Well, finally was able to get started with the intake removal per RAVE CD (have a manifold gasket leak causing lean issues). Ran into a problem when I got to the SAI valve removal - when I tried to unscrew the union nut, the corrugated piping was twisting with the nut. Before breaking the pipe, I stopped.

Any advice? I have read that there is a smaller nut behind the union nut that I can hold while turning the nut, but seems the pipe just still turns with it...

Also, the RAVE manual does not mention the hard piped coolant connection clamp that also needs to be removed for the SAI can come off those two passenger side bolts on intake manifold...hard pipe coolant line enters the lower manifold and is clamped to upper manifold, so how do you remove the clamp from the upper manifold??

Any advice? I called a local Indy Land Rover guy and he wants $1200 to do the work....

2002 Discovery II w /SAI and 118K miles

 

My son and I just went through this step replacing the original plugs and wire on a 03 Discovery with 121,000 miles we purchased this past July.

We use a 18mm crows foot wrench on the block tube (similar to the picture but more like a traditional wrench). The pipe is twisting because there is NOT sufficient torque on the block tube. The block tube most likely came lose (this happen to us) and is twisting when loosening the nut.

I almost gave up until we did the crows foot on the block tube.

I was talking to our mechanic and he show us a 12pt flare nut crows (I know the picture is a six point) and that should work even better on the SAI union nut than the adjustable wrench.

FYI - we just finished the recommended high mileage recommendation by Disco Mike and not two days go by when we get SES light with code P1170. Four new O2 sensors next week.

This truck is a real test of patience

 

Borchera,

Cool thanks... I can purchase two crows feet for both the block tube and SAI Union nut.

Did you have SAI? How did you get the coolant pipe clamps disconnected from the manifold bolts? This clamp is in front of the SAI bracket, so it needs to be removed first...

 

Dear John,

Our 2003 has SAI and this was the hardest part of the job as our truck had the original plugs and wires and the SAI nuts were frozen. We used lots of liquid wrench.

When we put the SAI back on, we coated the treads of the SAI nut and the pipe flare where the nut hold the tube with copper high temp anti seize Rave states to use oil). I used the copper because I have original head gaskets and want to be sure the SAIs comes off.

I should have also used two crows foots because the adjustable wrench barely fit in the space to turn on the SAI union nut.

Our truck did not have the coolant pipe anchored to the manifold. The heater pipes were tied together by a bracket with one bolt through top and an ear below the bracket that attached to the SAI bracket. Once the bolt at the bracket was removed I could move the heater lines out the way. I put back together the heater pipe behind the SAI bracket (by accident).

Sears has the crows foot and the flare nut but both are in sets. My limited history with Land Rover has taught me to NOT let your truck sense any fear.

2003 Discovery 121,000 miles - High Miles service complete!

 

Or, send me your number and I'll walk you thru replacing the wires without removing the intake.
Who's wires are you installing?

 

Mike, PM sent.

The back coolant pipe ear support is on the front side of the SAI Bracket and would need to removed first, and connects into the manifold, and doesn't seem to be flexible enough to back out off the manifold studs that hold the SAI bracket.

I can try to disconnect that bolt that connects the two coolant pipes and see if the back one will move off the bracket stud.

 

I also remember the stud fastening the SAI bracket to the intake on the passenger side came out with the nut. If you can remove the SAI bracket stud and the upper heating pipe bracket bolt, you should have sufficient play to remove the SAI tubes. The SAI tubes also need to be disconnected from the head.

I tried every possible method to get the wires on without removal of the upper plenum but I could not route our Magnecor wires or get them to snap on the coils.

Removing the upper plenum allowed us to to also replaced the rocker cover gaskets (my son painted them Defender blue). Those rocker cover bolts came out by hand and the covers were loose. No wonder the bell housing was covered in oil. We took Disco Mike's suggestion and tighten the new rocker cover bolts to 10nm and we applied a touch of blue locktite.

If you replace the rocker cover gaskets be very careful of the metal crush rings in the old gaskets. They will separate from the old gasket and drop into the engine. We lifted one side at time with a magnet on the bolts to keep the crush rings from falling.

If we were to do this again I believe I would also remove the bonnet per Rave as our windscreen air intake was cracked when we bought the vehicle and I made it worst pushing on it.


2003 Discovery with High Miles Service Complete.

 

After reading the RAVE manifold again (duh), it looks like the passenger side SAI Valve Bracket and associated hard pipes do NOT need to come off - looks like just the drivers side gets removed. Manifold comes up off dowels and slides out toward drivers side, and out from under that bracket...

OK, now that its 20 degrees cooler (I was working in a 95 degree plus garage yesterday), I will give it another go...

 

OK...started at 4pm and finished up 8 hours later at midnight. Since the drivers side SAI valve was corrugated, I just pushed it out of the way and did not disconnect it. Had my wife help me lower the intake through the passenger side SAI braket, and under the coil support when I was done with all the fixes...what a PITA!

The fixes: New 8mm Kingsbourne (?) wires, new upper air intake gasket, tightened valve covers (really loose) and used LOCKTITE on the bolts, and also tightened the lower manifold bolts too (although not too loose). Also put some dielectric grease on all connectors (injector, coil, etc). I also replaced some of the worn and brittle plastic harness looms covers while I was in there...

Man, what a project...this really pushed my comfort level. But its done...The truck runs pretty nice, starts real quick, and seems like it has a little more power, and idles smooth. ...

Also found a red carb cleaner cap rolling around on top of the valley pan from previous owner...I couldn't get to it....

Best thing is NO P0171 / P0174 CODES after a 10- 15 mile drive...I will wait a few hundred miles before I celebrate tho...

Yehaw! Its done!

 

Not being able to leave well enough alone...the valve covers - both vent to the manifold downstream of the MAF (PCV and breather hose), and can to let un-metered air into manifold, and they were COMPLETELY loose.

Could this be the cause of lean code P0171 / P0174?

And the annoying tick seems to be gone...

Isn't this just too obvious? From what I have read, these valve covers all get real loose....