Defender Engine Crisis: Metal in Oil + Power Issues

Hey there! I had nearly identical issues with my 2017 Range Rover Sport (3.0L gas). The symptoms matched exactly what you're describing, rough idle, jerking, and power loss. The metal in the oil is particularly concerning, as this was a red flag in my case too. Took it to the garage last month. Turned out the camshaft actuator was severely damaged and had contaminated the oil with metal shavings. They had to replace both the actuator and solenoid, plus flush the entire oil system to remove all metal particles. It was quite serious since metal fragments could have caused more engine damage if left untreated. The job took about 2 days total. They also found the electrical connector was oil-soaked, which was causing intermittent sensor failures. Had to replace that too. My advice: Get it checked ASAP. These symptoms won't fix themselves, and continuing to drive could lead to more extensive engine damage. Hope this helps.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. I'm planning to take it to a shop this week. Would you mind sharing how much the total repair cost you? Just trying to get an idea of what I might be looking at. Also, has everything been running smoothly since the repair, or have you noticed any other issues pop up?

Hey again! Yeah, no problem sharing the details! After getting it fixed up last month, I'm happy to report my Range Rover Sport's running like a charm. The total bill came to 395€ for fixing the camshaft adjustment cable and cleaning up that oil-soaked connector. Honestly, it was worth every penny, the car feels like new again. I've put about 3,000 km on it since the repair, and everything's been perfect. No more jerking, rough idle is gone, and the power's back to normal. The metal in oil issue completely cleared up too, which was a huge relief. The mechanic really knew what they were doing, turns out that faulty camshaft adjustment was the root of all those problems. My advice stands, definitely get it checked out ASAP. The repair cost might seem steep, but it's way cheaper than letting it develop into something more serious. Trust me, you'll feel the difference immediately after it's fixed. Let me know how it goes with your Defender! Always happy to help fellow Land Rover owners.

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! I actually just got back from the mechanic today. You were spot on, it was exactly what I thought with the camshaft adjuster. My repair ended up costing a bit more, around 550€, since they had to replace a few extra components that had worn down. But honestly, I'm just relieved it's fixed now. The whole thing took about three days because they had to order some parts, but wow, what a difference! Took it for a test drive right after picking it up, and it's like driving a completely different car. No more shaking, the idle is smooth, and that annoying power loss is gone. The mechanic also did a thorough oil system flush to get rid of all those metal particles, which was definitely worth the extra cost. Really appreciate your help in confirming my suspicions. It's always nerve-wracking dealing with car issues, but having someone share a similar experience made me feel much more confident about getting it sorted. Thanks again for the advice!