It’s being repaired today.

Total labour cost is £350 including VAT. On Friday, I found myself trying to find somewhere else to fit the parts I had bought. After trying some independent garages that were too busy to take the job on, I found myself at Mr Clutch. I asked if they could do an inlet manifold on my FFRR - I had the part and just needed it fitting. The garage that was going to do it said it was a 4.5 hour job. The guy behind the counter looked up at his screen and was then saying it was an 8 hour job according to his screen and started saying things like remove turbo, disconnect air con, remove EGRs etc. There was some kind of mechanic sitting on a desk and the guy was pointing at the screen and asking the mechanic to confirm what he was reading off. I felt like I was being scammed. The price to do the job was now over £650! I decided to leave.

I rang around some other garages and found another that said they could do it. I told them that the other garage said it was a 4.5 hour job and they said to bring it round. I drove round and had a chat with the mechanic, showing him the part that I had bought. I then walked to the station and caught the train home. Shortly afterwards, I received a call from the garage to say that I was missing some parts and they wouldn’t be able to do the job without them. As there was no train when I got to the station, I had to walk back to the garage (45-60 minutes) and spoke to the mechanic again. Apparently I needed the EGR gaskets, some pipes and four injectors. I asked if I went and bought the parts from Land Rover, would they be able to carry out the repair. They said they couldn’t but they could book me in sometime this week. I decided not to and drove the car home.

It is now being repaired at the original garage.

As ever, blank the EGRs on a 3.6 with a simple kit and have them also digitally mapped out via a remapper. Standard process on all 3.6 engines to maintain longevity.
Kit is a few quid off ebay and easy DIY. Don't buy new bits for the EGR, buy the kit and blank the off !
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RANGE-ROVER-Vog...2642302772 Gone to a good home: 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
2025MY Defender D350 90 in Silicon Silver on coils
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
Many, many other Landies over the years
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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Is there any downside to blanking the EGRs? On my previous car, BMW E61 535d 2005, I had the swirl flaps blanked off. I was told that there would be a drop in performance but I didn’t notice any marked difference and viewed it as a success. I am always wary of altering the engineering that the manufacturer has built in.

The saga of my inlet manifold continues! Having had the new inlet manifold fitted, I collected the car and was pleased that the engine system fault message didn’t reappear on a steep hill when I needed more power.

Last Monday I had to take my wife to hospital and noticed there seemed to be quite a bit of exhaust fumes coming out the back of the car. As the journey wore on (it usually takes 30 minutes or so) we both noticed a funny smell in the cabin but put that down to the trucks and other vehicles around us. Upon arrival at the hospital, I noticed that here was smoke coming out from the undersides of the car at the front. There was also a strong smell like turps. On opening the bonnet and peering in, there was smoke coming from the vicinity of the inlet manifold. I called the garage who advised me to come and see them.

I dropped the car off at the garage and was later told that one of the leak off pipe securing clips had come off and that fuel that would normally return to the fuel tank was now being sprayed out of the engine and down the side. I would need the leak off pipe assembly (only available from Land Rover at £185) and some new clips because they didn’t come with those. The garage later called me to say that they had found a clip and had fitted it. After running the engine for a while there didn’t seem to be any leaks. I went back to the garage and drove the car hope. When I got home there was the same smell (diesel) and the same tell-tale smoke.

The garage is really busy and so whilst they have received all the parts, the car has sat on the drive awaiting their collection. In the meantime they have lent me a Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 so that I can remain mobile. The cost to repair the car has now risen to £485 including VAT. I am finding that the cost of parts is not the crippling factor but the price of labour to fit the parts. I just wish I had the confidence, space and tools to do some of these repairs myself and maybe get someone to check them afterwards.

I am also disappointed with Land Rover’s choice of parts to fit to a vehicle that upwards of £70K when new. The inlet manifold always seems to suffer hairline cracks in the RH side - why don’t they sort out the mould so it produces manifolds, the same quality as the LH side one? It is not just Land Rover - I had a BMW 535d before this that had suffered a crack in the cast exhaust manifold (a known BMW fault). I appreciate that my car is 12 years old but haven’t heard of other makes’ cars suffering cracks in their inlet manifolds. I expect to be paying out to replace mechanical failures such as alternators, compressors, suspension parts and regular maintenance items such as brakes and tyres but you don’t expect to pay out due to poorly manufactured parts used in its construction. Especially, in such a high-end product.

Something to cheer up anyone whose fuel consumption in their TDV8 drops to the 20-25mpg range is that when driving the car with one injector clip missing, the fuel consumption had plummeted to 4.4mpg!!! A quick trip to the supermarket about a 10-minute walk from my house saw the tank range reduce by 10 miles! I had just filled up the car (£85) on my way back from the garage - I am not looking forward to the trip back to the garage when they call it in for repair....

Car went into the garage on Thursday morning, to be repaired that evening. I went and collected it yesterday morning around 10am. I was told that the garage owner had worked on it during the night and that it was now working without any fuel leakage. I paid the £487 bill and drove to the nearest car wash, selecting the Ultra Pro Shield programme that included an under chassis wash. I then drove home.

Excited that it was now working, I suggested to my wife that we go and do all the things she wanted to do. We set off and drove 55 miles on various roads including around town, on dual carriageways and motorways. When we got home my wife asked “where is all that smoke coming from at the front and sides of the car?” After popping the bonnet I could see and smell the tell-tale signs of diesel leakage! It was also leaking onto my driveway, producing the ‘rainbow swirls’.

Took the car back to the garage - fortunately the parts and labour are warranted by them so I’ll have to wait to hear from them. Now back in the Corsa!

The fuel lines had popped off the injectors despite the clips so now they are secured with tie wraps. Over a month of driving with no leaks but I unconvinced that all injectors are working as the cost per mile has increased form 21p to around 26p. My fuel consumption is averaging around 20mpg but to be fair that is mostly city driving. With the lockdown, I haven’t had the opportunity to go anywhere on a long motorway journey to gauge is the fuel consumption. I am probably looking to replace the four injectors on the manifold that was replaced as the originals were re-used and this was probably a false economy. A search on the net and injectors are around £375 each plus the dreaded labour costs!

Hi Stephen
It has been lots of time since your post , but I am having the same issue with yours . My car only appears engine system fault when I am cruising 60mph thru a hill . My local service told me they need to replace turbos which is around 4k +VAT which is massive amount for me compared to your solution .are you able to solve the issue after your service ? Your help will appreciated