there first. It could tell you if it is worth opening up the engine further.

My fingers are crossed for you.
 
Hello all,

So, today I removed the big end bearings and they look normal for 180k Kms.

I’m now more leaning towards this to be aluminum shavings from when the head was faced.

What do you guys think?

I’m renewing the bearings.

Is there a way to clean the oil pathways without disassembling?
 

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High pressure air Caboz, but you can’t be absolutely sure without blowing out everyone and checking.
 
My penny-worth: Years Ago I owned a Rover P5B. The sump gasket needed replacing. When the sump was off it got a good clean. In it was a grey almost clay-like goo at the bottom and in that were numerous aluminium pieces = shavings. I wasn't hugely concerned and put it down to residue from the block manufacturing / machine process.

Those bits in your image appear similar to pencil shavings which is curious as it could suggest some sort of rotating cutter in a bore or hole... My guess, it's prob' left over from the factory.

When a head is machined they use an abrasive wheel which grinds the material off - some places may use a milling machine. Any particles which are left would be very small...
 
Ok, I was down changing the thrust washers and was expecting to find 4, as I bought a set PN BHM1592L.

Here is a pic:
bhm1592l.jpg

But when I dismantled, I found only 2, one on each side of centre (Number 3) main bearing in cylinder block.

This is as described on the L Series service manual nr 6 on the image.

Screenshot 2025-05-15 at 22.20.05.png

Do I have the wrong part number? :vb-confused2:
 
You can tell how many thrust  shells should be fitted by looking at the bearing cap. If there are supposed to be 4, then the cap will be machined to provide a surface for them to rest against. If there are only supposed to be 2 fitted, then the cap will normally lock them in place, preventing them from turning with the crank.
 
Nodge68 said:
You can tell how many thrust  shells should be fitted by looking at the bearing cap. If there are supposed to be 4, then the cap will be machined to provide a surface for them to rest against. If there are only supposed to be 2 fitted, then the cap will normally lock them in place, preventing them from turning with the crank.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed the bearing cap is not machined. I will take the thrust washers out in hope they are the same as the ones I bought. 🤞
 
I just took the thrust washers out and confirmed they are equal to the top ones included in the package I bought.

IMG_0664.jpeg


I imagine the bearing cap washers are for a different model or a later design.
 
Caboz said:
I just took the thrust washers out and confirmed they are equal to the top ones included in the package I bought.

View attachment 341179

I imagine the bearing cap washers are for a different model or a later design.
Click to expand...
It's possible that there was a design change to increase bearing area applied to later engines. The L series engine lived on until 2005 in the Rover 45 and MG SZ diesel, so it's possible that is a modification for those later and higher power variants.
 
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