Hi all...New to Land Rovers as we own Jeeps but were given this Disco II.

So I live in Central FL and it got cold a couple wks ago and my wife had to use the heat. It worked fine but on her way to work she noticed steam coming from the tailpipe, a lot more when compare to other vehicles on the road that morning. She drove it home during lunch, 5-10 min drive, she noticed the thermostat going higher than normal.

So....I replaced the thermostat thinking it was sticking etc because there is no water in the oil or oil in the coolant...also the exhaust didn't smell sweet...Also, hooked up a scanner because the "check engine" was on...P0302, P1300 and P0304...misfires on 2 cylinders.

Thermostat arrived today, replaced it...removed the bleed screw, plugged the over flow tube on the coolant reservoir and filled until liquid came out of the bleed screw and replaced it.

Keeping the cap off of the coolant reservoir I started her up, turned the heat on high through the dash vents and let her warm up and watched the coolant level.

No heat still and also the coolant is just bubbling out of the reservoir, also excessive steam coming from the exhaust. The top radiator hoses get hot also...

I will say that this Disco sat for quite a bit so I figured that water could have built up in the cat producing the excess steam, but this only started after the cold day and never previously

Please help with troubleshooting etc...a big thanks a head of time...Patrick

 

Sorry for the bad news, I'd be looking at the head gaskets.

 

There's a $50 chemical test for combustion gas in coolant you can buy from parts store, will do over a dozen tests. Can confirm that exhaust is leaking into coolant. Can also confirm that it is not, after you make repairs.

HG repairs run $300 for parts, $200 for machine shop work to mill the heads back flat, 8 - 12 hours labor for a indy mechanic; two weekends and some nights in between for a rusty DIY. $1500 - $1700 indy, $2500 up at dealer.

Most HGs fail on front two or back two cylinders, because that is where the water channels are in/out of the head to block. The water in cylinder makes the misfire. But having water in a "middle" cylinder like #4 can also mean a cracked block that is oozing coolant up between the cylinder wall and the sleeve. Or it can just be head warped allowing it from adjacent cylinder. You do not want to run hot becuase sleeve(s) can break loose.

Since this problem started all at once, IMHO you are more likely to have garden variety head gasket problem. Not bad for a free Disco.

 

OK, so I'm going to rent the block test from auto zone and go from there. I want to make sure whatever caused the HG to go, if that turns out to be the issue, find it and fix it.

I have replaced the thermostat already. I know a clogged radiator etc could have caused the issue, how do I check this and what else should be checked?

If it turns out to be a HG issue, how can you tell if both need replaced without taking off both heads...or should they both be done...looks like from poking around the drivers side was done already cuz it looks really clean like it was machined...

Also I saw the comment about a possible cracked block, although I doubt this as the Disco was only hot for a couple minutes...but, I thought CYL 2 and CYL 4 were the front most cylinders on the passenger side of the engine...front being front of the car...?

 

Radiator can be removed and taken to an indy radiator shop for a flow test and clean out. That avoids driving the truck. But wait to do that until you have done the pressure test, if testing whole system. While you have cooling system apart, reverse flush the heater core.

When you say block tester, do you mean a coolant tester that tests the whole cooling system by pumping up with it's own air? Those you run up to 20 PSI, and leave to see where leak is coming, or if unseen, which cylinder it leaks into. A more complex system blocks off passages and just tests the block, at like 80 PSI, and can detect pin hole leaks.

There is also a green dye you can puchase to put in the coolant, flecks of it will show up on sparkplugs and in the cylinder. What you hope for is that it is just a head gasket, which could also have a warped head, that allowed coolant to get to middle cylinders. Obviously what is not good is if coolant is leaking between cylinder wall and sleeve (cracked block).

See https://landroverforums.com/forum/at...ing-layout-pdf

 

The bock test I was referring to was the one that test for exhaust gases in the cooling system...test from the radiator cap.

I guess what I want to know is which tests I should start with and which to go to next...I haven't done to much engine work other than on small engines, I have dropped a tranny and replaced, so this is a new one for me....but I'm doing it!!!

 

You are planning on a good test. The exhaust gas in coolant test is like $50, will confirm there is a problem, and there is enough material where it can be used to confirm that future repairs are working. May do over a dozen tests.

A coolant system test is a rental/loaner item from the parts store that pumps up air in the system to 20 PSI and you wait for leaks or leak down. Will also find leaks on hoses, tec.

A block pressure test normally is used to pressure test just the block or the head to see if there are pin hole leaks or cracks, with about 80 PSI of shop air. They basically squirt soapy water on and watch for bubbles, like a tire tube repair.

Lots of guys on here in the last six months have done HGs themselves, and they post photos and their trials and successes.

 

OK...So I will do the coolant pressure test and the exhaust gas test...then I will go from there and report back...