I have read the posts, but now its happening to me – my Disco is running hot. A few months ago I changed the power steering pump due to leaking. While there, replaced all the coolant hoses and the stock thermostat. I also purchased an OBDLink to reset an O2 censor code. I run the OBDLink now for better engine management and I have noticed that my engine temps are high. Typical running temps are from 208-215. When sitting, idling, temps go up to 218 and occasionally hit 220. I also losing a bit of coolant – about 1/2 of an overflow tank per every few weeks. At highway speeds, she seems to be losing power, like from about 40mph and upward it feels slushy. From 2007-2016 she was my daily driver. Since 2017 I parked her and only drove it a few hundred miles each summer. In June, I relocated back to the US and she became my daily driver again and we call Nashville home. Any thoughts? Time for an engine rebuild or LS swap? Perhaps there is a simpler and less costly repair that I am missing?

She is a 2004 SE7, 104k miles, Adriatic Blue metallic w/ Alpaca interior, very clean and very well maintained. Only upgrades are old-man emu shocks and stabilizer, new front prop shaft, everything stock/no modifications.

I have owned my Disco for 14 years, I am the second owner, had about 30k miles when purchased. I have taken her around the world – living in Moldova, we have taken her camping in rural Romania and Ukraine, unpaved paths all over the Ukraine-Moldova-Romania region, then to Africa, to Malawi where we safaried several times to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Then to Israel where we explored Israel from north to south and traveled all through Jordan. She means a lot to me and I want to keep her but she seems to be getting less reliable.

 

208 is way too hot! You mention you replaced all the coolant hoses and the t-stat. What did you replace the T-stat with? Highly recommend you replace it with the 180* degree thermostat to get those temps down:
https://www.roverparts.com/engine-co...ats/PEL500110/
My '04 D2 (184k) with a 180 thermostat never goes above 203 sitting in traffic at idle, and generally runs at 188.6* Your coolant leak may just be a loose clamp as you replaced the hoses. There is a lot of maintenance to be done at 100k. Atlantic British has full set of maintenance schedules for it's customers at no charge.

 

I'd start with the Extinct inline mod. As matt said a small amount of coolant missing could be all sorts of things. If temps are normal after a verified t-stat are in and bled properly then can probably rule out the radiator. I'd check weep hole on the water pump and throttle body heater first for leaks and work my way back to the expansion tank and check it for leaks.

 

New 180 degree thermostat ordered, will post update later this week.

Disco and kids on safari in Zambia.

 

208 is NOT "WAY TOO HOT." Yeah it is comparatively... but for these engines that is what the stock setup was dialed in for.

My guess is you have air in the cooling system from an incomplete bleed leading to part of the problem but the losing coolant is a whole other issue, that in and of itself will not cause your temps to rise like this.

So yeah you do have something else going on.

Too early to say whether you need a new engine at 104k miles but I doubt it. Possible but at this stage to early to tell.

At the very least you are due for head gaskets... Which you don't mention... It might be time.

 

Good points by all above but start simple

Thermostat - spend the money and replace it, the Inline mode is a good choice as you know exactly what you are getting. A black 180 TDI or the grey soft spring 180 works well as well.

Throttle body heater those things leak all the time check your drivers side valve cover, that sound like the right amount of loss for that.

If you got a stock 04 thermostat you may have a 190, which means your temps are normal for that thermostat

 

Yeah, also want to echo that 208 is 100% NOT way too hot. If ambient temps are north of 95, the a/c is running (usually is at that temp), and the car is under load (like uphill highways), I'll often see 210-220. 208 temps happen. We live in Monterey, CA, which is a daily 65 degrees, and on days like that, the disco is always running at 185-188-194, 199 at stops. This is for both our 2002 and 2004, which both have brand new, ridiculously well-maintained cooling systems.

So no, 208 is not too hot. I think if you read enough posts on these forums, you're made to believe that if your disco isn't running at 185, it's about to explode and die. That's simply not the case. There are so many external, literally, variables to consider when setting expectations for what a proper operating temp should be.

 

just sent ya a message. I'm in Nashville as well. right now I'm seeing 177-185 with my inline thermostat here with current temps, so it could definitely run cooler. the 180 thermostat will help a ton.

 

Inline for sure and don't throw it out due to a little thing like that. Especially with the history you have with it. I would guess the coolant loss (and temp rise) is related to the beginning of a head gasket issue or other leak in the system. You might be pressurizing the system and its losing coolant from the overflow and evaporating before leaving a puddle. Mine did that but it was a cracked reservoir tank. With 104k and the family history definitely worth having fixed. Then its ready for another 100k. If maintained well they do not get worse with age.

 

I love the photo with the kids and Disco on safari! That’s what these rigs are all about.