Final Services
#11
08-19-2017, 10:21 PM
There is a lot to the cooling system. You want to narrow down what you can.
1 - Clean Coolant? Little silver or white flakes on top of your coolant in your reservoir when motor is cold would suggest a disintegrating water pump prop.
1A - Coolant is pretty clean, no silver or white flakes but some dark flakes here and there. Ill be sure to inspect the coolant when I install the thermostat and drain the old stuff out to be sure.
If you live in a hot climate, sure, you can run almost all water, but for water pump lubrication, extra cooling, and a little rust protection you want to add a bottle of Redline's Water Wetter to your almost-all-water "coolant."
1B - Ill definitely be sure to add a bottle of water wetter, that was one of the first things I did when I bought the Disco as I've use it in my Volkswagen with good results.
Does your coolant smell like exhaust or have an oil sheen on top when cold? These would suggest more severe motor issues (e.g. blown head gasket).
1C - No exhaust or oil sheen on top when cold nor sweet smell from the exhaust. I was expecting to have to do the head gasket right away when I got it but I haven't had any signs of head gasket failure yet.
2 - Radiator Debris? Mushed-up radiator fins? It doesn't take much to reduce the cooling capacity of your radiator. You can *test* if your radiator is "under-sized" now due to fins getting smushed or passageways closed a bit...hit the ECON button on your A/C and run high heat (max!) to your floorboard while monitoring your coolant temperature, as this takes advantage of your heater core as a supplemental radiator (obviously temporary for testing only).
2A - Im going to inspect the radiator tomorrow and try that test and see what results I get on the scan tool.
3 - Leaks? Leaks, a failing reservoir cap, or a loose coolant reservoir cap will reduce your cooling ability (i.e. your motor will run hotter).
3A - The only leak I have noticed was near the throttle body heater plate and it is very small. I cleaned up the area and tightened the hose clamps and haven't seen any coolant since. Nor have I noticed any drop in coolant in the reservoir. I replaced the cap with a used one from a junk yard that looked like they just replaced it and then decided to reverse full speed into a brick wall.
4 - Air Burp? Lots of ways to burp air out of your Disco, but my way is one no one else does (so it might suck!) which is to loosen the bleed screw while motor is cold, start the motor, and run it until hot coolant is coming out, then close the bleed screw. Other posters will suggest raising your coolant reservoir and different ways...but the real point is that air is an insulator, not a coolant. More air inside your hoses means hotter motor.
4A - Going to keep this in mind when I replace the T'stat.
5 - Electric Fan? Remove your front grill and see if your auxiliary electric fan comes on as soon as you start your cold motor with your A/C running.
5A - Ill be sure to double check this tomorrow but Im certain I can hear the fan come on when the AC is on.
6 - Thermostat? Thermostats might fail completely (overheating), or simply not open fully or else not open fully at the correct temp.
6A - 180 on the way. Or at least I'm assuming its the 180. Lucky8 just calls it a low temp thermostat. Hoping this helps cool things down.
7 - Water Pump? With the motor cold, yank on the left side and then yank on the right half of your water pump pulley. Your bare hand shouldn't be able to "wobble" it. Wobble means bearing failure which likewise means a hotter-running motor due to lower coolant velocity or pressure.
7A - Ill be sure to try this tomorrow as well.
8 - Fan Clutch? Your main fan should come on a lot. It's only going to be off when you are cruising at a reasonable speed on the highway (ok, I exaggerate). With your motor off and cold, you should NOT be able to freely spin your main fan blades like a fidget spinner. You should instead feel pressure turning the main fan blades. Speaking of fan blades, are they all there?! All intact?! The less air that they move, the hotter your motor will run.
8A - Another thing to check tomorrow. Putting me back to work... on a sunday!
9 - oil? Low oil level, dirty oil, old oil, and maybe even different types or weights of oil can impact the temp your motor is running. Likewise, if your oil looks milky then that would suggest a head gasket leak.
9A - Oil is nice and clean, Im using Rotella 10w 40 as suggested by many on the forums. I do have an oil leak but Im sure to check the oil levels every other day and add when necessary.
10 - transmission, transfer case, front axle, and rear axle fluid levels? Low fluid levels in your drivetrain increase resistance against your motor and in some cases could increase motor temps slightly.
1 - Clean Coolant? Little silver or white flakes on top of your coolant in your reservoir when motor is cold would suggest a disintegrating water pump prop.
1A - Coolant is pretty clean, no silver or white flakes but some dark flakes here and there. Ill be sure to inspect the coolant when I install the thermostat and drain the old stuff out to be sure.
If you live in a hot climate, sure, you can run almost all water, but for water pump lubrication, extra cooling, and a little rust protection you want to add a bottle of Redline's Water Wetter to your almost-all-water "coolant."
1B - Ill definitely be sure to add a bottle of water wetter, that was one of the first things I did when I bought the Disco as I've use it in my Volkswagen with good results.
Does your coolant smell like exhaust or have an oil sheen on top when cold? These would suggest more severe motor issues (e.g. blown head gasket).
1C - No exhaust or oil sheen on top when cold nor sweet smell from the exhaust. I was expecting to have to do the head gasket right away when I got it but I haven't had any signs of head gasket failure yet.
2 - Radiator Debris? Mushed-up radiator fins? It doesn't take much to reduce the cooling capacity of your radiator. You can *test* if your radiator is "under-sized" now due to fins getting smushed or passageways closed a bit...hit the ECON button on your A/C and run high heat (max!) to your floorboard while monitoring your coolant temperature, as this takes advantage of your heater core as a supplemental radiator (obviously temporary for testing only).
2A - Im going to inspect the radiator tomorrow and try that test and see what results I get on the scan tool.
3 - Leaks? Leaks, a failing reservoir cap, or a loose coolant reservoir cap will reduce your cooling ability (i.e. your motor will run hotter).
3A - The only leak I have noticed was near the throttle body heater plate and it is very small. I cleaned up the area and tightened the hose clamps and haven't seen any coolant since. Nor have I noticed any drop in coolant in the reservoir. I replaced the cap with a used one from a junk yard that looked like they just replaced it and then decided to reverse full speed into a brick wall.
4 - Air Burp? Lots of ways to burp air out of your Disco, but my way is one no one else does (so it might suck!) which is to loosen the bleed screw while motor is cold, start the motor, and run it until hot coolant is coming out, then close the bleed screw. Other posters will suggest raising your coolant reservoir and different ways...but the real point is that air is an insulator, not a coolant. More air inside your hoses means hotter motor.
4A - Going to keep this in mind when I replace the T'stat.
5 - Electric Fan? Remove your front grill and see if your auxiliary electric fan comes on as soon as you start your cold motor with your A/C running.
5A - Ill be sure to double check this tomorrow but Im certain I can hear the fan come on when the AC is on.
6 - Thermostat? Thermostats might fail completely (overheating), or simply not open fully or else not open fully at the correct temp.
6A - 180 on the way. Or at least I'm assuming its the 180. Lucky8 just calls it a low temp thermostat. Hoping this helps cool things down.
7 - Water Pump? With the motor cold, yank on the left side and then yank on the right half of your water pump pulley. Your bare hand shouldn't be able to "wobble" it. Wobble means bearing failure which likewise means a hotter-running motor due to lower coolant velocity or pressure.
7A - Ill be sure to try this tomorrow as well.
8 - Fan Clutch? Your main fan should come on a lot. It's only going to be off when you are cruising at a reasonable speed on the highway (ok, I exaggerate). With your motor off and cold, you should NOT be able to freely spin your main fan blades like a fidget spinner. You should instead feel pressure turning the main fan blades. Speaking of fan blades, are they all there?! All intact?! The less air that they move, the hotter your motor will run.
8A - Another thing to check tomorrow. Putting me back to work... on a sunday!
9 - oil? Low oil level, dirty oil, old oil, and maybe even different types or weights of oil can impact the temp your motor is running. Likewise, if your oil looks milky then that would suggest a head gasket leak.
9A - Oil is nice and clean, Im using Rotella 10w 40 as suggested by many on the forums. I do have an oil leak but Im sure to check the oil levels every other day and add when necessary.
10 - transmission, transfer case, front axle, and rear axle fluid levels? Low fluid levels in your drivetrain increase resistance against your motor and in some cases could increase motor temps slightly.
Great information and I have a good idea on some things to check on now. I appreciate the help! Floridas area temperature might drop a few degrees when I get this engine running cooler.
#12
08-19-2017, 11:28 PM
Recovery Vehicle
Hmmm...also, cooling system hoses fail and cause black flakes. Remove one end of a radiator hose, take a rag and wipe the inside to see how much black is on the rag. Compare to your black flakes in your reservoir.
Last edited by No Doubt; 08-19-2017 at 11:41 PM.
#13
08-20-2017, 01:29 AM
Maybe I am just missing it but I don't see any grease fittings for the U joints on that front driveshaft. In the first picture each of the two U-joints should have a grease fitting either at one of the caps or in the cross. Have you greased the driveshaft? How many grease fittings have you found?
Antifreeze not only lowers the freezing point, it raises the boiling point too. I don't think you said anything about losing coolant, but if you have a leak in the system and it's not being properly pressurized the boiling point will be 212°. Pressure in the system raises the boiling point but so does adding antifreeze to the water. Antifreeze also has important corrosion inhibitors. I think it is OK to run straight water temporarily until you get things sorted out but even living in South Florida I would run a proper coolant mix.
Antifreeze not only lowers the freezing point, it raises the boiling point too. I don't think you said anything about losing coolant, but if you have a leak in the system and it's not being properly pressurized the boiling point will be 212°. Pressure in the system raises the boiling point but so does adding antifreeze to the water. Antifreeze also has important corrosion inhibitors. I think it is OK to run straight water temporarily until you get things sorted out but even living in South Florida I would run a proper coolant mix.
Last edited by mln01; 08-20-2017 at 06:54 AM.
#14
08-20-2017, 04:05 AM
Baja
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DKPhoto (08-20-2017)
#15
08-20-2017, 06:53 AM
6. Drive Shaft
So Ive heard the horror stories of drive shaft failures in Discovery's and after having a look at mine I'm pretty sure its either been rebuilt or replaced as the front and rear have grease points. Correct me if I'm wrong ill post pictures below.
They still look rough in my opinion so I might replace them just to be safe.
When I updated the front driveshaft in my truck seven years ago I bought the U-joints and centering ball and had a local driveline shop install them and balance the shaft. The three U-joints and the centering ball cost probably ~$120 plus the shop charged $50 to do the work. At the time good shafts were ~$400 I recall. But today Lucky8 is selling a fully greasable shaft for $208 shipped. At that price today I'd order the L8 shaft and save the hassle of finding a driveline shop, driving around, etc.
P1174 (???)
P1171 (O2 Sensor banks A&B)
After searching for solutions to these codes I've come up short on where to even look some say the gas cap, others the O2 sensors and brake booster. This code just popped up a few weeks ago. Anyone here know where to start diagnosing this?
P1171 (O2 Sensor banks A&B)
After searching for solutions to these codes I've come up short on where to even look some say the gas cap, others the O2 sensors and brake booster. This code just popped up a few weeks ago. Anyone here know where to start diagnosing this?
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DKPhoto (08-20-2017)
#16
08-20-2017, 07:38 AM
Hey I'm not there, but...I'd be suspicious that dark flakes in your coolant mean heavy rust inside your old radiator. And obviously that wouldn't cool your motor as well.
Hmmm...also, cooling system hoses fail and cause black flakes. Remove one end of a radiator hose, take a rag and wipe the inside to see how much black is on the rag. Compare to your black flakes in your reservoir.
Hmmm...also, cooling system hoses fail and cause black flakes. Remove one end of a radiator hose, take a rag and wipe the inside to see how much black is on the rag. Compare to your black flakes in your reservoir.
#17
08-20-2017, 07:45 AM
Maybe I am just missing it but I don't see any grease fittings for the U joints on that front driveshaft. In the first picture each of the two U-joints should have a grease fitting either at one of the caps or in the cross. Have you greased the driveshaft? How many grease fittings have you found?
Antifreeze not only lowers the freezing point, it raises the boiling point too. I don't think you said anything about losing coolant, but if you have a leak in the system and it's not being properly pressurized the boiling point will be 212°. Pressure in the system raises the boiling point but so does adding antifreeze to the water. Antifreeze also has important corrosion inhibitors. I think it is OK to run straight water temporarily until you get things sorted out but even living in South Florida I would run a proper coolant mix.
Antifreeze not only lowers the freezing point, it raises the boiling point too. I don't think you said anything about losing coolant, but if you have a leak in the system and it's not being properly pressurized the boiling point will be 212°. Pressure in the system raises the boiling point but so does adding antifreeze to the water. Antifreeze also has important corrosion inhibitors. I think it is OK to run straight water temporarily until you get things sorted out but even living in South Florida I would run a proper coolant mix.
Do you think distilled water with water wetter would be sufficient? Ill probably do a mix like you said to be safe I was just looking for a way to get it cooler but I defiantly want to do it the right way.
#18
08-20-2017, 07:56 AM
When I updated the front driveshaft in my truck seven years ago I bought the U-joints and centering ball and had a local driveline shop install them and balance the shaft. The three U-joints and the centering ball cost probably ~$120 plus the shop charged $50 to do the work. At the time good shafts were ~$400 I recall. But today Lucky8 is selling a fully greasable shaft for $208 shipped. At that price today I'd order the L8 shaft and save the hassle of finding a driveline shop, driving around, etc.
Yeah and I've been overviewing some of the rebuilds and with out a garage or decent work area I think I would be better off ordering the whole shaft from Lucky8 rather than trying to do the rebuild on the ground outside.
These are lean codes and are very often triggered by a vacuum leak or leaks. A smoke test can reveal where the leak is. Several here have traced the problem the leaky fuel injector O-rings, and as you mention one person recently posted that it was a vacuum leak in the brake booster.[/QUOTE]
I saw another member posted a video on how to make a smoke machine and check for leaks in the EVAP system. I think I'm going to give that a try and see what I come up with. If it is in the O-rings and I do a smoke test how would I know? I would have to take off the intake plenum off right?
Yeah and I've been overviewing some of the rebuilds and with out a garage or decent work area I think I would be better off ordering the whole shaft from Lucky8 rather than trying to do the rebuild on the ground outside.
These are lean codes and are very often triggered by a vacuum leak or leaks. A smoke test can reveal where the leak is. Several here have traced the problem the leaky fuel injector O-rings, and as you mention one person recently posted that it was a vacuum leak in the brake booster.[/QUOTE]
I saw another member posted a video on how to make a smoke machine and check for leaks in the EVAP system. I think I'm going to give that a try and see what I come up with. If it is in the O-rings and I do a smoke test how would I know? I would have to take off the intake plenum off right?
#19
09-02-2017, 01:55 PM
Update:
I installed the 180 Thermostat from Lucky8 and its really made a huge difference in my engine temperatures. Im now averaging about 184 driving around town and 194 while sitting at a stop. I feel much better now that I have gotten the temps down.
I also have the oil pan gasket but its been raining every day here and I haven't had a chance to get to that.
Im going over my options for the drive shaft, it looks like Lucky8 has the best price at around 200 Ill probably put an order in for that as soon as I have the funds.
Also what would you guys suggest replacing first the drive shaft or the rotoflex?
I installed the 180 Thermostat from Lucky8 and its really made a huge difference in my engine temperatures. Im now averaging about 184 driving around town and 194 while sitting at a stop. I feel much better now that I have gotten the temps down.
I also have the oil pan gasket but its been raining every day here and I haven't had a chance to get to that.
Im going over my options for the drive shaft, it looks like Lucky8 has the best price at around 200 Ill probably put an order in for that as soon as I have the funds.
Also what would you guys suggest replacing first the drive shaft or the rotoflex?
#20
09-02-2017, 02:28 PM
TReK
Update:
I installed the 180 Thermostat from Lucky8 and its really made a huge difference in my engine temperatures. Im now averaging about 184 driving around town and 194 while sitting at a stop. I feel much better now that I have gotten the temps down.
I also have the oil pan gasket but its been raining every day here and I haven't had a chance to get to that.
Im going over my options for the drive shaft, it looks like Lucky8 has the best price at around 200 Ill probably put an order in for that as soon as I have the funds.
Also what would you guys suggest replacing first the drive shaft or the rotoflex?
I installed the 180 Thermostat from Lucky8 and its really made a huge difference in my engine temperatures. Im now averaging about 184 driving around town and 194 while sitting at a stop. I feel much better now that I have gotten the temps down.
I also have the oil pan gasket but its been raining every day here and I haven't had a chance to get to that.
Im going over my options for the drive shaft, it looks like Lucky8 has the best price at around 200 Ill probably put an order in for that as soon as I have the funds.
Also what would you guys suggest replacing first the drive shaft or the rotoflex?
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DKPhoto (09-03-2017)