1996 r/r 4.6 autobiography
Discussion
me in another RR buying thread said:
Basically, you want to check the following things:
Cooling system
Air Suspension
Cooling System
Chassis corrosion
Cooling system
Air Con flap motors
Cooling system
Expect bits to fall off it or to have already fallen off it. It's what rangerovers do. If you get one with working heated seats then i'd buy several lottery tickets as soon as possible as you've got excellent luck. Oh, and give the cooling system onle last check just in case. More detail on all this lot at www.rangerovers.net
Seeing as you've had the springs and the flaps done already, you've got the cooling system to worry about. If the temp guage moves one nanodegree past vertical when warm then there's probably something amiss. Overheating a 4.6 will do it absolutely no good at all. THe alu block expands at a different rate to the steel liners which then slip, you then but a new engine. Simplified there, but that' how important it is. Budget for a coolant change and radiator rodding at the very least, if not a new rad and themostat and visco clutch too.
New air springs won't stop the valve block leaking or the compressor being shagged though. Put it up and down a few times enough to exhaust the air tank. Then open one of the doors and wait for the compressor to stop filling the tank. A good compressor sould fill from empty in something like 7 minutes (you should be able to hear it, it's in the engine bay near the passenger side bonnet hinge in a big box). 10 is OK but anythign more and it's shagged. Probably needs a new seal kit, can be had from ebay for £80 or so and fitted in less than an hour.
If you intend to tow stuff then make sure it's got the towbar fitted. Obvious i know, but apparently LR don't have any spares left.
Make sure you've got both keys as they're a right pain to replace, they have to be coded to the car and sent from the factory. Make sure you get key 1 and key 2 if you intend to use the seat memories (they should be labelled, and are tied to the 1 and 2 memory buttons unlike key3 and 4).
If it's a real autobiography it'll have a numbered plaque in the engine bay. If it hasn't then it's not, so don't pay over the odds for a specced up HSE under the prenece of it being an autobiography.
The body shouldn't rust yet, but my '98 chassis has started to, so have a gawp underneath. The rear door seals trap durt and moisture round the arch, so check they're OK. Make sure the door drains do as their name suggests. Look for paint damage on the roof, it's easy to miss.
Must be the funniest post ever.
ehasler said:
cossiemetro said:
i'm running scared now i think i'll give it a miss lol...
Don't let me put you off - I love my one! It even sounds like a TVR now with the new sports pipes 
BLUETHUNDER said:
ehasler said:
cossiemetro said:
i'm running scared now i think i'll give it a miss lol...
Don't let me put you off - I love my one! It even sounds like a TVR now with the new sports pipes 
I was thinking of posting some Q's but they seem to be answered here. Just to be sure how oftern should the coolent be changed or checked and is this the reason for lots of RR's with new engines? It seemed from adverts that the 4.6 is most likley to have had new engines. or does the same apply the 4ltr? Also what is the difference in performance? I'm looking for a high spec 98 to 2000 4.6 or 4 ltr silver or black if anyone knows of a good one. Oh and sub 60k miles !
Edited by circo on Thursday 18th January 13:27
Check the coolant weekly (minimum) and change it yearly. Replace the radiator if it is original and more than 6-7 years old. They are prone to silting and blockages. Just not worht the risk! Most 4.6's have new engines because of the well documented liner problems mentioned. Pre 2000ish they run lean in the mid ranges and get too hot. This causes overheating problems. Any overheating is very bad news as mentioned earlier.
In theory 4.0 engines suffer the same fate if they ever run hot but fewer do because a)the mixture problem doesnt apply in the same way (the lean mixture was an attempt at improving ecomony in the 4.6!) and b)4.0 inherently generate less heat than 4.6's therefore they have a larger margin for cooling in adverse circumstances.
I've had both engines and the 4.6 is definitely the one to go for in terms of driving pleasure. Its noticeably torquier and more driveable and also it has proven more economical (if ever such a word could be used in the same context as a 4.6 RR!).
Its worth noting that the 'lean mixture' problem in pre 2000 engines can be rectified by fitting a different 3rd party chip in the ECU. A quick google search will bring up a few different companys supplying these. Strangely, despite the richer mixture, economy is usually improved! This is because, generally, less throttle is required.
In theory 4.0 engines suffer the same fate if they ever run hot but fewer do because a)the mixture problem doesnt apply in the same way (the lean mixture was an attempt at improving ecomony in the 4.6!) and b)4.0 inherently generate less heat than 4.6's therefore they have a larger margin for cooling in adverse circumstances.
I've had both engines and the 4.6 is definitely the one to go for in terms of driving pleasure. Its noticeably torquier and more driveable and also it has proven more economical (if ever such a word could be used in the same context as a 4.6 RR!).
Its worth noting that the 'lean mixture' problem in pre 2000 engines can be rectified by fitting a different 3rd party chip in the ECU. A quick google search will bring up a few different companys supplying these. Strangely, despite the richer mixture, economy is usually improved! This is because, generally, less throttle is required.
If the engine has a problem, then a gas conversion will not cure it! However, gas conversions generally tend to run slightly cooler, although if you have a cooling system problem then the engine will suffer the same fate, whatever the fuel. Only consider multipoint gas conversions. Theyre the only ones that work really well in a 4.6. A good conversion will be smooth, with no discernable power loss and of course, half the fuel costs!
ehasler said:
BLUETHUNDER said:
ehasler said:
cossiemetro said:
i'm running scared now i think i'll give it a miss lol...
Don't let me put you off - I love my one! It even sounds like a TVR now with the new sports pipes I've opted for the large bore quad exit SS system from "Britparts". Its being fitted later this month. I was thinking of scraping the cat clean too. I'll post a soundbyte up when its done
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