Hi,
I'm new to the forum, but have always used it to learn about my Rover. I truly appreciate all the users that add information to this place. It's invaluable.

http://rawrgv.com/images/2013/05/15/549873427_1.jpg

I have a 1999 Land Rover Discovery I SD. I've owned it since 2004 and have not had many vehicle failures until the past few years. Alternator, power steering, window motors, door seal etc. After I hit 150k miles I noticed increasing money and time to maintain her abit, but nothing I couldn't usually handle.

Last weekend on the drive out to the lake. I noticed it was running abit warm. I stopped and checked my coolant levels and was abit low. I added coolant/water and continued to the lake. Upon arrival I noticed white vapor puffing from the exhaust. Oh no I thought, there is no way that quick moment of heat failed a head gasket or worse caused a head to crack could it?!

I checked my oil and the oil was clean. No water.

I checked my coolant. It was abit low again.

I've looked into near the head gasket and see the exhaust near the heads steam abit on the driver side head gasket area.

I've read in the forum about the head gasket's failing on the Landrover Discovery.

My question is to the forum.. What should I do? I am a young driver and my dad and I have a medium sized shop which we do can do basic maintenance out of. He told me. "We are not about to attempt changing a head gasket. I'm out." So... I do have a job and can pay a mechanic I know who is usually decent at pricing but he said it would be around

1,500 - 1,800 for the repairs if things work out inside.

I'm looking online and seeing a 2004 with half the miles mine has for 3,200. So for that price I could almost buy a whole new Rover.. So my question is...

What should I do? Is she worth fixing? I love my Land Rover... But I just don't know what the best coarse of action would be. I don't even know how to get rid of a broken Land Rover if that were best...

Any insight into what to do would be GREATLY appreciated guys. Thank you.

 

The head gasket job has been done by many members, $300 in parts, $200 for machine shop to plane the heads and install valve seals that come with the parts kit, two weekends with the wrench and a breaker bar.

If you buy a whole new one it can have whole new or similar problems.

The running a bit warm is the issue. Note the engine gauge position and the actual coolant temp. Rover gauges are famous for failing to tell you what is happening until too late. A scanner or OBDII Ultra Gauge is a great item for getting an early warning on this.

You may be able to put in a 180 thermostat and run your block slightly cooler so maybe the gasket does not open up, or KSeal or Irontite treatment may buy you some time.

 

Tell your dad to suck it up! See if there's a local Rover club to you, TREC I think is a TN based club. Anyways, it will only take two weekends if you havea bunch of downtime due to the heads getting milled. And even then it shouldn't be two weekends, it should be 2 days total. I've done a HG start to finish in 12 hrs(had new heads ready to go). Its not that hard. Follow the RAVE. Seach here and other forums for tips. The most important thing it to thoroughly clean the area around the head bolts before trying to remove them. Then make sure the socket sits completely flush on the bolt head, use a 6pt not a 12pt socket. Retorque the NEW head bolts carefully. Torque each one initially to spec, then mark a line on the haed of each bolt with a paint pen. Turn each bolt 90*, then go back and turn them another 90*. Torque the head bolts in the proper sequence.

 

$300 for parts? I've seen the kits for 150-180 which I know does not include head bolts. Replacement hoses for back? What else is adding into the $300? Going to do plug wires also while I'm doing mine. So thats an added expense.

 

Thanks alot for the advice guys. I'm going to start making some small moves and keeping researching the troubleshoot process. I guess my first basic steps are going to be:

@Savannah Buzz
I'm first going to flush the coolant system
then try something temporary like the Kseal,

and then replace the thermostat with the
MOTORAD 439-180 Thermostat
Motorad 439 180 Thermostat | eBay

This fails I'm going to have it pressure tested, then buy a gasket kit for it, take a chance and take my time..

I hate to see the old Disco out of commission.

 

THought you said this was a Discovery 1 - it won't have that three hole thermostat, it will have a less than $10 one like a Chevy. As for HG work, don't re-use bolts.

 

A 2004 with 75k mi for $3200 has something wrong with it.

If it does not, you should buy it regardless of what happens with the D1

 

Your on an enthusiast site so you know my answer, keep it if you still want a rover. You know the vehicles history, what has been replaced, what's likely to go next and if you beat on it or not. Also, once you do the heads you'll be good to go for another 150k, hopefully. If you buy another $3000 disco you'll likely have to spend another $1k fixing the things your current one has already done.

 

Changing a head gasket is not as big a job as you think. Don't be scared!

 

Yeah this.

There are a few single bolts to remove, a few pairs of bolts, and then a few sets of bolts. Label all the connectors and hoses as you remove them 100 Piece 4" Identification Cable Ties.

Then just clean and put it all back together. Just be careful and patient the first time. When youre done, you'll feel you could do it in a day or two next time.