Got a mechanic special 2010 LS460. The starter seems dead. No code on engine module. No coolant and I put in 4 gallon of water and the coolant overflow tank still cannot be pressurized. No leak under car. Where the water goes? Removed a few spark plugs (a lot of oil in plug well) and hand cranked the engine. Water shooting out of the plug hole.
It has to be head gasket or some engine block damage and water goes straight to cylinders, right? No chance it could be some oil-coolant intercooler mixing up, right?
I will put a camera into each cylinder to see if I can find the proof. It does look like engine is trashed and I am planning the next step - engine swap.
I don't see any videos / article about engine removal. Can it come out from the top without tranny? Can all the bell housing bolts be reachable without getting thru the tranny?
Year of engine 1UZ-FSE compatible? Does it have to be for LS 460?
I will document the progress and gather all info here to share. Any comment is welcome if u have done so before.

 

In short: yes, have to be same year (!) same drivetrain (!!) ls460 1UR-FSE, engine parts changed thruout years and ecms also. Easiest is to LOWER the whole thing. Can be done on a lift with adequate support below. Yes, some hotheads tried to pull it, and some succeeded, but that's WAY more work than simply unbolting driveshaft, subframe bolts, some other stuff and slowly gracefully dropping the whole thing down.
It would still be A PROJECT though. Take pictures/videos.

 

No lift I have so it will be fun. I am a hothead. I will use snake camera and get some photos today. Then maybe I will remove passenger exhaust and replace the starter to see if it cranks. Maybe all water went to the muffler by now.
Good thing the engine is not too expensive (< $1500) but finding a low mileage one is difficult.
I see on ebay that the fitment shows 2010-2012 VIN L 5th Digit 1URFSE to be all compatible. More research needed.
I never trust used engine 100% and before it is installed, I always address all maintenance issues. I see the valley plate always leaking. It is also time to change out valve cover gaskets, maybe oil pan gasket, etc.??

 

Of course, gaskets, chain tensioners and o-rings galore. You'll need two new vvt actuator gears while you're in there too (not too expensive but a must-fix).
Hard to judge 'over the phone' so I'll wait until it's well borescoped.
RWD or AWD???
And yes, 2010-2012 is technically correct unless you'll stumble on, say, Dec2012 engine and that will be 2nd restyle already (2013+) with some differences.
Hard to say where water came from, but catastrophic failures are not unheard of, nor head gasket breaches. Otherwise 10-12 version of LS460 1UR-FSE is super reliable mechanical parts-wise.

 

Just turn it by hand and then do leakdown testing.......if the engine is out/being installed I always fully reseal it as well as timing and belt etc.

 

RWD I have.
Today I removed passenger side exhaust manifold and water spilled out from cylinder 3. I am sure muffler is full of water now.
Drain oil from pan. It is pure oil, no water.
I did not remove the starter to see if it has burned up. I am guessing the hydro lock has killed it.
It has to be head gasket or engine block crack. My camera did not get a good pic. The oil / water messed up the lens.






Debating if I should remove this engine and tear it down to find the problem that I might be able to fix by buying minimal parts, or just get a used engine so that I do the swap in a weekend.
Also really want to know if I can get one off a 2008 LS460 and if not why. I can swap all accessories unless the mounts are somehow different or the internal of the engine is different. They are all 1UR-FSE.



I am cheap and this is just irresistible
And if u have experience removing engine (and leave tranny) by hoisting it out, your comments are welcome.

 

08 engine will not work. Just saying before you overestimate your skills. Timing is different and more.

 

Just finished rebuilding a range rover 5.0L V8 by lifting it out of the bay.
I have done numerous mini cooper 4 cylinder engines. Swapping them in 5 hrs.
Also done a lot of BMW N52, N54, N26...
Every engine has different way to fix / replace. That is the challenge I enjoy.
Ok. 2010 to 2012 engines then. I will be a week or 2 before I touch it again.

 

Rebuilding a 32 valve V8 is a LOT of work don't attempt unless you have a lot of spare time or are willing to stretch out the repair for months or longer. At minimum you'll need a straight edge to check the block/heads. If no coolant is in the oil the bottom end is probably good.

The engine and transmission will come out topside but the combo is very heavy which makes the procedure dangerous. Don't know about separating the engine from the tranny in theory this shouldn't be a problem but I don't have direct experience on your car.

 

Yes, 10-12 RWD engine. Awd one is also different. Good luck! Keeping 10-12 riding ftw.

 

If he has dealt with the engines he mentioned it's not going to be a problem, the UR is simple compared to those. 32 valves doesn't mean anything for difficulty......I've done valve seals in N62s in car many times it's just annoying due to number of parts. Same steps just redoing it many times

 

Hoping for a simple rebuild is an option. I suppose it depends on how much your time is worth as well as the severity of damage. Hope it's minimal.

 

Idk about USA, but in our parts nobody rebuilds UR-FSEs. Too expensive to get it all right. People just swap engines after they kill their last ones by bad thick oil and neglecting service.

 

According to LPN it's also too expensive to replace.

 

I meant junker engines. 10 AWD is around 2k euro, 10 RWD is little less.