I ordered all the standard components from Mike's list. Couple of questions-

1. Is it necessary to flush the brakes or just enough to top off the master cylinder? If so how is this done. Been looking through the forum and don't see any explanations.
2. My valve cover is leaking a bit... replace or let the sleeping dog lie?
3. When I replace the AT filter is it possible for that seal to leak and will I notice it? The vehicle never had the 30000 service.
4. The serpentine belt is either for vehicle with or without ACE. Stupid question, but how do I know if I have ACE...just bought the truck.


And most importantly:
5. I'll be doing this on Sunday and all stores are closed, are there any parts I should pre-purchase (just in case) that may be destroyed, stripped or some how lost. I don't want to paint myself in a corner.

Thanks. Getting excited to do this, just a bit worried to strand myself as this is my first job of this magnitude.

Any words of advice would be appreciated.

 

BTW- 2001 discovery SD

 

over time moisture gets in the brake system so its a good idea to do a complete flush..not sure of the exact procedure. When I did mine I got some air in the system and had to bleed them a few times to get it out.

tighten the outter valve cover bolts..when you replace spark plug wires or intake gasket is a good time to tighten inner bolts.

 

1-Yes you need to flush the brake fluid, every 2 years, its in your manual, every 2 years complete brake fluid change.
2-12 point 8mm 1/4" drive socket, snug the valve cover bolts, the leak will stop.
3-When youi replace the AT filter you will also replace the pan gasket.
4-Look at your power steering resevoir, two caps or one? Two caps mean you have ACE.
You have a SD, base model, most likely no ACE.

How to flush the brake fluid...take a piece of water line for a icemaker and put it over the bleeder screw.
You can buy this at Lowes for a couple of bucks.
Take a 10mm wrench and loosen the bleeder screw, have your friend push the brake pedal to the floor and hold it, tighten the screw.
Release the brake pedal, loosen the bleeder screw, push brake pedal to the floor.
Keep the brake fluid resevoir full.
Keep doing this at each wheel until clean fluid comes out, you will use about 2 quarts of fluid.
This takes time, lots of time so dont start it at 7 at night.
DOT 4 brake fluid.

 

Just flushed my brake system today using a pressure bleeder system. Hooked up to the brake fluid resevior, pumped it up and then went around to each wheel and bled until clear fluid came out. Pretty simple but my bleeder was pretty expensive and didn't require a second person.

 

Brake flush is easy. Two man job was already described. Really easy way with one person also. Go to Harbor Freight or any auto parts store or sears. Get a cheap one man brake bleed kit. You do them in order. Pass front, drivers front, pass rear then drivers rear. Find the brake bleeder and remove the rubber cap. Attach the one man bleeder kit. Open bleeder screw 1/4 to 1/2 a turn.It creates a vaccum and sucks the fluid out. No need to pump the brakes. Keep draining until clean fluid comes out. Make sure to keep the master cyl res full when doing it. Each kit is different and will take a different amount of time. The better the vaccum it creates, the faster it will go. My kit cost $8 and took about 15 minutes per wheel. It can sound a little intimidating but when you do it, you will wonder why ANYONE pays someone else to do it.

For the PS flush. I don't care for the way people here tell you to do it. Wastes a lot of fluid and does not really flush it. Remove air box cover to be able to push that hose out of the way. Look straight down and you will see PS pump and a small nipple with a plastic cover on the top. Remove the plastic cover and use the same tube from your brake bleed kit. Let the tube hang down below the engine bay and drip into a pan. Remove PS res cap. Open three bottles of PS fluid. Start the car and it will start draining out the tube. Keep pouring new fluid into the res and never let it drop below the min mark. After the second bottle you will be getting mostly clear fluid coming out the tube. Stop the car. Pull the tube and tighten the bleed screw. Top off the fluid and attach the cap. Test steering for anything not feeling right. Took me less than 15 minutes and used 3 and a half bottles of LR PS Fluid. I had never done this before, so don't worry about it being difficult. Just don't brake the damn airbox cover like I did. I man handled the damn snap and cracked it off the box. Not a huge problem, but stupid of me.

Spark plug wires SUCK and if I had it to do over, I would have just stuck with the stock and replaced the plugs only. Going with new wires is nice, but IMHO not worth the four to six hours it may take you to do them. Especially at just 60k on the truck. I bet the stocks will last well over the 100K or even 120K mark.

Don't expect to finish the whole list in one day. If this is your first time, make a list of the order you want to do it and just work down the list. It may take you several days. Not a really big deal if it does. I have been working on mine for three weeks. Couple hours here, couple hours there.

 

Thanks. Gonna give it a go this Sun. Supposed to be in the 50's here in NY.

 

avking-that is awesome, I did not know about the nipple on the PS pump, I will have a look for it this weekend.
I always unhooked one of the power steering lines and stuck it into a empty bottle, started the truck and kept new fluid in until what came out was clean.
I too do not like the way it is suggested on here, big waste of time and money. Not to mention a pissed off wife when you get her turkey baster dirty.

"mom, why does the Thanksgiving day turkey taste funny?"

 

Turkey Baster?!@#??

Not sure I want to know..
My DI has no nipple,
it does however have a Bleeder Screw

That would be little messy.. Think Ill go with spikes "Disconnect return line, place in gallon jug" method