cookie64 Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 hi all unfortunately my oil got a bit low, seems the warning light doesnt work and i now think i have a bit of big end bearing failure gonna check it out tonight after work to try and diagnose where the noises are coming from. my question of the day is: how easy is it to change the big end bearings? and more to the point can i do the job from the bottom of the engine? i.e remove the oil sump and go at it with the small quantity of oil left in my engine dripping into my eyes? id like to go at it this way as only did a full top end rebuild in november and dont fancy doing it all again. will attach a sound clip of tyhe noise later this evening thanks tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 With the 200 its sump off, ladder rail off, as far as I'm aware 300 is the same. If yours is a factory fit 300 and (presumably) R380, you should have no trouble. This is the sort of thing that Series owners curse when they've had a/followed Glencoynes conversion advice, because its impossible to remove the ladder frame without removing the gearbox first. I have also discovered that a disco 200 on a defender LT77 has the same problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 No ladder frame on a 300TDI, you should be able to do it from underneath. You may need to jack the body to help with clearance when removing the sump. When you remove the old shells carefully inspect the crankshaft surfaces as they may have been damaged in which case it will be block out and send crankshaft off for grinding or it will just eat the new shells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 I don't think you'll have any trouble getting the sump off - its just a lot of small bolts, and you refit with Loctite instant gasket. I've done it a couple of times without having to jack. Beware, it doesn't all drain out. I take it you put more oil in it as soon as you realised and it's still making a noise. If the big ends are lunched, I regret to say you may also have damage elsewhere eg turbo, mains etc.Best not to run it till you have investigated. The big ends aren't hard to change, it's the other bits that are the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 How bad was the knocking ? We drove 25 miles with no oil pressure, The shells weren't that bad. I threw a new set in...We travelled the width of South Africa, Engine still running. Sump off. Caps off. Fit new. sump back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 200 needs the engine or gearbox out to get 4 bolts that hold ladder frame in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 any sign of scoring on the crank it will need regrinding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie64 Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 hmm good adive guys it is a factory fit 300tdi oil was topped up immediately but i would say the noise is slowly getting worse, although that could well be my overactive defender hypercondriac mind kicking in lol ive got some landrover mechanic friends, so am going to get them to have a look tomorrow for me does anybody know a rough cost from a crankshaft regrind? also if it came to getting a regrind can i get the crank out with the engine in place? thanks again tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 any sign of scoring on the crank it will need regrinding Really ??? I was talking to a mechanic last month. Telling him about my oil pump failure. "Had one of those" he said. "Engine seized, customer couldn't afford to have it done properly, Took the shells out, cleaned the crank with emery. Fitted new shells and oil pump, that was six years ago and it's still running. When Land Rover did the 300Tdi the made one hell of an engine. Strong and able to take that sort of misuse. I'm still suprised that mine runs fine. Well it did until I said it did. LOL Good oil pressure.One well knackered crank..... . Tom No you will have to take the engine out to remove the crank. When the crank is out check the nose of the crank for damage/ wear where the oil pump fits. Get the sump off. Drop No 1 cap. Then decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 .....also if it came to getting a regrind can i get the crank out with the engine in place? thanks again tom You would need to remove at least the gearbox so you could get the clutch and flywheel off, then I'm not sure about the timing chest end. You may as well just take the engine out if doing anything more than just replacing shells. I wouldn't fancy holding a crankshaft up with my forehead while trying to fit bearing caps even if it was possible to do without engine removal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 hmm good adive guys it is a factory fit 300tdi oil was topped up immediately but i would say the noise is slowly getting worse, although that could well be my overactive defender hypercondriac mind kicking in lol ive got some landrover mechanic friends, so am going to get them to have a look tomorrow for me does anybody know a rough cost from a crankshaft regrind? also if it came to getting a regrind can i get the crank out with the engine in place? thanks again tom when we had a tractor crank done last year it was about £100 Really ??? I was talking to a mechanic last month. Telling him about my oil pump failure. "Had one of those" he said. "Engine seized, customer couldn't afford to have it done properly, Took the shells out, cleaned the crank with emery. Fitted new shells and oil pump, that was six years ago and it's still running. When Land Rover did the 300Tdi the made one hell of an engine. Strong and able to take that sort of misuse. I'm still suprised that mine runs fine. Well it did until I said it did. LOL Good oil pressure.One well knackered crank..... . Tom No you will have to take the engine out to remove the crank. When the crank is out check the nose of the crank for damage/ wear where the oil pump fits. Get the sump off. Drop No 1 cap. Then decide. well from my experance(mainly tractors) scoring tends to eat the new shells. we do 1 or 2 engines up each year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I've put shells in without a re-grind on a petrol. Not sure I'd try it with a diesel though ! My V8 was £90 + VAT last year. If you put shells in, all you loose if it doesn't work is the shell bearings? (most probably) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 And the rest of the crank if it wears badly. The shells may be supposed to be eaten up before the crank does, but I'd be afraid of getting the same effect as you do with putting the wrong lifter on a camshaft: unmatched wear = lots of metally bits, but not in the form of a cam lobe (and yes, I've seen it happen to a cam). If the light went on, that'd be for low oil pressure, so most likely the shells gone. And mmgemini, it's not because someone had some luck with it, that you should advice people to risk a lot of money by not doing a proper job. If the crank scores more, and it's scored too deeply, it'll be new crank time, and that's expensive. Save it while you can, an early investment will save you money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Though most of crank wear occurs near the end of its life, as the clearances are greatest then. I do remember reading many 300tdi cranks don't need a regrind at rebuild unless damaged. So there's an argument for 'routine' shell replacement, to prolong the crank's life (maybe if you have the sump off anyway and assuming no damage), as shells are realtively inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 lrfarmer Fancy a trip over to drop the sump on mine so we can have a looksee. LOL I will say that the oil pressure gauge was on zero long, long before the Land Rover fitted warning light came on . elbekko What do you call a proper job ? tTo me that would be enging out, new liners, New crank, no re-grind.but there again I'm talking from what I've actually done. The oil pressure in my quick put together is still very good so I don't see the problem. It's alright talking. Must do this, Must do that. Until the No 1 cap is dropped we don't know of the damage if any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 If the crank is scored, regrind. Else leave it alone. Don't fit new shells if the crank is scored but not reground. Is that concise enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 if it was me i'd take the sump off, undo the big ends put a photo of the shells up if there very bad take the center main off if thats bad regrind needed as the center main get first pull on the oil so if that starts to go theres been no oil for a long time(engine wise) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 lrfarmer Fancy a trip over to drop the sump on mine so we can have a looksee. LOL I will say that the oil pressure gauge was on zero long, long before the Land Rover fitted warning light came on . elbekko What do you call a proper job ? tTo me that would be enging out, new liners, New crank, no re-grind.but there again I'm talking from what I've actually done. The oil pressure in my quick put together is still very good so I don't see the problem. It's alright talking. Must do this, Must do that. Until the No 1 cap is dropped we don't know of the damage if any. my tractors lose oil pressure if theres too much weir but land rovers may be much better, my tractor are 30+ years old and most have had a full rebuild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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