4.6 porous block - how did you know?

[Bee_Jay]

Guys (those who have replaced their 4.6)

How did you tell you had the problem - what were the warning signs?

White smoke from exhaust?
How much water was it using up?

[SLiller]

There's a good article in one of the Land Rover enthusiats mags earlier this year. Water loss, water from exhaust on start up and poor idle when cold.
Can check for CO2 in coolant when hot as well I think.

[david beer]

My 95 4.6 had this, after the dealer making hundreds and hundres out of me, heater matrix, rad, hoses etc, it was the porous block. At 80K and 4yrs old,i got a recon from LR, for £50, email me for details !!!! Oh, the water useage was dependant on temps, throttle etc !

[Bee_Jay]

Hmmm...

I am losing about 0.5 litres every 2,000 miles or so, but since I am having my valley gasket replaced next week (along with sump and rocker cover gaskets) then I could be losing some water out of that.

I will see how it goes after the change over - I just wondered if you could quantify the water loss, was it dramatic?

[david beer]

Have you had the 2 "recalls" done for the hoses ? Mine was so intermittant, used more around town than on a run and sometimes would hardly use any. MY advise, get it double ckecked before parting with money.

[Bee_Jay]

What are the hose recalls? I had a new rad fitted (beacuse that was visibly leaking...), and my f-in-law has owned it since new and spent offensive amounts of money with Land Rover servicing it so I would hope so.

>> Edited by Bee_Jay on Saturday 2nd October 20:01

[david beer]

When my car was 3 1/2 years old i had notification from the factory to have all hoses replaced free as they were leaking with no visable signs. The coolant evaporated so could not be seen, then about a year later the same recall, the new hoses were doing the same. So it would of been around 98-99 the recall happened, im surprised others are not commenting, it was world wide ! You can do a check on recalls with the "SMMT" i believe, if not any LR dealer will confirm it.Also a recall for the gearbox vent pipe. Hope this helps.

[Bee_Jay]

Great, thanks.