Hi all,

I have a 2002 Disco SE, 117,000 miles. I've had it for about 2 years now.

Over the last few months, I've noticed the coolant was a little low every month or so. I never saw any signs of a leak, and I don't drive it much, so I have just been topping it off and going on.

Yesterday I was about 2 minutes from home and stopped at the store, when I got out I heard sizzling coming from underneath, got out and looked, coolant was dripping onto the exhaust pipe, drivers side (LHD).

I took it straight home, and approaching my house there were several loud 'pops' (I'm thinking exhaust leaking/forcing water out of the leak) and the temp gauge went up (no warning light, but enough to scare me and park it two houses away), when I got out there was plenty of steam, but it was dark so I couldnt investigate.

This morning I filled it with just water to see where the leak was, I didnt even need to start it, once filled the water was pouring out on it's own, I couldn't tell the absolute exact location, but it's on the drivers side, right in front of the firewall, and at about head gasket height. I didnt have a mirror to see the exact location, but as far as I know there's nothing else in that area that could be leaking coolant, I checked the heater lines just to make sure it wasn't dripping and travelling to the other side, and (unfortunately) the heater lines are fine.

There have never been, nor are there now, any signs of coolant in the oil, or oil in the coolant.

So, I'm 99.9% sure I'll be replacing the head gasket myself.

I'm pretty good with a wrench, but all my experience is with motorcycles and old cars. All the gear on this engine intimidates me a bit. I have a RAVE manual, and a solid set of tools.

My questions for the experts are:

1. Did I miss anything, or am I (most likely) correct in assuming head gasket?
2. Other than sheer intimidation, is there anything I should be worried about on this job? (I know to have the head inspected for damage/warpage)
3. If I'm replacing one side, is there any reason not to do the other while I'm in there?
4. Is there anything else I should be doing/replacing while I have it apart? (117,000miles)


Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

1.) Get a mirror back there. Just to be sure. But you're probably correct.

2.) Don't let this motor intimidate you. Once you take the intake manifold off, it looks like a 60's or 70's pickup truck. Since you've done work on old stuff, this thing will look completely familiar to you under the intake, other than the fuel injectors and rail.

3.) At your mileage, you want to do both. While you're in there.

4.) The throttle body heater plate and gasket. And get the heads decked if they need it, and you probably want to do the valve guide seals while they are off. And you may as well order the two plastic lines from the coolant reservoir now before you break them. Once goes to the throttle body heater, and the other across and under the fan shroud on top of the radiator. They are undoubtedly brittle by now, and will crack when you look at them wrong. They are also not expensive.

 

P.S. I have searched, and read DiscoMikes "A "MUST Read For Anyone Repairing Either a Head Gasket or Valve Train Noise. " I have also read that the water pump and serp belt should be replaced at this point. My serp belt only has 2,000 miles on it, so I will likely re-use it. Water pump will likely be replaced.

 

Yes, your water pump is definitely a "while you're in there" if you don't know the age of it. Get the OEM one. Yes, it costs almost twice as much. Just get it.

 

Thanks Daryl!

I've already read a few posts here about OEM vs. cheaper water pumps, and will be going with OEM.


As for parts, is there a site you would recommended specifically for:
Head gasket set
Head bolts
TB plate and gasket
Plastic lines to coolant res.
Valve stem oil seals

(I searched for 'parts online' and the last thread I found was from 2009)

Thanks again!

 

Everyone has their favorites. I tend to get my stuff from roverparts.com (Atlantic British) because their ground shipping makes it to me the next day.

Quick edit: AB has a head gasket "set" that includes the valve guide seals, exhaust manifold gaskets, throttle body heater plate and gasket, the upper and lower intake manifold gaskets, the gasket that goes between the pieces of the intake (not required to remove for a HG job, but might as well place it while its off), etc that is really convenient.

 

Looking at AB now,

The kit without head bolts specifically says it fits Disco2s Discovery II Head Gasket Kit - Land Rover Discovery Parts And Accessories At Atlantic British

The kit WITH head bolts does NOT list Disco2s in the fitment, although it seems to be the same part number with the addition of an 'H'.
Land Rover Head Gasket Set - Complete Gasket Kit For Land Rover Vehicles

I'll shoot them an email just in case, but do you have any experience with that?

Thanks again!

EDIT: Just noticed the kit with head bolts does not include the TBH kit.

 

I've used the first kit and ordered bolt separately. No experience with the second.

 

Well it only took 7 weekends, 4 of which I only had ONE day of the weekend free to work on it, so it was 10 actual days of working on it. Hours varied between 3 and 10 per day, usually close to 6 hours. Looking back I wish I tracked the actual hours.

The heads were warped and had to be machined .008". The water pump was replaced. I replaced every gasket I could find in the process, but still ended up with a little bag of extra gaskets, o-rings, and thick rubber washers that I couldn't find a spot for. (I did replace all injector o-rings)

I borrowed a fan clutch wrench set from a local auto parts store. The fan was rough getting out, I couldn't secure the pulley enough to put enough force on the wrench. I ended up just tapping the wrench with a hammer, and the impact was enough to break it free quite easily.

I mis-read the RAVE (I blame beer) and tried to torque the PAS pump bolts to the setting required for the housing...(thirty something instead of 16) one snapped, the other just stretched, but I was able to find replacements same day. The snapped bolt was sticking out of the housing about 1/8th of an inch and I was able to just barely grab it with vise-grips and twist it out of the back of the housing.

I drove it around a little last night when I finished, topped up a little bit of PSF, and a little coolant. No leaks, no warning lights, no puddles this morning.

There's a slight hum to the engine that I don't *think* was there before. I can only hear it at idle, or very low acceleration with the windows down. The best I can tell is that it's the brand new belt I put in. Does that sound reasonable at all?

All in all I'm thrilled with the job, and soooo happy to be back in my rover!

The whole project ended up at about $700, ($300 for gaskets, head bolts and hard plastic coolant lines, $100 for machining the heads, $25 for thermostat, $150 for water pump, and about $100 for oil, coolant, PSF, filters, a 12pt. 8mm deep socket, and misc. stuff) a far cry from the $2500 a local shop wanted, or the $3800 I heard LR dealers charge (I didn't bother to call a dealer to check).

Thanks again for your advice DarylJ!