LR4 5.0 Chain Guides actual problem?

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cperez

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$4400 - replace the Tensioners, Rails/Blades, Chains, Cam Sprockets (so they're pulling the valve covers/injectors), new timing covers, and many gaskets and seals.

Sounds like a very reasonable, and even an excellent, price for this service. Also, lots of fellow members of our Land Rover Owners Maryland group on FB speak highly of Matt. I go to his brother Dan in Gaithersburg, MD and he is super solid as well. Good luck with everything.
 

Strizzo

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The answer is, they have the updated chain guides, but those too, due to design, will wear eventually. Big question is when.

It does sound like it does happen, but I would wager that the scv6 would be a bit less common since they don't have as much load on the timing chain with two cylinders less of valvetrain to run.
 

PaulLR3

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Sounds like a very reasonable, and even an excellent, price for this service.

Agree. Person next to me at the dealer picking up their LR4 after timing chain guide replacement had a $9600 invoice. Suddenly my $2500 steering rack replacement seemed reasonable.
 

Gareth Tomlinson

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My 2012 LR4 finally suffered the dreaded Diesel noise... I bought it at 35K, it just hit 80k when the clattering started. Oil changes every 3k miles for me, by the way.
Local shop in Chantilly charged 4.4k, luckily the warranty I bought with the car expires in 2 days... and it covered it! Land Rover dealer wanted $800 from me to tear it down for inspection, and if he broke an injector wanted $400 each to replace them. Or in other words, "we don't want the job"
 

AndrewAgh21

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Hi, The timing chain tensioners and guides that were installed with the vehicle in the factory do go bad and it's a ticking time bomb.

You will start to hear the chain clicking before everything goes.

We do a bunch of timing chain jobs at the shop and all you have to do is upgrade to the new and improved guides and tensioners that have been made.

That always seems to do the job. This goes for all RR engines with the Fords in em.

Just did one this last week on a 2012 RR supercharged.
 

DaytonaRS7

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just doing some reading up on this problem.

Ive recently picked up a 2011 LR4 with 138k miles. Based on the Carfax, it has been thoroughly serviced at a land rover dealer though 125k miles. the timing chain on this car seems properly taught. this is a pleasant surprise based on the mileage.

I wish i knew if the repair has been done or not. the Carfax does not allude to it, and i would think a service as major as that should say something of what repair was done. for example, the carfax also says the water pump has been replaced twice. if it mentions the water pump, id of thought it would mention something as serious as timing chain repair.

Ive tried calling the dealer who serviced it, but they give me a reason saying the service records of the previous owner are private information. maybe ill try calling again and get a nicer service advisor.

If anyone happens to have a connect at Land Rover Glen Cove (NY), maybe you'd be willing to help?
 

gsxr

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Ive tried calling the dealer who serviced it, but they give me a reason saying the service records of the previous owner are private information. maybe ill try calling again and get a nicer service advisor.
Dealers are lazy and don't want to dig up the information, especially if you aren't paying for their time. Yes, details of the previous owner are private information. But details about what work was done to the truck is not. It's their way of getting rid of you. They could provide the service records (with PO's personal info redacted) if they wanted to. Most dealers / advisors use the same excuse.

:pcguru:
 

gvpilot

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I've been researching the timing chain issue for awhile and there is not a lot of information. There is the lawsuit, but I can't find a resolution although I see Jaguar is trying to nix it.

So, what I've found:
The AJ V8, AJ133 5.0 litre Gen III is not a Ford engine by any stretch. Purely Jaguar. I haven't owned Land Rovers, only Jaguars, but the engine is practically the same.
They require a special CASTROL oil spec and I can't remember which. It is specified by an insert in the owner's manual. In my case the dealer had the wrong version, but I caught it before it was put in my car. They had to find another CASTROL supplier.

The issue is that GDI cars cause sooting from LSPI, low speed pre-ignition -much like diesels. The fine particles of soot contaminate the oil. This is why companies like Amsoil have concentrated their efforts in to reduce the damage from LSPI.

The contaminants plug the small orifices (orifi ?) in the timing chain tensioners causing them to stick and not tension the chains eventually resulting in expensive repairs or replacement of engines.

I've read the tensioners were re-designed 3 times and the affected years are 2012-2014. I had a 2013 XKR and this is one of the reasons I let it go. Since Jaguar has released virtually no information, I do not know if this issue has been resolved. Hence my resolve not to buy any 5.0 GDI engine. The 4.2 liter Supercharged engines appear to be bulletproof. I have over 150k miles on my 04 XJR and it has had no major issues. Doesn't even leak oil! Unlike the Mercedes SL500 R129 which leaks worse than the Exxon Valdez. (I have a small poor man's mini collection of European heartbreakers.)

Don't know if I've added any clarity to the issue, but until I see something definitive on this issue, I'm not buying any Jaguar newer than 2009 with the 4.2 Supercharged.

Cheers,
 

Nechaken

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If its going to go you can hear it and you can visually inspect it - im not following u. Once you detect the sound - change the chain. Problem averted.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How do you visually inspect it? Through the oil filter cap I assume? But what are you looking for ?
 

Nechaken

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I've been researching the timing chain issue for awhile and there is not a lot of information. There is the lawsuit, but I can't find a resolution although I see Jaguar is trying to nix it.

So, what I've found:
The AJ V8, AJ133 5.0 litre Gen III is not a Ford engine by any stretch. Purely Jaguar. I haven't owned Land Rovers, only Jaguars, but the engine is practically the same.
They require a special CASTROL oil spec and I can't remember which. It is specified by an insert in the owner's manual. In my case the dealer had the wrong version, but I caught it before it was put in my car. They had to find another CASTROL supplier.

The issue is that GDI cars cause sooting from LSPI, low speed pre-ignition -much like diesels. The fine particles of soot contaminate the oil. This is why companies like Amsoil have concentrated their efforts in to reduce the damage from LSPI.

The contaminants plug the small orifices (orifi ?) in the timing chain tensioners causing them to stick and not tension the chains eventually resulting in expensive repairs or replacement of engines.

I've read the tensioners were re-designed 3 times and the affected years are 2012-2014. I had a 2013 XKR and this is one of the reasons I let it go. Since Jaguar has released virtually no information, I do not know if this issue has been resolved. Hence my resolve not to buy any 5.0 GDI engine. The 4.2 liter Supercharged engines appear to be bulletproof. I have over 150k miles on my 04 XJR and it has had no major issues. Doesn't even leak oil! Unlike the Mercedes SL500 R129 which leaks worse than the Exxon Valdez. (I have a small poor man's mini collection of European heartbreakers.)

Don't know if I've added any clarity to the issue, but until I see something definitive on this issue, I'm not buying any Jaguar newer than 2009 with the 4.2 Supercharged.

Cheers,

If you're referring to the class action lawsuit filed in New Jersey, I just checked PACER. It looks like the parties are hammering out the terms of a settlement agreement and will be updating the court on the status of those efforts within 30 days of May 19th or so...
 

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