The 5.0L V8 Overall Longevity/Reliability

1of40

Well-known member
Oct 23, 2017
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Va
Is it true JLR changed and updated the chain guides around 2012 and, if so, did that make a meaningful difference? Assuming you're willing and able to keep up with recommended maintenance, what's the reliability like north of 100K?
 

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,070
881
AZ
I've heard a lot of speculation but I've never heard a definitive statement that the most recent year or years of the V8 were any different than previous with regards to the chain guides.

My 2013 is in my local independent shop today for an oil change at 109,273 miles. 5,213 miles since it's last oil change. My shop recommends no more than 7,500 miles between oil changes and closer to 5,000 miles can't hurt.
 

pinkytoe69

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Jan 14, 2012
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minnesota
I just realized there is a weight difference between the sport and lr3 (which I've never driven), so that could affect how I rate the 4.4.

I only spent 10 minutes in an LR4 test driving one, but it was definitely much smoother revving and racy...more like a sports car engine.

It definitely felt livelier than a gen1 sport, but not ridiculously so. I don't know how much the 400lb weight difference (lower COG too?) affects that?
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,922
460
Darien Gap
I only spent 10 minutes in an LR4 test driving one, but it was definitely much smoother revving and racy...more like a sports car engine.

Mine sounds real nice with the two forward resonators removed. Growls at startup, settles down very quiet, and sounds like a V8 should on the throttle.
 

discostew

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Sep 14, 2010
7,735
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Northern Illinois
Is it true JLR changed and updated the chain guides around 2012 and, if so, did that make a meaningful difference? Assuming you're willing and able to keep up with recommended maintenance, what's the reliability like north of 100K?
The tensioner blades have a round button that contacts the tensioner. The old style was two flat surfaces and the end of the tensioner piston would dig into the blade and make a lot of noise. The new tensioners are more robust. I think the plunger piston area is larger diameter. So with the same oil pressure it should apply mor force.
I’ve seen them over 200K miles and still running strong. I did chains and guides tensioners on a customers car at 168K and right now it’s in my shop for some check engine light shittery at 211K. The engine still sounds good. The truck belongs to one of my long time customers who drives a newer Sport with a supercharged 5.0 in it. The older sport belongs to his wife now. I know her well and I know she’s trying to blow this thing up so she can get a new Defender. She’s driving the tires off the thing and I just installed the 3rd set of rotors since February. She can’t blow the thing up.
 

discostew

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Sep 14, 2010
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Northern Illinois
Second best? What's your vote?

Mine has over 160k with no known tensioner job. Sounds and runs great.
Then it’s had a tensioner job. This thing is expensive. It gets hot it’s a damn boat anchor. When I was in my 20’s I would have loved this big piece of shit. I would have been doing them all the damn time. I’m good at this thing and I’m 60 damn years old. I’m good at it cause it’s broken all the fucking time.
I bought my first house putting camshafts and main bearings in the Cadillac HT 4100. I built the biggest part of my IRA doing Quad 4 head gaskets for Oldsmobile.
All of them are shit. That’s why we know them so damn well. Not many guys know the inside of a 4.2 supercharged engine. Because it didn’t break. I’m struggling with a 4.2 cam timing issue right now. Having to pull it apart a second time. But after all this time with it I still haven’t done enough of them to be proficient. Not because it’s a piece of shit. Because it’s that good.
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,922
460
Darien Gap
Then it’s had a tensioner job. This thing is expensive. It gets hot it’s a damn boat anchor. When I was in my 20’s I would have loved this big piece of shit. I would have been doing them all the damn time. I’m good at this thing and I’m 60 damn years old. I’m good at it cause it’s broken all the fucking time.
I bought my first house putting camshafts and main bearings in the Cadillac HT 4100. I built the biggest part of my IRA doing Quad 4 head gaskets for Oldsmobile.
All of them are shit. That’s why we know them so damn well. Not many guys know the inside of a 4.2 supercharged engine. Because it didn’t break. I’m struggling with a 4.2 cam timing issue right now. Having to pull it apart a second time. But after all this time with it I still haven’t done enough of them to be proficient. Not because it’s a piece of shit. Because it’s that good.
Any visual indicator to verify it’s been done? Different color RTV or something along those lines?

So you like the an AJ-V8, just not the 5.0 flavor? Can’t imagine they’d be that different..
 

discostew

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Sep 14, 2010
7,735
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Northern Illinois
I think with the direct injection and variable valve lift it’s only similar because they both have 4 overhead cams.
No way to really tell if they’ve been done accept to look at them. The front cover usually gets replaced because the seal is part of it. I guess you could look at all the Torx head screws holding the front cover on to see if they look like they’ve been removed and reinstalled. You can kind of tell if someone has been on them I suppose. Send me the last 8 of your vin and I can see if the warranty history shows anything.