Land Rover Repair: lifter noise, coolant level, head gasket

Question
lifter noise when starting, noise stops in around 10 minutes.  Coolant level decreasing, there is coolant in the oil.  Oil cap has sludge mixture of oil and coolant.  There is no exhaust gas in the coolant.  I read another post that mentioned a throttle body gasket. My mechanic initially wanted to replace the head gaskets and/or intake gaskets.

Answer
Hello Frank,
You did not mentionned which model you own,but guessing front the symptoms I say Freelander.
If that is the case, Your lifters are worn And they need to be replaced ( which is a very expensive repair). As for the oil in the coolant either the cylinder sleeves have come loose or a head gasket(s) have failed. If the sleeves are loose the engine block needs to be replaced.If the head gasket is leaking then, you should have your mechanic replace the lifters at the same         time.
Sorry for bad news,but this is common on Freelanders once they reach a certain mileage.
Bruno