We had the engine rebuilt in our 2003 LR Disc. about 8 months [7,500 miles] ago at our Michigan Dealership. All is fine, then about 3,700 after our first post-repair oil change with the dealership we find it 2 1/2 quarts low. We moved to S. Florida right after the oil change. The Florida Dealer claims there are no leaks so we must be burning oil and the engine will go in a year. I noticed on our records that the MI dealership used 5W30…not the recommended type, nor what we had been using [10w30 or 40]. I am thinking that the combo of this hotter than you know what weather coupled with the thin oil may be the only prob. Any suggestions? [pit has 77,000miles on it now]
By my calculations you’re using one quart of oil every 1,480 miles. That’s safely within the range of what most manufacturers consider normal.
Switch back to the oil recommended for hot climates, but you have a far bigger problem… your not checking the oil for 3,700 miles. Learn to check your oil regularly. Or you will ultimately end up with a prematurely worn engine. The contamination and aerticulates that are a normal part of engine operation will be pumped through the critical spaces suspended in 2-1/2 quarts less oil than they should be. You’l be lubricating with sludge instead of oil. If your vehicle uses more oil with wear, as is normal, you may even end up with the level dropping below the pickup for the pump and find yourself with a seized engine.
I’m curious…is it possible that this was the reason the engine had to be rebuilt once already?
You may be right. I suppose we were taking it in at the recommended intervals and had never been told it had been low or should be checked in between. Thanks to the online forums I have realized we do need to get on a schedule of checking it regularly…probably each time we gas up. Thank you for your reply.
It’s an English POS. Sell it!
would love to, but have invested enough that we’d like to get another two years minimum…
Excuse the flippant response, but these vehicles really do have a terrible reliability record. You’ll be throwing money at it as long as you own it.
fitjeep is right; you will be throwing good money after bad. Any Landrover, especially one not maintained meticulously, is a money pit. Much like being married to a shopaholic with a drug habit.
Like the excuses from such a spouse, the Florida weather has nothing to do with your problems. These vehicles are widely used in the tropics. The best advice I can give you is to sell it and buy something much less expensive and much more reliable, like a Toyota RAV4 or a Subaru Forrester.
I would check ALL the fluids and tire pressure once a month and the oil every other gas up.