One systematic problem with '02 to '04 Freelanders is a leaking Heater Core, hundreds of vehicles have the same issue.
This is why a good amount of Freelanders have the 'disappearing coolant' syndrome.
If one does not check the coolant level often, a severe overheat will cause eventual engine failure. This may be one reason why your engine failed, apart from poor assembly procedures and incorrect cylinder heard torque settings.
After 5 years of leaking coolant, and once my Aircon blower stopped working, and the warranty ran out, my LR dealer magically 'found' the cause of the leaking cooolant, the heater core. They removed the heater core altogether and bypassed this with a hose and clamps. The coolant leaking problem was finally solved.
I carried a Dexcool gallon in the back tailgate for over 5 years, contantly adding coolant on an almost daily basis. I never had an overheat, but had lived with the smell of hot dexcool for over 5 years. On two occasions when I picked-up my car after service, the expansion tank was bone-dry. And somehow the mechanics did not seem concerned.
Now I realize what the orange liquid crud was when I changed my oil and saw this encrusted on the exterior of the heater core and the skid plate.
What really makes me mad with LR is how after 5 years and dozens of times my car was in the shop, they never found the leaking coolant problem. Not until it damaged my Aircon blower motor did they properly diagnose this and charged me for it.
Check your heater core for leakage.... it's cheap insurance.
In my part of the world we never use the heater so a bypass saved me $1200 for a new Heater Core/Blower assembly. The LR dealer simply replaced the blown Aircon motor instead of charging me for the whole module itself where the heater core and blower are part of the same assembly (or so they told me.)
If your Aircon stops blowing air, check your heater core. If your cylinder head and head gasket go, it's mostly to do with over-heating from the leaking coolant syndrome.
Oh... and yesterday the drivers side passenger window mechanism broke in the open position. I am seriously thinking about a trade-in....
