Tapps33
Full Access Member
I realize I’m a little late to the conversation, but I have a couple thoughts.
First, I agree, it’s very hard to tell what the noise is from the video, but with all the drive belts disconnected and the noise still present there are really only a few potential culprits.
Second, I have found that a lot of the SC engines tend to start having issues with the oil lubricating systems. Specifically, some of the tiny oil jets get clogged. I’m not sure why this is the case, just that the SC blocks have more oil jets than the NA engine blocks. (The NA blocks don’t have oil jets for the underside of the pistons). Most of the spun bearings I’ve seen have all been on SC engines…typically due to the fact that an oil jet got clogged by metal particulate and then that associated bearing gets hot and eats itself. FYI, on these engines, bearings are nothing more than bushing…ie curved metal with a channel and oil port in it:
www.bpnorthwest.com
Why am I telling you this? Simple, have your shop pull the oil filter and cut it apart and take a look at the filter element. They can also pull the oil pan plug and look for metal particles as the oil plug should be magnetized. If there’s an excessive build up, chances are the engine has a two fold problem. First, something is rubbing that shouldn’t be, creating “junk” in the engine that is now clogging other oiling points that are now creating more symptoms….like a timing chain tensioner that won’t function correctly until the oil gets warm enough and thin enough to build enough pressure to schedule the timing chain correctly. If this is indeed the case, swapping the timing chains will fix the short term problem, but the engine is gonna be a ticking time bomb as something else will fail as the original issue was never repaired.
If there’s additional internal damage, there’s gonna be metal in the oil filter. If the oil filter is clean and clear (assuming it wasn’t changed a couple days ago) I’d get the repairs done and walk away with a new LR4. Ok, full disclosure, I might have the Indy shop run some cleaners through the engine, flush, then refill with oil after the timing belt change. That said, 65K is an unusually low mileage for chains to fail, which is why I suspect there may be some other issue hidden in there.
As for the seller, I think he realizes whether it’s you or someone else, they’re all going to get it checked and this is going to come up. Given the fact he’s gonna buy a new RR, the $ doesn’t really seem to be an issue, and he probably just wants to get the most out of it as trade in value with an engine issue is gonna be a lot less.
One other thing to consider is that a rebuilt engine is roughly $10k (US). It might be worth trying to negotiate with the seller and just pulling the old engine (selling it) and having the Indy shop install a fresh power plant in. Oddly enough, it takes less time to lift the body off and install a new engine than it does to swap the timing chains on the front of the engine. If you can negotiate the right deal, it may be worth it. Again though, if there isn’t any metal in the filter/oil plug, you’re probably in the clear with this engine and I’m just over thinking the problem.
Just my $.02.
First, I agree, it’s very hard to tell what the noise is from the video, but with all the drive belts disconnected and the noise still present there are really only a few potential culprits.
Second, I have found that a lot of the SC engines tend to start having issues with the oil lubricating systems. Specifically, some of the tiny oil jets get clogged. I’m not sure why this is the case, just that the SC blocks have more oil jets than the NA engine blocks. (The NA blocks don’t have oil jets for the underside of the pistons). Most of the spun bearings I’ve seen have all been on SC engines…typically due to the fact that an oil jet got clogged by metal particulate and then that associated bearing gets hot and eats itself. FYI, on these engines, bearings are nothing more than bushing…ie curved metal with a channel and oil port in it:
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www.bpnorthwest.com
Why am I telling you this? Simple, have your shop pull the oil filter and cut it apart and take a look at the filter element. They can also pull the oil pan plug and look for metal particles as the oil plug should be magnetized. If there’s an excessive build up, chances are the engine has a two fold problem. First, something is rubbing that shouldn’t be, creating “junk” in the engine that is now clogging other oiling points that are now creating more symptoms….like a timing chain tensioner that won’t function correctly until the oil gets warm enough and thin enough to build enough pressure to schedule the timing chain correctly. If this is indeed the case, swapping the timing chains will fix the short term problem, but the engine is gonna be a ticking time bomb as something else will fail as the original issue was never repaired.
If there’s additional internal damage, there’s gonna be metal in the oil filter. If the oil filter is clean and clear (assuming it wasn’t changed a couple days ago) I’d get the repairs done and walk away with a new LR4. Ok, full disclosure, I might have the Indy shop run some cleaners through the engine, flush, then refill with oil after the timing belt change. That said, 65K is an unusually low mileage for chains to fail, which is why I suspect there may be some other issue hidden in there.
As for the seller, I think he realizes whether it’s you or someone else, they’re all going to get it checked and this is going to come up. Given the fact he’s gonna buy a new RR, the $ doesn’t really seem to be an issue, and he probably just wants to get the most out of it as trade in value with an engine issue is gonna be a lot less.
One other thing to consider is that a rebuilt engine is roughly $10k (US). It might be worth trying to negotiate with the seller and just pulling the old engine (selling it) and having the Indy shop install a fresh power plant in. Oddly enough, it takes less time to lift the body off and install a new engine than it does to swap the timing chains on the front of the engine. If you can negotiate the right deal, it may be worth it. Again though, if there isn’t any metal in the filter/oil plug, you’re probably in the clear with this engine and I’m just over thinking the problem.
Just my $.02.
