Hello all - I'm afraid my first ever post is one bringing dire news.

Our beloved 2008 HSE TD4 (in black, side skirts, roof rails) has coughed a ton of oil-coolant soup out of the coolant expansion vessel and onto most of the off side of the engine bay. No oil in the engine but equally no warning lights just yet, caught it early if that were to be relevant.....but amongst all the issues we've had for 6 years, the engine has always been pretty strong. The substance is very oil looking, sort of black and you know, oily.

Our local trustworthy independent who have looked after it for years took a look this morning and reckon its goodnight.....sob....over a grand to investigate let alone any rebuild etc.

We are second owners, been a part of the family since 2012 and posted 100,000 enjoyable miles. Good history, money spent, wife loves it (new diff/haldex from the excellent Austin at Bell Engineering eg) etc etc - can't bare to scrap it.

My head tells me its likely to be catastrophic engine damage and a write off, but my heart would welcome any comments regarding any potential for it to be mended in an economically viable way????? (I'm sorry I'm not much of an amateur mechanic)

(Most grateful in advance for any help from you kind forum readers out there and thanks for all the advice in the various sections that I've followed over the past few months I've been registered and the prior years.......)

Last edited by SJWSW on 5th Dec 2019 5:54 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Sounds like head gasket failure to me as a layman......

No oil in the engine? Common sense isn't very common.
_______________________________
2007 Land Rover Freelander2 I6 hse Auto

Freelander 2 utilises water to oil oil coolers for engine and gearbox (auto) which is most likely your problem as they can fail causing an engine coolant expansion tank full of an oily water sludge.
I’d be focusing my attention there first. MY15
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Surround Camera System
InControl Apps soon to be replaced with CarPlay (WIP)
Meridian Premium Surround Sound
Digital Audio Broadcast
Timed Climate
Cruise ECO Data
Follow Me Home Reverse
Extra Features Menu
Picture In Motion
4x4i screen (WIP)
Digital Broadcast TV
Meridian Rear Media with WIFI
Factory Powered Tailgate
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Reverse Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
Electrochromatic Wing Mirrors (WIP)

I think I've seen other threads on this but this is the only one I can find;
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic11143.html

SJW... it may not be the engine but somewhere else that oil can enter the the cooling system Jules

Had the same problem with my 2011 SD4 recently. Luckily still with extended warranty and problem eventually traced to oil cooler (engine oil) and replaced. However shortly after return oil once again in coolant and it took repeated flushing by dealer to repeatedly clean the system to an acceptable level. The dealership were probably just unlucky with the amount of oil that can remain in the system after flushing but be aware of it.
(Head removal was mentioned at one point but luckily not required !!!.)

Good luck but make sure of correct diagnosis.

Thanks everyone for your guidance, it is much appreciated.
I'm planning to get the car home and try to do some basic tests to see whether it is indeed an oil cooler failure as suggested by DigDil and Stuartc.
Theres another thread on it here: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic23220.html
I'm off to watch some videos on draining and cleaning the cooling system.
Thanks a lot, Steve

On modern cars it's more likely the oil cooler than the head gasket. If you didn't do something to harm the gasket (ie overheat or track racing) it's probably the oil cooler.

I would almost guarantee it’s the oil cooler. I had this exact problem on my 2.0 litre diesel motor Peugeot 12 months ago and it was the oil cooler. I had noticed a small trace of oil in the coolant over a number of months and then one morning I started it and it dumped most of the contents of the sump into the coolant reservoir. I flushed replaced the cooler and flushed the system heaps of times and haven’t had a problem since.

Out of interest, what did people use to flush their cooling systems with to clear the oil? Jules

I used a Radiator/cooling system flush put out by Repco (I’m not sure if that brand is available in the UK but I assume there must be an equivalent). I would fill up the cooling system with water mixed with the agent and then take the car for a drive, bring it home and then drain it out and start again. I must have done that 8 or 9 times before the water coming started to look alright.

cheers for that info Jules

UPDATE:
Pleased to report the beloved family Freelander 2 is alive.
Oil cooler the culprit, now successfully changed by an amateur! Workshop manual says go in from below after removing aircon condenser and throttle body, but I went in from above after removing the fuel filter and its huge housing, workshop manual still essential to locate the bolts for everything as you're working blind. Also needed to borrow a 3/4 socket set with extensions/UJ etc to reach the screws on top of the cooler, reconnecting hoses was tricky. Struggled for a while to prime the injectors after putting it all back together, but got there in the end with a cheap hand pump and piece of hose. Then numerous flushes as described which is very time consuming (my drain plug is a pig to get in and out).
Oil and coolant now staying at correct levels, as is temperature. Still some oil appearing in the expansion vessel, not affecting temperature - will flush vessel with petrol again when I get time and run another flush when I service it in the new year.
Thanks for guidance from forum members and a big thanks to whoever posted the workshop manual.
Happy to give advice on the procedure for anyone attempting it for the first time.
Steve

Good to hear (y)