Hey guys,

sorry for no updates recently. I've been cracking on with the engine disassembly taking my time to stay organised and clean and inspect all the parts as I go along (and what a task the cleaning part has been!). I'm basically stripped it to the block and tonight planning on taking the crank and pistons out so I can hopefully take the heads, block, crank etc to try local machining shop to assess the damage. It's obvious that the damage has been caused by utterly neglected oil change (or it might have a micro crack in the block causing a coolant leak?), the state of oil caused the main bearing to spin (I can see that even before removing the crank). The question right now is if the wear is beyond the acceptable tolerances on the block, crank, heads, etc. I've been in touch with a local machining shop so going to take it to them for damage assessment / machining work.

Here are some photos, but I've been video recording the whole process and will post the whole thing on YouTube once I have a bit of time for editing.

just a few photos as promised. No matter how bad things look on these photos, trust me when I say it was worse, I just was too filthy to be taking photos of the most sludged up stages. Definitely beyond my wildest imagination. Still cannot comprehend how someone could neglect a car like this..

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Holy , that's a mess!

I wonder if it has been a general lack of maintenance or if something else has gone wrong.

I'd enjoy the mechanical side of what you're doing but that clean up will be an utter nightmare!

What sort of state are the cams in? Have then become scored or worn?

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory 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

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I wonder if it has been a general lack of maintenance or if something else has gone wrong.

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I'd enjoy the mechanical side of what you're doing but that clean up will be an utter nightmare!

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What sort of state are the cams in? Have then become scored or worn?

Looks likely that its never had an oil change in its life

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Looks likely that its never had an oil change in its life Shocked

Yes, and I hope that's the case, as the alternative might be a cracked block

The sludge wouldn't be black if coolant was mixed with the oil, it would be a creamy colour.

You're very keen - I would have just replaced the engine.

Looks like neglected oil changes but would it look much different in any of our 4.4 at high miles even with the correct service intervals.
I’m doing 5k mile oil changes and I’m not being overly cautious when I see the state of the old oil. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

wow. the amount of black death in there! i cant see thats a coolant leak at all. its like the wrong grade of oil, (mineral?) has been put in, and too long ago! yes you might have some oil staravation problems, and a run bearings(s) but if you take all your filthy parts to the machine shop, they will put them in a steamer, and they will be out looking fabulous. you can sort of do all the bits together in their giant dishwasher. might be worth it, as there will be orfices that you dont know of yet. looks like the goo was still like jelly, and not like burnt toast scrapings!, ie in granular form. which might have done even worse damage. im optomistic you will get a good report once cleaned and inspected..... you just have to remember how to get it back together. and time is the factor there, with memory etc... but you did wisely to film your teardown.

Remember a head has combustion, cooling and oil channels in it. The crack doesn't have to be between cooling and oil. It can be between combustion and oil, which seems a more likely outcome than coolant leaking, given the sludgey oil which could be coked up with excessive carbon.

But let's hope it's not a cracked head(s).

Ps, I'm envious of the width of the garage. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

Talk of cracked heads seems a bit premature. Nothing in those pics looks anything other than neglected oil servicing or the normal build up of deposits on high mileage engine esp one that has been used in an urban setting with lots of short trips. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Well, so the Block, Crank and the complete heads are with the machining shop now. The guy (owner) did some preliminary checks when I brought the engine in and gave me 50-70% chance of being able to save the block and the crank (the chap seemed to have years of experience behind his belt). The crank had a bit of a bend 4 - 6 -8 thou from the overheat so it's 50:50 really. Also the big end and the Main journal on the first two pistons were difficult to tell if they can be fixed within the spec without him having a go at it first. So while I'm waiting for any updates from the machining shop, I'm going to be busy, having both turbos reconditioned, injectors checked / remanufactured, fixing the rust on the subframe (easy access without the engine in) and outsourcing missing parts.

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Did he pass judgement on the cause - oil starvation? 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

The bearing span due to oil starvation (i guess this was obvious even to me), in terms of why the oil slugged up like that, most likely no oil change in combination with a wrong oil. Regardless he will check the block and pressure test the heads to make sure there is nothing hiding in there..