Once warmed up plug(s) is no longer fouled, power picks up, fuel is burned more compeletly, and less unburned fuel makes it back to the tail pipe. No sound of water rushing under the dash (exhaust gas in coolant)?

Might try a coolant pressure test, borrow/rent tester from auto parts store, pump up to 20 PSI and see if it will hold that for 30 minutes.

Now to annoy some members: consider head gasket stop leak. This material does stop very small leaks, sometimes for many miles. Normally used for crutch to get home on a long trip. If it does stop or diminish your problem, you know it was a leak, and you can collect your resources to eventually tackle the HG job. Meanwhile truck is drivable. You have a very small leak, if not loosing a lot of coolant, constant smoke, constant bubbles under dash, etc. Be aware that HG leak stop can gunk up a marginal radiator and/or thermostat. You might be a wrench turning tazmanian devil, or you might want to enjoy college football for the next few months....

 

After I 'smelled the tailpipe' I went to the passenger side floorboards and tied myself into a pretzel to get my ear as far north as I could (not a lovely task when your 6-3 and pushing 230 with bad knees ha ha) and heard to gushing. Again, another diagnostic I had picked up from this forum. If I considered the HG stop leak, and the power and idle smooth out, it would certainly dictate a HG job is in order, correct?? The Vols suck this year and Bama is out of the chase so I might as well work on the Rover!!

I have seen a post regarding necessary tools etc. for HG job for Disco I's, can anyone point me in that direction, I can't seem to locate... Rover's North, Rovah Farm, either of these vendors would have the necessary gaskets, head bolts, etc.??

 

You don't have to do yoga. You'll hear the water gushing just sitting in the seat, and when you accelerate. British Pacific, etc. You'll need a torque wrench and a three foot piece of pipe to slip over your breaker bar. In the RAVE see the "overhaul" manual section, it is under the "general" pdf directory.

Normal test for HG are:

Coolant pressure test - it leaks down, and can be seen coming out of head, or can't be seen at all (so it is going into the cylinders)

Coolant in oil (milky), or oil in coolant (yellow scum or floating blobs)

White smoke out exhaust, after warmed up (meaning it continues) [you have the less common start of a problem but noticed it leak]

Exhaust gas in coolant (a chemical test that is about $50 from auto parts store looks for that) - but won't catch it if leak is going into oil, etc.

So while there are tests for this that can confirm it, the fact that coolant is going away, and not on the floor, is a strong indicator. Don't rule out a water pump leaking when turning, so testing over cardboard while at idle for 30 minutes might show a leak.

The stop leak stuff may plug off a leak just about anywhere, but it may not last forever. But all in all, an HG job is a good 10 -15 hours for most mechanics. Of course, plan on another $200 of machine shop work to mill the heads down to flat again, if needed. You also get to perk up the valves, install new valve seals. You can stop at that point, and decide later to take off the front cover and do timing chain and oil pump. Water pump can be done any day. If you were wanting to do a ring job, might consider that while heads are off. Remember, RAVE stands for Rovers A'nt Very Economical....

 

Never put stop leak in a Rover unless you want some huge expenses afterwards. If you have a leaking gasket do it right and don't look back.

 

Buzz your a book knowledge. Thanks for the input and advice...Going to clean, inspect, etc. etc. this weekend and start the ball rolling...I will have your PM on 'speed dial' when this process starts...

 

Thanks Mike. I agree just wanted to cover the bases of what if's and move forward, for what I paid for it ($1200 and its still running), I have already saved enough to get HG kit...

 

And IMHO, the stop leak is only something that is done as a bandaid, knowing you will be doing more in the near future. But on a D1, that can mean getting a $600 radiator replaced or rodded out. Or if too much blockage, overheat engine more.

 

well now Im concerned... my 03 Disco SE with 84k has been throwing codes Ive posted before but some Im pretty sure Ive solved exceppt random misfire anywhere on engine form time to time..

The passenger side of engine always at startup sounds like exhaust leak but goes away after warmup... initial first few minutes its slightly not smooth idle.. seems to have gotten better though lately however, I do hear swishing around under dash like waterfall occasionally but does not change when accelerating if anything it gets less .. was figuring Id be changing fluid anyway and new thermostat is sitting here in my hand... I was going to switch to rotella T6 and do radiator flush with green stuff ( still no answer on best brand from my other posts ) lol anyway.. I have all the parts now chipping away at my issues... one thing I noticed a couple of times on startup was a small blast of black water out tailpipe on startup( no radiator sweetness smelled... cleaned up nicely with simple green on the white parking bumpers...lol at my condo... I have smelt radiator sweetness from vent once.. maybe twice... anyway it seems to get good gas milage and all the little things Ive done make it just a little better... after this A/C job from whining compressor IM doing tomorrow if time, then Ill drain coolant... when I changed oil when purchased there was no milky substance anywhere and still no condensation inside valve cover... still slightly non smooth idle ..

 

Another piece of the puzzle - exhaust leak at idle, warms up, goes away - you may find a leak at the flange from manifold to down pipe. When engine is cold, crank it and feel "near" and around that spot, metal will be cold but blast of hot exhaust may come out, usually leaves a black stain on the joint at that spot. I did the SeaFoam induction cleaning and it was pouring out of one of mine.

Another point - on a D2 you may have the SAI system, it runs for a short time at cold startup, and problems with it could make rough running for short period.

Radiator smell inside could be leak in heater core area. On a D2 the heater core has coolant running through it 100% of the time truck is cranked up, even if heat is off.

 

hmm... well Ive kind if suspected an exhaust leak sounds exactly like one, but can't seem to see it... ill really get down there and look... also when I bought truck I did see a little leakage of fluid at overflow tube going back into overflow tank ( leak by top of radiator and also one at that intake heater area that always leaks... the previous repair person used a zip tie instead of hose clamp... maybe some air got in somehow...