My mechanic, during the last repair, told me that the car had something with the engine.

After getting the engine up to temperature, when idling, a light ffffff fffffff fffffff noise can be heard.

He told me that it is an issue with the timing chain tensioner, and that it is an engine out job.

So, questions...

Has anyone had any of these problems?
Common in tdv8's?
Is it really an engine out job?

My 2011 SC goes in 5/21 to have a chain tensioner kit installed to quiet the irritating noise that I get every time i start up. The
dealer says it is not serious and I can keep on driving it without worrying but apparently there have been enough complaints that they have a fix for it.They said it is a 15 hour job but never mentioned the engine having to come out. Does anyone here know if it indeed has to come out for kit? If it does, I may cancel the job. I don't want the engine taken out unless it absolutely has to.

Depends on the mechanic and skills.

If it isn't an engine out job, then absolutely everything at the front of the car back to the timing case comes off. EVERYTHING bar the front wings.

It's a big job, Land Rover predict 15hrs, but in real life, with a meticulous mechanic the car will be in for a week. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Thanks RRUK! Now I'm having 2nd thoughts. If the dealer is saying it is more of an annoying thing than a serious issue I may just leave it as it is. What do you think?? Thx! Mike

Mine is a diesel tdv8, but being both v8's, their size is about the same.

This to say, that the engine bay, on these cars, is really cramped, and pretty much nothing can be done without dismantling most of the car surrounding the engine.

He quoted me as a 40h job, because of getting the engine out, so that he could work freely on the engine.
So it's about 1000€ to replace a 100€ part.

funnyguy1 wrote:

Thanks RRUK! Now I'm having 2nd thoughts. If the dealer is saying it is more of an annoying thing than a serious issue I may just leave it as it is. What do you think?? Thx! Mike

So I have decided to get the chain tensioned kit installed on my car as it is still under warranty. I just hope they get it all back together the way they took it apart!! Will keep you updated. Mike

Mike, tell them you're not in a rush and they can take their time, make sure it's done properly. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

I dropped my 2011 SC off at the dealer today for the warrantied chain tenisoner update kit installation. Again hearing what had to come apart to install it, grill and most of front of front of engine, an hour later I had a panic attack of that beautiful looking engine coming apart and called a few other service departments to see how many of these kits they had installed and how many owners had problems related to this. All service managers said they had done a few but never had a major problem with this, just noisy when cold. I called the dealer to have him stop the installation but they had already gotten into it and said the water pump also needed replacing so I gritted my teeth and told them to proceed. Will let everyone know how it comes out.

DEaler called yesterday and car is finished. They had just done one a month earlier so they had it down pretty
good and it was finished in 2 days. Excited to see how it came out.

Picked car up and all is well. Drove the 148 miles home and it ran just fine. The clatter it use to make is gone. If you have the issue and are still under warranty, might not be a bad idea to have the dealer do the upgrade. Mike

Glad to hear it went ok Mike  Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

But did they take the engine out?

Did you got to see how many hours they used for the job?

VMPP, It took about 13 hours and the engine did not have to come out. I am sad to report though that now I have had it home
and driving it around the noise is still there. Calling dealer tomorrow and i'm not happy! Mike

Wauw, that is not good. Almost sounds like they put in an original chain tensioner iso the modified one or forgot to change out the modified component(s). Or maybe didn't do the correct procedure so the initial tensioning wasn't don right (if any was needed, which I doubt).

Sorry to hear and I hope it will be sorted soon. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!