Dying Discovery: Metal in Oil Points to Timing Disaster

Hey there! I've got some experience working on diesels and had a very similar issue with my 2013 Land Rover Defender. The symptoms you're describing are almost identical to what I experienced a few months ago. Mine turned out to be a faulty crankshaft sensor, which was causing all sorts of havoc with the engine timing and performance. Got it fixed at my regular workshop, they diagnosed it pretty quickly and replaced the sensor. The whole thing, including labor, set me back about 250 Euro, but it's been running perfectly since then. Just to be thorough though, could you tell us what engine variant you have and how many miles/kilometers are on it? Also, when you say there's metal in the oil, is it fine particles or larger chunks? These details would help confirm if you're dealing with the same issue or if there might be something else going on. I know these engines pretty well, but it's always best to get all the info before jumping to conclusions. Let me know those details and I can try to help you further!

Thanks for your reply! I've got the same symptoms you described, and mine's also a diesel with 66987 KM on the clock. Just had it serviced last month actually. The metal I'm finding in the oil is more like a fine, glittery powder rather than chunks, looks pretty concerning when I wipe the dipstick. That's really interesting about the crankshaft sensor, definitely way better than having to deal with major engine work! Did you notice any particular warning signs before the sensor completely failed? The stalling is getting more frequent on mine, especially when the engine's warm. I'll definitely get that sensor checked out. The price you mentioned sounds much better than what I was expecting to pay for a timing chain issue. Really appreciate your help on this!

Hey again! Yeah, those symptoms you're describing are eerily similar to what I experienced. And that glittery powder in the oil, that's exactly what I saw too! Before my sensor completely gave up, I definitely noticed the stalling getting worse, especially after driving for about 15-20 minutes when the engine was warm. It would sometimes feel like the engine was 'jerking' before stalling. The funny thing is, mine would usually start back up after cooling down for a few minutes, which was really confusing at first. Just a heads up though, while the crankshaft sensor fixed my issues, that metal in the oil still makes me a bit nervous. When I got mine fixed, my mechanic actually suggested doing an oil analysis just to be safe. It turned out fine in my case, but it's worth checking, especially since your mileage is pretty close to what mine was when I had the problem (I was at around 70000 KM). If you do go get it checked, make sure they look at the sensor's wiring harness too. Mine had some wear on the cables that needed fixing, apparently it's a common issue with these models. Let me know how it goes, yeah? Really hope it's just the sensor like mine was!

Thanks so much for all that detailed info! That's really reassuring to hear that your symptoms were so similar to mine, especially about the stalling getting worse when the engine's warm. I've noticed exactly that 'jerking' feeling you mentioned, and yeah, mine also starts up again after cooling down! I'll definitely take your advice about getting the oil analyzed, better safe than sorry, right? And thanks for the tip about checking the wiring harness too. I'm going to call my mechanic tomorrow and specifically ask about the crankshaft sensor and get them to check all these things. You've honestly made me feel so much better about this whole situation. I was really worried I'd need to rebuild the engine or something equally expensive! I'll update you once I get it checked out. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out with this, you're a lifesaver!