A chemical test will show if you have a combustion leak; a compression test will show you where you have a leak.

 

So which one would be better to do first given my situation. Would it be possible to do a hillbilly compression test ie hold thumb over empty spark plug hole and turn motor over. I know this works well on 2 strokes. Depending on which cylinder has loss of compression would tell me where the leak is? It seems most common for cylinder 1 to misfire based on what I have read from other threads due to coolant getting into the cylinder. could someone explain how a chemical test is performed

 

A dye is added to your coolant, and if the color of your coolant does not change significantly in the sample tube, it means the coolant contains exhaust gas. My mechanic performed this test with his shop's equipment, so I can't help you with the actual steps of the test itself. I understand a kit can be purchased for around $50 at your typical parts supply house, and I imagine you follow the instructions that come with the kit.

While I really understand what it means to save money, I can only recommend having a professional pressure test done on the cylinders. Guesswork or less than thorough diagnostics do not seem to yield the kind of accuracy you really need with a Land Rover, and even then it sometimes gets tricky ferreting out the real cause behind your problem. It may not be what you want to hear but it is Rover reality. These all aluminum engines can go bad quickly with just one 'minor' problem that goes unnoticed or ignored for too long.

 

Well starting to think I have combustion leak nobody carries chemical test up here so I'll have to order one. A combstion leak is due to head gaskets I assume but still nothing in oil are they separate parts of the gasket? Probobly not something you can do yourself. Any idea what its going to cost? Should I take it to the dealer or can a competent mechanic handle the job. Anyone do this at home? I know you should get the heads machined and I have a friend who could do that. Does the motor have to be removed or can it be done with motor still in? Guess I'll look at blown head gasket threads anymore info could be helpful thanx

 

Your closest dealer is here in Grand Rapids.
A woman just did the head gaskets on her Disco in a week with the forums help, she worked on it after she got home from work.
If you start on Fri and work all weekend you can drive it to work on Mon.
Doing it yourself will cost you ~$500.
Having a mechanic do it, ~$1500.
Having the dealer do it, ~$3500.

ALL thermostats work on coolant temp, once it reaches 196*F it opens, once it cools below that it closes, and so on the cycle goes.
If the t-stat is bad it can stick open, closed or half way.
Sticks closed you overheat.
Sticks open you run to cold and your MPG drops and your heater does not work and you can damage the engine.
Repair the throttle body heater leak, that is the 2 hoses that went to the air intake, you live in a very humid climate and in the winter time with no throttle body heater you run the risk of your throttle freezing open while driving.
Imagine trying to stop at M-37 and Airport Rd after coming down the hill with your throttle stuck open.
Rent a compression tester from AutoZone and keep track on the numbers and get them to us.

 

I bought a dial compression tester from O'Reilly's for like under $30.
See if you can get something like that....

 

Well thats incouraging I think I could probably handle doing it myself. Would a compression test tell me if I have combustion leak because there is definately no coolent in my cylinders truck still runs great I have blown heads before not pretty. I think if the heads are blown its still minor. Its odd that I only put 180 miles on it before overheating problem before that ran great stayed cool and the heat was hot. Is it possible had head problem when I bought it and it just didn't rear its ugly head till now. Could air in the system cause overheating problem checked coolant level before started having problems looked low took cap off and it gurgled back up to normal level put cap back on drove home no problem sat for a couple days next time we took it out 5 miles before started having problems just trying to understand what I did and how to not do it anymore. Is there a sevice manual for these better than chiltons or haynes book probably should invest in something of the sort.

 

Air in the system definitely causes overheating because an air pocket blocks the flow of coolant.
The factory service manual is on a CD known as "Rave"; here is how to get it: To Download the RAVE Manual, follow this link http://www.landroverresource.com/

 

Is it possible that when I checked the coolant level I let a bunch of air in the system would that cause the t-stat to stay closed and resemble the symtoms of exaust in the coolant?

 

My internet sucks at home livin in the sticks can't download that link would take forever can anyone give me a rundown on bleeding the system cant find bleeder valve can't find "sticky" don't really know what that is to be honest