Sticky Valves = $2000.00!!!

MTNHDWR

MTNHDWR

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
226
0
Charlotte NC
Well,
After replacing plugs, wires, and pressure cleaning fuel system I am still getting the P0302 fault (misfire detected on cylinder 2). I have lost all hope as I have now come to believe I am the owner of a D2 with a stuck valve. I had the top end rebuilt under warranty for the same problem, sticky valves. To me this is unbelievable. I have had vehicles with 160,000 miles that never had valve problems now twice in 50,000. Has anybody out there had success fighting Land Rover on this issue? The price is estimated to be over $2000.00 for this work! Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated at this point.
 
D

Disco Mike

Guest
Sticky Valves??

If they are sticking, I would suggest you flush the engine once or twice and see if this corrects it. How often do you change your oil?
Mike
 
R

Roverjoe

Well-known member
Jul 20, 2004
568
0
Columbus, Ohio (for now)
I hate to say this but I had a sticky valve - would constantly stumble when hot and humid. After some time I had it diagnosed down to valve issues. For a last ditch attempt I did several sessions of sea foam and it has dramatically helped the problem. This is after replacing plugs, wires, 02 sensors, coil, etc.....
 
MTNHDWR

MTNHDWR

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
226
0
Charlotte NC
Disco Mike said:
If they are sticking, I would suggest you flush the engine once or twice and see if this corrects it. How often do you change your oil?
Mike
Click to expand...

I have always changed my oil every 3,000 miles. This last change I moved to synthetic and am currently at 5,000.

What do you mean "flush the engine" Are you talking about a cleaner that is added to the oil right before changing it? or something totally different?
 
H

hywy61

Well-known member
May 25, 2004
729
0
atlanta, ga
can someone detail the steps for using sea foam

I think it would be worth a shot instead of forking over the 2k.

Also - how long ago was your last valve job? did they remachine the heads?

Most dealerships warranty the work for 1 year . I swear someone needs to start a class action lawsuit against them - way too common of a problem. I had mine done at 44k under warranty - now a 60K i am worried over the long haul. Might try sea foam as a preventative measure.
 
ChrismonDA

ChrismonDA

Well-known member
May 2, 2004
1,873
0
51
NC Johnston Co
sticky valves

I had mine done around 85k and it was about 2100 dollars. I change my oil every 3000k on the dot and have noticed caking up in the valve cover and now at 126k I am worried that I will have the same problem again.
 
S

Steve83

Guest
LR valve stick is often caused by driving too conservatively. Let it rev up now & then, and hold it to the floor when merging onto the interstate.

If you HAVE valve stick, it's too late for prevention. My dealership charges $3200 for that job, and a little extra if the heads need resurfacing. $2K sounds cheap! :eek:
 
MTNHDWR

MTNHDWR

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
226
0
Charlotte NC
Hey Steve83

Can you direct me to a place to get a LR Technical service bulletin? I know one exists for valve replacement (for stuck valves). I would very much like to see it. All my dealership did when I took it in was to ream the valve guide. I can't imagine this is what LR suggests to do.
 
M

muddydisco2

Guest
Had the same valve stick with mine around 86k and it ended up costing me around $2k. The water trick works great for cleaning out everything....but that's one of those things that requires extreme caution.....I'm a big fan of STP gas treatment that I buy by the case...

Abercrombie
 
R

Rene M

Guest
Disco Mike said:
If they are sticking, I would suggest you flush the engine once or twice and see if this corrects it. How often do you change your oil?
Mike
Click to expand...


Please keep this in mind....
Several years back when i got my d1 it had an oil leak and i pulled the valve cover off the motor to find a butt load of varnish build up. Which is caused by not changing oil regular and or a low ( sub 190' temp) on an alu engine. I ran a high detergent oil ( Rotella T 15w40) for a few months. This took real good care of the varnish but what i did not know was the oil pump screen is very close to the oil pan bottom and was picking up the large chunks of varnish and blocking the pick up. Which lead to a low oil pressure problem shortly there after. So beware ....
A good product that is used in the industrial side to break down varnish is a thin oil called Marvel Mistery oil it also will break down varnish but it brakes it down completely and will not block the oil pick up.
I did see that you may have switched to a synthetic oil which is not advisable after an engine has been running on a non synthetic. They have a history of reacting to it in strange ways which may be what you are experiencing. You may want to switch back to a std detergent oil. Also a study was done at EG&G down here in SA which the ran different oil's and the Castroil GTX 5w 30 came out on top.
With Rover's screwed up oil system the requires the oil to be brought up from the pan them run through the oil cooler then the oil filter and finally to the mains and rods. This is why it is inoperative that you run only a Rover filter or one that has the correct check valve. If you do not and say run a cheep Fram it does not have the check valve to prevent the oil from draining back to the pan and your engine will be starved of oil for quite some time before it can catch up.. Watch the oil light it will stay on a long time with a cheep filter..... That whole time there is no oil pressure on the mains or rods..
Rene
 
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Greg French

Greg French

Well-known member
Sep 7, 2004
234
0
54
Myrtle Beach, SC
Check the robison service page on their website. It has step-by-step instructions on what to do and why. I don't have the web address with me right now, but it was very helpful.
 
S

Steve83

Guest
MTNHDWR said:
All my dealership did when I took it in was to ream the valve guide. I can't imagine this is what LR suggests to do.
Click to expand...
Yep. That's all. Where I work, we always send the heads out to be rebuilt, which may be why we charge $3200 when most others are doing the job for $2200. But we rarely see the same truck twice for valve stick.
 
rover4x4

rover4x4

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2004
5,229
45
41
North Carolina, Raleigh
Sorta off the initial subject, but with the Marvel Mystery oil what do you think that stuff does and is it really worth it? I have considered such additives just for good measure, but with the idea if it aint broke dont fix it.
 
G

Grouseman

Guest
Marvel's Mystery Oil

Any of you mechanic type people heard of Marvels? This is an additive you can add to your oil or gas. Super lubricate. I used to use it on my limping 4 runner engine, and it gave it extra lubrication that it needed. It would definately always quieten the clanking values. Spill a little on a dirty engine and then wipe it up with a dry towel and see what a cleaner it is. Anybody here ever use it on a Land Rover?

Just a thought, with all the value trouble with the LR this "might" solve some of the minor issues.
 
S

Steve83

Guest
MMO is a light, high-detergent oil that can break up gummed oil in the engine, like inside the lifters. Added to gas, it's like 2-cycle oil: it lubes the valve guides from the valve side. But in an EFI, it could affect oxygen sensor readings, so I wouldn't put it in the tank.
 
G

Grouseman

Guest
Steve

Steve,

So you do you think Marvels would be a good additive in the oil for the Land Rovers?
 
S

Steve83

Guest
Only if the engine already has a problem (infrequent oil change, water in oil, coolant in oil, etc.). Valve stick doesn't come from the oily side - it comes from the valve side - so MMO in the oil can't prevent it.
 
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