So poor old Bertha hasn't been used much during the pandemic. Neither vehicle has been really. I've been starting her up every day or so and taking her for a drive around the neighborhood. A few days ago I ran outside and started her up just fine but there was a horrible screeching noise noise coming from under the hood. I figured it was the Serpentine belt or a tensioner/pulley, etc. parked her up and called the mechanic. She is due for maintenance that, I believe, is beyond my mechanical aptitude.

I wasn't too alarmed (thinking it was just the belt, etc.) until I saw smoke coming up from behind the back of the engine Never a good sign, and not wanting to assume 'it's just oil burning off the exhaust', there she sits until she can be seen to in 2 weeks time.

I know that the issue could be a multitude of things - but anyone care to make an educated guess as to what could be causing the screeching/smoke? Fluids are topped up, it has been cold here lately, etc.

TIA,

Christina

 

If the smoke was blue oil, white smoke is coolant. Screech could just be a damp serpentine belt,although that is more of a squeal

 

Thanks Richard! It's white smoke. I guess the noise could be described as a squeal as well. It makes sense if I have a coolant leak, making the belt wet. I'll poke around some more and see if I can find the source.

Christina

 

Probably would be best to start it with hood open and watch belt and pulleys. Just stand back and maybe wear safety glasses...increase the belt lets loose. Could also be coolant on the belt, maybe rubbed through hose?

Hope it's nothing serious.

Brian.

 

Thanks Brian I've done that twice in the past few days. The 'smoke' is what made me shut it down. God I hope it's not head gaskets but could be time again. 8 years this fall. I completely forgot about 'smoke' from coolant until Richard mentioned it. How could I ever forget the white plume that took over the Rover when my throttle body gasket decided to blow on the highway years ago? haha.

I'm over it really. Nothing seems to faze me anymore when it comes to the Rover. I know that sounds bad but I think, if anything, it has made me tougher. I seriously would break down and cry when my Rover had issues before... (don't laugh). Now it's just a matter of 'ok... so what is wrong now'? Maybe it has made me mature over the years? Who knows...

....and I'm so over people telling me to sell it

Hope you and the Mrs. are doing well!!

Christina

 

Yeah, you would expect white smoke, if a coolant leak happen on a hot engine, especially at road speed, or a head gasket on start up (but that white smoke would be exiting the exhaust pipe). But, to get smoke and a screeching noise on start up...under the engine would lead me to believe something is froze up on the front of the engine, idler pulley or such.

Owning rovers has had the complete opposite affect on me...use to be tough as nails and tackle any repairs, on any vehicle, on any given day with ease...but now...one mention of issues from Lori about her rover...and l'm in the corner of the basement in the fetal position asking for my mommy. Now, as of today...there's never actual been any tears shed...but...truthfully...l'm not going to say it's off the table for next time...lol.

Truth be told...l believe...if she would have "given in" when we were looking for an SUV (l wanted to get her a Porsche Cayenne)...my life would be totally different right now. Actually, l'd never heard of or seen a Discovery before she mentioned wanting one...so...we will always refer to that prior period of my life as..."the good old days".

The worse thing about this whole thing is...the sickness. Lori boogered up the front bumper on her Dll the other day, slipped in the ditch. So, it needs a complete plastic cover and a few other odds and ends. Anyhow, we luck out and find a brand new, complete assembly just west of Lansing...so off we go. In conversations before we left...guy says he hit a deer, bought bumper assembly and two days later the Dll threw a rod, engine's junk. So, all the way there l'm thinking..."hey, maybe l'll offer to buy the whole vehicle, since l have a spare 4.6 in the garage and then maybe throw an aftermarlet steel bumper on it and build another Dll just for off road purposes, yeah, this would be great fun" Then l thought..."what the hell is wrong with you". Yes, it was the "sickness" trying to influnces my thinking. Forunately, they had just sold the Dll two days earlier. Granted, the owner tells me about it being super clean and was straight from down south, perfect frame, absolutely no rust underneath, immaculate condition, etc, etc. So, l leave all depressed. A sickness l tell you. I've contacted my general doctor about possibly getting some meds for this rover sickness, but he's never heard of it...so...l believe my best chance is to find a Land Rover specific doctor.

Hope all is well with you and your husband up there. It's a cold one this morning, 8°F. Funny, you know how folks will say..."wonder what it was like to be a pioneer, crossing the prairie during the winter in a covered wagon?" Well, l know. The Defender creates about enough heat to open up a quarter size viewing hole in the windshield...and that's it. It's weird, you never think about the little things in life...like heat. But now, when l light my cigar in the morning, for the ride into work, l'm like...wow, that little burst of heat from the lighter felt good!

Take care, Brian.

 

You crack me up - for the laugh as I really needed it last week. Yeah, my favorite saying is "there's a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness" and I'm right on the cusp when it comes to antiques and furniture haha. Fortunately I can rein myself in when needed and I've been using my downtime lately to clean up my act. I'm working on weeding out 22 years of accumulated 'stuff' in the basement right now.

On a positive note - I let Bertha sit since Thursday, through the snowstorm and frigid temps and she started up like a charm today. No squealing so yes, I think you're right - either the serp belt or a pulley or something that was making the noise. I think I'm correct in stating that the colder weather would temporarily tighten up the belt too, right? I'd have to imagine that next week when it warms up it would go back to squealing.

So that was a nice surprise. I let her run for awhile as I shoveled the drifted driveway and cleaned up my act while the nemesis neighbor was gone. Hurray for small victories! Looks like a serpentine belt change and pulley/tensioner check is in the near future. Then rocker panels

Stay warm!

Christina

 

Must be something in the Michigan air....

I'm in the same boat now - tow truck company boogered the front bumper up today and called to say that they'll replace it. They were asking me all sorts of questions like 'are your fog lights aftermarket? Is your bumper painted?' yada yada. They then said 'now is a good time to get an aftermarket if you want one'. So....