Indy shop says I need a new engine

[p8nt]

The wife said Friday when she turned onto our street that the LR3 started "shaking". She pulled in into the garage and shut it off. Didn't tell me about it until Saturday morning when it wouldn't start. No codes, just cranks and cranks. Want to start, fires for half a second, but wont run.

Yesterday I have it hauled to a indy shop (supposed to be great with imports, but I have no personal experience with them) Guy calls me today and tells me he thinks I need a new engine. Confirmed the no start condition, and went straight to a compression test. Said he tested cylinders 1 and 4, and got 40 and 50 psi. Suspects a catastrophic failure of the timing system. When I mentioned it has a chain, he replied it has both a chain and a belt.

I just spoke to the tech instead of the service manager. Said he did confirm the engine was getting spark and fuel. He thinks it jumped time, but he didn't think it was an interference engine. That would be a much better (cheaper) outcome.

Can anyone confirm weather or not the 4.4l is an interference engine?

Im getting a second opinion, just hoping someone here with can give me something to hope for.

 

[toddjb122]

Be nice if you could find an independent shop the specializes in Land Rovers. Then you know the mechanic has done this before. For something as big as an engine, it's worth a longer tow if the guy isn't local.

Sorry, no good advice for you though. Good luck!

 

[waspjr123]

Well he can check the cam and crank alignment marks. Or Take #1 cylinders plug out put it at TDC and see if the crank lines up. I mean it could be a faulty injector washing the cylinder wall so it doesn't seal

 

[p8nt]

Well he can check the cam and crank alignment marks. Or Take #1 cylinders plug out put it at TDC and see if the crank lines up. I mean it could be a faulty injector washing the cylinder wall so it doesn't seal

Thanks, these are some of the things Ive been thinking about now that Ive had time to process the information.

Washed cylinder walls is exactly what I think is causing the low compression. When i was troubleshooting it in my garage Saturday morning I ended up turning it over so many times it drained the battery. So all the fuel that was dumped on top of the cylinders during that cranking sat there for 3 days before I could get it to the shop. The tech told me that when he added some oil to the cylinder it took the psi from 40 to 80 instantly. Not to mention hes compression testing a cold engine. I didn't make the connection at the time, but after a few days of mulling it over, washed cylinders sounds much more plausible than the engine "jumping time", or mysteriously cooking the rings in all 8 cylinders.

So if that's the case it solves the low compression. I still have the issue of the no start to deal with, but my money is still on my original bet of a crank position sensor there.

Overall I'm really disappointed that the "reputed import specialist" came to the conclusion that low compression means I need new engine.

 

[waspjr123]

Yeah that is pretty disheartening. If the crank sensor was faulty it wouldn't spark either tho have you done a fuel press test ?

 

[tlt]

Probably an abundance of used engines floating around if that turns out to be the problem.

 

[jwest]

Overall I'm really disappointed that the "reputed import specialist" came to the conclusion that low compression means I need new engine.

I think this is when a dealer would be most helpful. Where are you located? Your signature is empty. People here can't help you much without knowing where you are located.