Hey guys, just bought my Rover two weeks ago. It started to heat up on me this past weekend, so I went in and changed the thermostat and checked the coolant (it was low). I've been watching it closely and noticed its going somewhere, doesn't show up on the ground or in the oil. Today I checked it and looked at my valve cover on the drivers side, there's coolant leaking onto it. Any ideas on what gasket this would be?

 

1. It has been overheating for a while possibly. The heat gauge is programmed digitally to show 50% from 130 - 240F. Only a scanner or Ultra Gauge can show you real temps. Which should be 180-200. At 212 the electric cooling fan should come on.

2. There is a throttle body heater that can be byassed in warm weather while you wait on the $25 repair parts. Number 5 on drawing. It keeps throttle from icing up in open position, which is no fun down hill from the mountain top.

3. That lovely orange color looks like Dexcool, it should be flushed out and replaced with green 50/50 premix. Dexcool becomes contaminated, and forms sludge, etc. You can test radiator for sludge by using an IR thermometer, measure temp on the fins top to bottom, in vertical line, after warmed up, engine off. If more than 10F spread, lower rows could be clogged.

4. The shop manual and owner manual set is called the RAVE, free download link below.

 

So fix that leak first. Do you know how to bleed the cooling system of air? Do that and then do a coolant pressure test to verify a coolant leak.

 

Ya, I figured it had been leaking there before but hadn't seen any fresh coolant until now. I haven't flushed the coolant yet, but I've used probably 2 gallons of the green 50/50 when I bled the system after it overheated and after I changed the t/stat (used the 180F one).

1. Plan on pressure testing it this weekend, I'm in college so I don't have much time during the week.

2. Ordered the Ultragauge Tuesday so hopefully it'll get here tomorrow.

3. So bypassing the throttle body heater will fix the leak? Is that the gasket that would be bad?

I had a D2 before and did the lower intake gasket on it, so I wasn't sure if it was one of the intake gaskets going bad. I'd never seen coolant leak onto the valve covers. Thanks for info, this forum's a massive help!

 

No it does not fix the leak.You bypas it so you can drive the disco while waiting for UPS to bring replacement parts(or like I did leave it bypassed).

 

Ok, I looked at the gasket and seems to be fine. The edges of the throttle body heater are clean. I think it's coming from one of the hoses going into the heater. I'm assuming its just clogged since Dexcool gums up everything. I'm gonna try and clear it out tomorrow.

 

Many parts stores will rent/loan a pressure tester. Pump up the pressure to 15 pis, and leave for 30 minutes. Leak will usually show up. Cap vents at 18 psi, so no need to pump up high, and certainly don't use shop air (90 - 140 psi).