New member first post! Glad to find a huge resource on rovers but totally bummed as to why i had to find you guys.

I have an 04 disco hse with 92000 miles, this morning while driving across town roughly 5 mins of drive time i noticed that my temp gauge was on the bottom peg. Thinking that there was an issue I stopped shut the car off and opened the hood. The engine compartment seem to be extremely hot yet the radiator hoses were cool to the touch. Left it to cool for two hours and came back. Upon trying to restart it would intermittently cough and sputter but never would start. Opening the hood again I found a slight amount of coolant between the cylinder head and engine at the gasket.

Being a pretty well mechanically inclined person i first thought blown head gasket but after some consideration I have not personally seen a head gasket blow towards the outside of the engine.

With all that said what are the odds that this is a head gasket only? My experience tells me that I am not that lucky. I know nothing about rovers specifically but have rebuilt many small block chevrolet engines as well as built motocross race engines.


Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks Chris

 

Radiator hoses cool and the temp gauge pegged at the bottom would lead me to believe the initial problem was a bad thermostat, being stuck and not letting coolant through, as for the truck now not starting and a path forward, that is for a more senior member to deduce.
Good luck.

 

is there any coolant in the expansion tank? sounds like you may have run it dry, if you have no coolant, the temp sensor won't have anything to take the temperature of. also nothing to run through and heat up the hoses.

 

The expansion tank was empty however I tested antifreeze two days ago and it was at correct level... I assumed I lost the coolant in the overheating process

 

Chris, STOP driving it and send me your number before additional damage is done, I'll call you right back.

 

There is a small line going from the radiator to the expansion tanks. take it of of the radiator with the cap off, engine cool and blow into it. If it is clogged chances are it is clogged at the little hole in the filler neck. That little hose clogged will prevent coolant flow and cause you to overheat. Alot of times this thing clogs at the expansion tank after a water pump, intake gasket or thermostat replacement where someone uses permatex or silicone to seal the gasket. it finds its way to that little hole and clogs it. this puts the expansion tank on a vacuum as the water pump tries to suck coolant but there is no vent tube. if coolant is pulled from the expansion tank that void needs to be filed. if the line is clogged, nothing can be pulled in through that little line and you lose circulation. I have pulled silicone from these before.