I'm about to do the Disco Mike 60k service- or what looks like the LR factory 90k service- and am wondering: should I flush- as opposed to drain and re-fill- every single fluid?

I bought my '04 at 65k miles, so I'm not too sure of its maintenance history- like if the current fluids are synthetic or not.

Mechanics are telling me there are different ways to flush the various parts. The most expensive way is to use big pressure machines that run chemicals through the system.

I want to do what is best for my baby. The pressure/ chemical flushes seem right, but are expensive- local mechanics are quoting around $1000 to flush and refill w/ full synthetic (where applicable)- brakes, trans, transfer case, front and rear differentials, power steering, and coolant. And I cant do them myself- unless using cheaper power drill attachment pressure tube type hookups are just as effective? If so then is there a how-to I hadn't seen that describes what type of flush fluid to use for each part, like vegetable oil for the trans, etc?

Last question- I heard somewhere that not anyone should flush the brakes. Apparently special consideration must be given to LR's or one risks sending contaminated fluid into some crucial component of the ABS system, thereby ruining some very expensive parts. True or false?

 

Do NOT pay someone to do any flushing of anything.
Just a drain and fill is all you need, if Rover wanted you to flush things then they would say so in the owners manual.
Change the fluid in both diff's, the t-case and change the filter in the transmission.
Change the power steering fluid too as well as the engine coolant but do NOT use Dex-Cool, do a complete flush of the cooling system with plain water, once it all comes out clear then refill it with any all aluminum safe coolant.
As for the engine, use a high detergent diesel oil like Shell Rotella, it will slowly clean the inside of the engine as you drive.
As for the brake fluid, what you heard is false, every modern car has a ABS modulator with narrow passages in it that will clog with sludge if not flushed every 2 years.
Land Rover says to flush the brake fluid every 24 months.
When you flush out brake fluid you are putting the new in the top and draining the oil out the bottom so only new will be going into the ABS modulator.

I think I answered everything, feel free to ask more questions.

 

$1000 huh? You must have sucker written on your forehead

Stay away from those shops also stay away from whoever told you that crock about the brakes. You've been around here for 3 years you should know better.

 

Thanks guys. So is the power steering the only part to "flush" as indicated in Mikes 60k service? The other parts are a drain and fill or a "service" in the case of the tranny, which I assume means a new gasket and filter.
Last question- so flushing is absolutely not necessary, even if I'm going from non-synthetic to synthetic fluids? Is flushing then just a waste in every case, or worse yet might do more harm than good (creating leaks, clogging ports, etc.?)

 

ok that is way high.

but actually we do a BG transmission flush. its around 250 to 300 depending on area. Flushes all sixteen quarts and works great.

You can do an injection flush but it wont be a great increase in power. after a 100k its not a bad idea. We also do a special oil change that uses a compound that cleans out the rings. Works really well on older vehicles. Trust me on that. we use a 109k that basically you stick in the oil. run the vehicle for ten minutes at 1500 rpms and then change the oil and add the can of Moa that goes along with it. Worked great on my old disco. But its an older disco 1.

The driveline service is basically the same thing we do that is drain and fill. The fluid that BG has is cheaper then what our dealer sells the regular stuff at so we just use the BG stuff. Works great. And the machine is easy to.

Will a power steering system flush work, not sure its a rover everything breaks down anyway.

And the cooling system you can do yourself. just take off the small hose off the coolant degas bottle and let the coolant run into a bucket and fill it up while it emptys out. When you are at two coolants put the hose back on and shut off the vehicle. Fill it up and you will be fine. Add some coolant protection and it will help you out in the long run.

but you will be surprised changing the oil earlier and cleaning out and installing a new pcv separator will make for a cheaper fix in the long run.

 

The only thing that needs to be flushed is the brake fluid, when you replace it that what you are doing is flushing out all of the old and putting in new.
No switching from dino to syn you do not need to flush anything.
Coolant needs to be flushed because some coolants cannot be mixed or they will gel, Dex-Cool is one of them.
Flushing is not a bad idea if you are having a problem and you are in last ditch effort mode before dropping serious coin to fix a problem.
Sometimes flushing can do more harm than good, but this is usually only when DIY'ers do it, if a shop does it they are prepared for the worst.

For example, if you have a severe engine sludge problem and you do a engine flush you can dislodge some sludge and it can clog the oil puck up as well as oil passages inside the engine.

 

The engine flush usually isn't gonna cause trouble unless there is so much sludge that it breaks off whereever and it fouls up the pickup tube. But the engine oil flush works well sold thru most places. Just follow the directions and have lots of oil on hand.

Usually the vehicle comes in with the soft knocking from the pickup tube.

Although not changing the oil eventually wears out the bearings. The older the engine and the worse the sludge, Its only a matter of time.