Managed to bust the oil filler tube.

Looked for a new 'un over £100 for a plastic tube!! fook that.. £30 on evilbay later.

Changed the oil too

Accumulators are just cannisters with nitrogen on one side and brake fluid on another with a butyl seal in between the two.

Over time the nitrogen leaks out and the pump has to run more often to top up the pressure, a sure fire sign you have a dead accumulator is the pump has to run every time you press the pedal.

Having the pedal sink to the floor upon cold start is another sign it is past it.

Mine has started doing it.

Only risk you have is torching the head or block through the small gap.

But as you're changing the engine it shouldn't matter.

LPGC I removed it because the tank was corroded through in the bottom.

As for forecourts yes I have none in my area, I would convert it back if I could justify the cost.

The outfit that did the last conversion did a shit job, so not really worth screwing around with the current system.

A whole new system is the way forward.

New one of these.

Better runner now..

HSE's were the upper most spec in V8 world before the Vogue most if not all had electric seats cruise control and the HK sound system,

I seem to recall yours has the painted lower valance on the bumper?

Might be worth getting the VIN decoded by a LR dealer, a factory spec sheet you can get too.

it Is relatively easy i'm counting the days for mine, seeing as I pulled chunks of one of the clutch baskets out of the filter.

The Gems and thor transmissions differ in length the earlier Gems HP24 is 15mm longer than the latter 065 hp24 as fitted to the thor V8.

I know its a don't teach an old chicken scenario but i'd make sure you have the earlier box to ease any issues come installation time )

I'd add a new trans oil cooler to that list Richard ,don't want any debris from your old gearbox going through your new one,

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwihpa-O6a_4AhVCg1wKHe3OCNIQFnoECD8QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fforecourttrader.co.uk%2Flatest-news%2Fmfg-reveals-it-is-pulling-out-of-auto-lpg-because-it-is-no-longer-commercially-viable%2F666173.article&usg=AOvVaw0xf7ENAfnSeDgjKjATycVV

Seems LPG is being pulled.

PIAA make silicone wiper blades, which last a lifetime..

Expensive though.

Removed this.

And added this.

Helps having a spare in the right place, the first time its been there since 2003.

Land Rover sparkle silver or silver sparkle, the same thing.

Colour code is 20-00-12.

Manual states 51nm or 38ft-lbs

Just want to double check here is that correct?

Thanks.

H

What is it about LPG that keeps the engine clean?

lack of impurities in the fuel?

The old valley gasket was in terrible condition, oil was pouring out both ends and the water passage on the rear of the cylinder head looked to be weeping past the gasket..

SO yes I believe I have found the leak.

Aragorn wrote:

StrangeRover wrote:

I can assure you that the "weird old car issues" are replaced with why won't this bastard ever work "issues" the L322 is indeed coming down in price..

I'd drop 4k on a recon stage 3 V8 tomorrow if I had that kind of cash, P38 is a package hard to beat...

I think a big part of the reticence is your last point there, you'd be 4 grand into a RV8 rebuild and still be making under 250hp... Its funny, its not the outright performance either. It goes well enough if you wring its neck even with the existing engine. But the way the transmission is mapped in the range rover, and the engines power curve means that it just feels soooo sluggish. It tries to keep the rpm down to make it smooth and quiet, but doesnt have any power down there to actually pull the thing along. And sure, floor it in sport mode and it goes, but it then feels like your trying too hard, and the wife gives the look. I also think driving an EV daily means i'm very used to the instant torque, and no enginey noises means "the look" doesnt happen either.

The Supercharged on the other hand is making 400hp and 400lbft, and has a much more sophisticated gearbox. I havent actually driven one, but i would expect it to feel much more lively against the 220hp/280lbft of the P38 engine.

I also dont super mind "complex" so long as decent and competent diagnostic kit exists. P38 is much the same in that regard. And parts costing more isnt the end of the world either, its a complicated thing and depends on many factors... For example, a front radius arm bush on a P38 is £20. A lower control arm for my A4 costs £60 and theres four of them. I'd much rather swap those lower control arms than the changing the radius arm bushes on a P38 (which, incidentally is why i havent changed the front radius arm bushes on the P38!!)

The rot is a surprise, are there any particular areas of concern? I thought that has pretty much stopped being an issue with modern cars!!

rear arches around the secondary seal and the sills under the plastic covers rot.
Rear subframe and mounting areas
Boot floor
etc etc

I'd happily spend 4k on a P38 engine making around 280hp and a healthy amount of torque, the L322 is a trouble prone beast, for example David on here bought a 2007 supercharged L322 around 1 year ago now, and has spent most of that time rebuilding it

New gearbox
New front axle
New rear axle
etc etc and godknows whatelse!!

But you pay your cash and get your car, if you get a good l322 happy days, however if you get a bad'un..

well... it'll be painful.

Not too bad I guess a testament to having had LPG on it since new..

Cam is in good nick too surprisingly.

I can assure you that the "weird old car issues" are replaced with why won't this bastard ever work "issues" the L322 is indeed coming down in price..

However the problem is they are much more complex than the P38 but a good thing is with the Supercharged engines being a proper Jag lump atleast the engine you won't have to worry about, unlike the utter and complete pile of shit that the old M62 L322's are.

Anyway.

Parts are roughly twice the price of P38 bits and you have almost twice as much to go wrong and they do go wrong. the P38 is a pretty sturdy old beast like you say yourself yours is rough and ready yet still works, you only have to fart wrong near an L322 and something will fall off, Ok slight exaggeration but you get the gist

And they rot, very quickly the L322 which is surprising, but it is a land rover..

The latter P38s get my vote, obviously the latest P38's are 21yrs old now, so don't expect a peach for peanuts but they're easy to work on and the Rover V8 really isn't a troublesome motor, I mean if you rag the every living fuck out of it at every opportunity and run it on panther piss and let the coolant leak out of the various gaskets and cook it until the block goes pear shaped then yes you will have an issue..

However keep on top of them and you'll have a fine motor..

And with the later Thor V8 punching out 218hp and 407nm it really is no slug 0-60 if you're interested in that is 9.6 seconds compared to an M62 L322 at 9.0 so yes nowt much in it.

As for the the "Money/sense" thing, lets be real, sense and any kind of financial stability went right out of the window when you consider any Range Rover, you just have to decide what kind of wallet draining experience is for you.
That be Classic, P38 or L322.

I'd drop 4k on a recon stage 3 V8 tomorrow if I had that kind of cash, P38 is a package hard to beat...

Thanks gents.

Yep i've since hosed the entire underside with TFR and brake cleaner and the leak is definitely dripping down on to the trans cooler pipes and subsequently down the side of the bell housing.

Core plugs are in good nick thankfully.