So by all means I am not a full time mechanic, but I have been wrenching on my own stuff for at least a decade... And I decided to tackle the task of changing out my valve cover gaskets and front cover gasket since it appears they are leaking pretty bad on my 2003 Discovery II.

Anyone have any heads ups they could share with me...?

So far all I removed is the belt, AC Compressor (to the side) and started on the power steering bracket. It is loose and ready to pull off however one stud is causing the fan to be in my way....??

Is there a special tool to remove the fan or something...???

Thanks for any input. It is much appreciated.

Edit:

Some internet searching and I found this:



Man there's heaps of info on the net for what I'm asking. Sorry guys.

 

I use this.

Craftsman 47378 3pc Fan Clutch Wrench Pulley Holder Set | eBay

 

I would take a look at the oil pump while your front cover is off.

 

Yes sir. Is it as easy as simply swapping in a new one...? If so, might as well change it just to be safe. I do have the notorious ticking.

Fan removal super easy after this video:

 

My son and I are going to do the same thing, soon. We have purchased new timing gears and chain, also oil pump. These two things are easily changed while cover is off. There have been problems with some of the oil pumps on our 03's, so definitely check it out.

 

I have just replaced the Valve Cover gaskets on my 99. The only thing I would like to add is to please be sure to order new retaining bolts as they come with O rings to help seal the cover and make sure to get the genuine Land Rove Valve Cover seals. They are rubber and have steel sleeves for the bolts. They are all available and cheap on ebay.


And remember, the torque wrench is your best friend to prevent leaks in the future. Too much pressure will cause a leak just as fast as too little.

 

Thank you for the responses... So I finally dove in fully & it wasn't bad at all. Removing the fan was the hardest part which was EASILY solved once I came in from the garage and jumped on the computer. 😄 The oil pump looked fine so I left it... I did replace the timing chain and gears since it was kinda sloppy on the drivers side. I also tried to clean up everything as best as I could so if it continues I could better identify where it's coming from. This oil leak must of been happening for quite some time w the previous owner bc the build up was THICK. I changed all the wiring loom as well being they were very brittle and crumbling. Inside of the valve covers looked HORRIBLE w funky build up...??? Anyways, here's a few pics:

 

that was pretty bad, how lazy can people be

 

The new metal in the pictures is gorgeous!

 

Thanks Charlie, except you can't see the front cover not even a bit anymore...

So I disrupted one of the old AC lines bc it no longer blew cold air. Checked it for freon and system was dead. Gave it a quick charge and immediately spotted the leak on a line from the dryer to the drivers fender.

Also the auxiliary fan never kicked on...??? Gave it a shove w a screw driver and the blades felt VERY tight spinning wise. Checked the fuse and sure enough it was blown. Pulled the fan assembly and again, sure enough it was very tight / near locked up.

At least she started right back up on the first blip of the key.

Ticking is still there though. I put Rotella 15W-40 and a Mobil1 Filter like somewhere on this site suggested. Oil gears are not cracked and flex plate seemed fine when we had the pan down. My father (life long diesel mechanic) says lifters sound sticky bc when I go to above 1500 + rpms ticking gets quieter, which is helped by the higher oil psi. I asked him are you sure the ticking isn't just getting drowned out by the engine noise @ higher rpms (learned that here) & he says No. Inside the valve covers was DISGUSTING.

He's telling me to put a half a quart of ATF in the oil to help clean things out but I wanted to check here first before doing so...???