A client recently came to us with a Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6. The 3.0 TDV6 engine known as the 306dt is the successor to the now discontinued 2.7 TDV6 motor. The client advised that the engine had actually seized so we suspected a bottom end failure centered around the troublesome crankshaft in these engines.

Once the body was removed our technician immediately found a great deal of oil on the chassis bed which led us to believe that there was a hole in the engine.

By the time the engine was taken out and stripped, it was clear that there was no hole in the engine at all.  A close inspection found that the front crankshaft seal had become dislodged and allowed all of the oil to quickly flow out of the engine and resulting in it seizing.

Due to the nature of the failure the damage to the engine was extensive and it failed beyond repair.

We arranged to recondition a replacement engine for our client. Due to the common bottom-end issues associated with the Range Rover Sport TDV6 3.0 engines we always recommend line boring the cylinder block and installing a brand new oil pump.

All cylinder heads are pressure tested, skimmed and valve seats are cut.

Once the engine was assembled it was time to install the engine into the vehicle and get this baby back on the road.

If you would like a quote for a replacement engine or just need some general advice please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 0208 133 6004 or info@mklmotors.com

Mr Aubrey recently came to us with a Land Rover Discovery TD5 with some engine trouble. As this is one of the older Discovery’s we were expecting to receive a vehicle in pretty tired condition to be honest. Clearly not this one though!

Bodywork and interior were both in excellent condition. Clearly very well maintained and we weren’t surprised to find a Land Rover enthusiasts invitation inside 🙂

Once we got down to stripping the engine we found that it had suffered damage to each of the cylinders. Because of the age of the vehicle this is more likely as a result of general wear as opposed to any specific parts failure.

We recently completed an Engine replacement and fitting service for a client who came to us with a Discovery TD5. Once we had the vehicle recovered it was clear that he hadnt just been using the vehicle for road driving 🙂

The vehicle was certainly well equipped for a lot of off-road driving so we were looking forward to meeting him in person to hear about what sort of driving he’d been doing. Unfortunately off-road driving means you are likely to get a great deal of dirt and muddy deposits throughout the vehicle, and this one was certainly no exception.

When we took the customers engine out together with the bolt on ancillaries, we found a huge amount of gunk and dirt inside his pipes and components. We spent a great deal of time clearing all of it with a pressure wash to ensure there were no blockages.

Our client had requested that we replace his air filter housing, but once we removed it we found that physically it was in good condition but just heavily blocked so we gave that a good clean out too.

Our technicians did suspect that there was a good chance that some of these blockages contributed to the engine failure. If you are planning on doing a lot of off-road driving, always ensure that your engine bay is consistently checked and give your ancillaries a good thorough clean-out from time to time.

Once we removed the clients engine we prepared a rebuilt engine for installation.

We also replaced the clients glow plugs, timing kit and water pump (highly recommended on all engine replacements).

Once the engine installation was complete we tested it thoroughly by running it up to temperature, taking it on several test runs and running a diagnostic test.

Its really amazing how much power these TD5’s generate. Those older 15p 2.5 TD engines had a great deal of raw power and we can certainly see the appeal.

If you would like a quote for an engine rebuild or just need some general advice please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 0208 133 6004

A client came to us with an Audi A4 which has the notorious 2.0 TDI 140bhp engine inside. This engine is notorious because it has a common problem with the balance shaft that causes the oil pump to fail between 60,000 – 100,000 miles which in turn causes the engine to fail.

Once the customers vehicle was on the ramp, we remove the front end. We always remove the front end on Audi A4’s to get the engine out.

Once we stripped the clients engine to examine it internally we found it was a fairly standard engine failure without any irreversible damage. Standard rebuilds are far more cost effective for our clients as ultimately they require less components and are not as labour intensive.

While the engine was out we checked over the clients ancillaries and accessories to make sure there are no other areas that require attention. We noticed that his clutch was completely worn so we arranged for a replacement for him.

We also found that his turbocharger actuator arm was sticking and not moving freely. Faulty turbochargers can significantly affect the performance of your engine as well potentially causing your engine to fail. Read our Turbocharger Faults post to help you identify the early warning signs of turbocharger failure.

After the reconditioned engine is built up, its time for installation

and add to that a reconditioned turbocharger

The reconditioned engine is then dressed with the clients ancillaries and we reinstalled into the vehicle.

Front end back on

Once the installation was complete we tested it thoroughly with a diagnostic check, ran the vehicle up to temperature and took on several test runs before advising our client that his vehicle was ready.

If you would like a quote for an engine rebuild or just need some general advice please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 0208 133 6004

A commercial client of ours came to us with a vehicle of theirs that had suffered from engine failure. Typically with the nature of the usage of commercial vehicles you will find that they cover a great deal of mileage in a very short period of time. We often find that as a result of the heavy usage of these vehicles, the issues are not likely to be restricted to the engine alone, and that we would uncover a number of problems that would need to be rectified.

We have always stressed changing oil and oil filter at least every 5,000 miles to keep your vehicle running in good health. However, with commercial vehicles we would actually recommend changing the oil at least every 3,000 miles to cope of with the huge number of miles that they cover.

With most commercial vehicles the front end needs to be removed in order to effectively replace the engine.

Once the engine was removed, we then build up the replacement engine with the clients bolt on ancillaries before installation

Once the engine is fully installed we can begin the testing procedures and identify if there are any additional faults in the vehicle.

The turbocharger and battery were found to be faulty and needed replacing. 3 of the 4 injectors reported faults from the diagnostics check and also required replacing. If there are additional repairs that require attention on your vehicle always get into the habit of asking your repairer for reports where possible so that you can get a better understanding of what went wrong in your vehicle.

Finally once the installation is fully completed, we always make sure we take the vehicle out for a minimum of 3 long test drives before releasing the vehicle back to our customer.

Testing is complete, customer is happy 🙂

Mr Barry Tootill came to us with a BMW 525D 3.0 diesel which had suffered from timing chain failure and needed an engine replacement.

Whenever we complete an engine replacement we typically recommend replacing the thermostat, glow plugs, water pump and timing kit on diesel vehicles. If any of these components are not working correctly, they can potentially cause damage to the engine. These components can be difficult to replace while the engine is inside the vehicle so its certainly a good opportunity to get those replaced while the engine is out particularly because they are not expensive.

As engine replacement specialists, most of our clients typically require vehicle recovery as did Mr Tootill. Because we use our recovery guys on a regular basis, we can get vehicle recovery done at very competitive prices. 

Once the vehicle is on the ramp we get to work right away

Its always good practice to remove the bumper from the vehicle before engine removal to avoid any unnecessary damage from happening

In this instance we had a rebuilt engine was already prepped and ready to be fitted

We then build up the engine with the customers bolt on components

The plate that separates the engine and gearbox was broken unfortunately and needed to be replaced

Interestingly, Mr Tootill had a custom job completed on his DPF filter, he clearly knows his way around cars!

Once all the installation work is complete we always thorough test the vehicle to make sure there are no underlying problems or issues before releasing the vehicle back to the customer

Mr Tootill is now enjoying a well deserved break with his wife in their summer house in Spain 🙂

A client recently came to us with a BMW 5 series which had suffered from engine failure. His vehicle is a 2008 BMW 5 Series 2.0 diesel and has the notorious N47D20 engine which suffers from common timing chain and tensioner failure between the years of 2007 – 2011.

This issue was so serious it was highlighted by watchdog:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/23p5j5wzPtYflS7kFvmKVZf/bmw-deny-engine-failures-are-due-to-manufacturing-fault

The timing chain links all the moving parts of the engine that work together in order to drive the car forward. They must all work in perfect harmony and unfortunately when a timing chain fails in generally results in significant engine failure.

All BMW 1 series, 3 series and 5 series 2.0 diesels from 2007 – 2011 can potentially suffer from this common problem. If you own a BMW within this range then look out for the following symptoms:

• Engine misfires
• Metal shavings found in oil or oil filter
• Rattling sounds from the engine

Identifying the issue early can save you a hefty engine repair bill.

In this clients case unfortunately the timing chain had already failed and resulted in significant engine damage and only solution was to replace the entire engine.

Once the engine is removed we assessed the clients ancillary components such as turbocharger, injectors, water pump, glow plugs etc to ensure that they were not faulty as they could potentially result in another engine failure.

We prepared a refurbished engine for the client which includes many brand new internals as well as a brand timing chain kit.

The engine was then dressed with the clients components and prepped for installation.

Once the engine was installed, the vehicle went through significant testing to ensure the vehicle was running optimally before releasing it back to our client.

If you own a BMW 2.0 diesel between 2007 – 2011 and have any questions about the timing chain issues or simply need some general advice please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 0208 133 6004

Mr Fisher came to us with a 2010 Mercedes C250 2.2 diesel which needed an urgent engine replacement as he wanted it back before he set off on his holiday to Tenerife.

With engine replacement jobs we often find that a number of additional components can also suffer failure as a result of the damage to the engine. In this case the engine had overheated so much that it had literally melted the plastic inlet manifold.

If you are having a replacement engine fitted, always be sure to get your mechanic/garage to check all engine bolt-on components thoroughly for any issues as well as connecting hoses and pipes. Also, while the engine is out get your garage to check your flywheel and clutch for regular wear, because if they need replacing its far easier to do so while the engine is out and garages will often do the fitting for you for free.

A client recently came to us with a Range Rover Sport 3.6 TDV8 which had suffered from engine failure. He had literally only purchased the vehicle from the dealer and barely managed a journey home in it before experiencing issues.

For those who are unfamiliar with this model, it packs a monstrous V8 twin turbo diesel engine which powers out about 268bhp as standard. But having such a beast of an engine has its drawbacks as its a real handful of a job to replace it and most standard garages wont go anywhere near it.

Once we took the clients engine apart, we found that it was one of the worst engine failures we’d come across in recent times. The engine block, crank and one of the heads were all completely ruined by the engine failure and the oil pump had literally exploded into pieces!

We replaced the clients engine with a rebuilt one, supplied him him 2 replacement turbochargers, 4 injectors, a water pump and glow plugs. Its safe to say his baby was purring again. Although roaring is probably the more appropriate terminology for this beast of a vehicle.

One of the biggest common problems with these TDV8’s is turbocharger failure which eventually leads to engine failure. If you do start experiencing turbocharger problems, always be sure to get your garage to do a compression test on your engine before replacing them. The last thing you want to do is to replace the turbochargers only to find that you now have to replace a faulty engine. Each of these tasks on these TDV8’s is massively labour intensive and will burn a huge hole in your pocket if you have to go through the process twice.

Mr Smith came to us with a BMW X6 which had suffered from engine failure. He’d only purchased the vehicle in April and was very disappointed to have experienced engine failure having owned the vehicle for less than a year.

Once we got down to work on the vehicle we found that both front driveshafts were broken and the oil sump on his original engine had a hole which was filled with sealant as a basic repair.

We believe that the previous owner had some sort of accident where he drove over something that damaged the vehicle from underneath. Very quickly the oil would have drained out of the engine starving it of oil and causing permanent damage if continued to be driven in this state.

We replaced his engine with a rebuilt one and got his baby back on the road in time for the holidays.

Oil starvation is one of the major causes of engine failure. Always be sure to check your oil levels at least once a month to ensure your engine is well lubricated at all times.