This is what a cam failure looks like

[bsa_m21]

This is what a 3.5/3.9/4.0/4.6L cam/lifter failure (my '96 D1, actually) looks like..... :x

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This damage occurred shortly after doing head gaskets and installing new lifters and oil pump. I had cleaned everything and I thought I'd flushed it all enough. I primed it, but maybe some crud in a passage blocked the oil feed for a bit on startup. Doesn't take much to do damage. Block and oil pump look good, all the oil passages are now triple flushed and clear, pan and sump removed and cleaned. One lifter bore is scored a bit so I still have to hone it. Needless to say, new cam and lifters are on order.

I would say "Bloody Land Rovers", except this is likely my fault for not taking enough care on the clean and prime. :roll:
This is the 3rd LR 3.5/3.9/4.0/4.6L motor I've redone, but the first that I really screwed up. Lesson learned.

[harv]

Thanks for the info.

[yrayray]

what did it sound like at start up?

[rgallant]

Wow that is nasty

[bsa_m21]

what did it sound like at start up?

I primed it for 20 seconds or so, then put the fuel pump fuse back in and started it. It clacked for a few seconds then the oil light went out and she quieted right away. I drove it for several days before it started getting noisy. Unfortunately I was a fair ways from home and it was bad by the time I got there. After that I only started it to pull into the garage. 😩