P38 engine crack(????)

[alexakis]

Hi there to all,

I am new to this forum as I recently decided to buy a Range Rover P38 4.6 HSE (1996). The car appeared to be in excellent hands and during the testing period did not came up with any fault.
I bought this car in Athens Greece and I moved to Heraklion Crete.
Anyway suddenly the temperature was rising and I went to the authorised service in Heraklion. They changed the thermostat and a valve (not sure though if they used an original or OEM product...) and for about 10-15 days it seemed all to be OK.
The temp. started to rise again, and the guys in the srevce started without even looking to the car to be a little more than eager to change the engine block...
It was obvious that their intentions were more than fixing the car.
I know that the specific model tends to have a problem with temperature yet I think that is more likely to be the gaskets or the sealers than a crack to the block.
Please if you have experience or similar cases with cracks or leaks from the gasket please share or advise.
I am little in the corner as I have recently moved, I do not know where to buy or where to service appart from these "authorised" cheats!
Plus if ant member knows where can I contact LR and possibly import from tha UK a new engine block I will do this rather than paying the ransom to them...

[Eric Lording]

If someone has mixed the green and the red coolant the radiator will be partially clogged with a white powder and goo. Very hard to pick but it did cause me similar symptoms. Ran fine then one day overheat, then run fine and a month later overheat. Finally I put in a new radiator core and ran green type A coolant and no problems for 4 years. Be careful if you have this problem, it can cause a radiator hose to explode on a hot day, dump all the coolant, then sieze without a temperature warning as there is no coolant around the temperature probe. Replacing the engine and the intermittent overheat returned. Replaced the radiator, and no more trouble. I speak from experience.