Hi. new to forum. New to LR discovery. I just bought a 98 discovery LSE for $1400. Everything was in nice shape and 99% of the electrics worked. Based on white smoke at startup and recent new radiator, I assumed head gasket failure and probable replacement cost about 1k. 160k miles. Anyway, I went for it. I've been driving it a bit and it runs pretty well. Solid idle. No stalling. It makes white smoke at startup and dribbles out a watery liquid. The coolant is clean and there is no milkiness on the dipstick. The engine does not overheat, even when left running stationary. Check Engine light stays illuminated always and the prior owner told me he was told it needed 02 sensors replaced and this was causing the check engine light.

Question: Should I just keep driving it and replace the o2 sensors or can I damage the engine if it has bad gasket even if it never overheats. Am I overreacting to white smoke.?

Thanks for any response.

 

What is the code? Go to your local AZ and they'll read them for you. As for damage, running with bad o2's will damage your cats, they're not cheap. As for liquid coming out of the exhaust, is it clear? If so it's condensation.

 

Get yourself a code reader and download the RAVE.

 

1. Free code read., post those, and we'll point you in several directions.

2. Heat gauge is a slow moving average. If it gets above 9:00 you could be way overheating. If you can get a scanner (which reads live data) or an ultra gauge (which reads data and codes and displays) you could keep an eye on how things are progressing.

3. Depending on temp maxxing gauge out is a poor choice, better to be sure.

4. Any bubbles rushing by sound under the dash? Any coolant loss?

 

An understatement if there ever was........


Nice snag on an LSE by the way. Rarely they sell for under 2k. Go to Amazon to get O2's if in fact that is what you need....... (Thank you Tom.)

 

The white smoke might be, might be, valve stem seals.......but we'll see.

 

White smoke is water or coolant, not valve seals.
On your next cold start, run around and smell the white smoke, if it smells like sweet then it is head gaskets, if not that is normal condensation.
Get your codes read and get back to us with the 3 or 4 digit fault code numbers.
With your mileage you should do my major service listed on a sticky at the top of this section, and do it all.
At your mileage, you are ready for a timing chain set and a new oil pump also.

 

re: An understatement if there ever was........

Murphy's Law is a multi-volume set....

 

Thanks everyone for the replies. I will get a code reader and get a better look at everything this weekend. I'll post the codes. Thanks for the point toward RAVE and the high mileage major service. BTW drove the truck for a few hours and i'm really liking it so far. Side question: next to the front fog lamp button near the digital clock there is another button that looks like a highway with an overpass across it. What is this? can post photo if my description is unclear.

Thanks

 

Cruise control master power switch.