Yea I thought they after I posted it I have a slight weep from my sump and you either need engine out or transfer box off and steering rack dismantled- neither seem particularly appetising options.

Tbf you could get it done and poke a borescope round the sump bung and if nothing sinister move on.

It is a shame about the pump though Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF

It’s certainly a weird one on this car…

The Camshaft bearings in the heads and the caps that you unbolt have nowhere near as much scoring on them as you’d expect given the state of the cam journals. In fact, the worst journal on the camshaft matches the head and the cap that shows as near as dammit no marks at all.

This is one of the worst camshaft journals:

A friend of mine who has been a mechanic for years and has a huge amount of experience of rebuilding engines wonders if mine has had new heads and old camshafts fitted to them at some point now he’s just seen those pictures 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

dhallworth, just read what your friend suggested. I was already thinking along the same lines, it does seem very strange not to have marks on the heads themselves.
Whilst I did suggest opening up some crank bearings, I was unaware that it is an 'engine out job' Reading your latest posts, I would agree with you and leave it alone. Hope the top end rebuild goes well from now on. Fingers now crossed for you. Just hide the parts receipts in the workshop so the boss doesn't see them.

dhallworth wrote:

A friend of mine who has been a mechanic for years and has a huge amount of experience of rebuilding engines wonders if mine has had new heads and old camshafts fitted to them at some point now he’s just seen those pictures

The problem is David its not just the money you have invested but the time the car has a value to you that is different to that of an insurance co or a third party. I would rebuild it if I had done the work you have and know the rest is good. Its easy to forget how much you have achieved with this

Biggest thing stalling everything at the moment is that one of the camshafts is obsolete.

I cannot find a UK supplier of it anywhere and the one I've found in the states is proving difficult to get my hands on as the company are incredibly slow to deal with.

Hopefully I'll find out a bit more this week.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Have you tried 'Turner Engineering'. They sell Kent camshafts for £294.

Yea, the cams they're selling are for the old Rover V8's.

Kent nor Piper cams make camshafts for the AJV8 engines. They can make one but they're looking at £700 plus VAT and a minimum of 12 weeks.

Annoyingly, John Craddock had one shaft last week but sold it on Friday.  2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

David not sure if you have tried these but I have used them in the past and they will send stuff anywhere https://www.roverparts.com
I used to get them to deliver stuff to a hotel for Mrs T to collect when she worked for BA but they will ship as well

Thanks Sandy, it's them I'm waiting for coming back to me  2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Ah they were always pretty good before sorry it wasn't more use

Not that it helps but returned from Manchester yesterday and mine has started to whine once I get over 50 mph so will have to start the hunt

Does it vary when you go on and off the throttle?

Wonder if it's a diff or a wheel bearing kinda whine. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

I replaced the wheel bearings and drive shafts about 20k ago I also replaced front prop and had the rear dressed my gut says transfer box as it only really does it when under load I have to make a decision as it is on over 215k but drives like a dram until you cruise at 50 to 70 it all but disappears at 80+ -Not of course that I do such things in this country