Hello, even if there is not horrible oil leakage, my 2001 Disco II has 185K Miles and I am planning on keeping it for a long time....would you all recommend doing the Head Gasket replacement job? How about the gasket between the engine and the transmission?

 

At some point you will need to do it, but it could be a long time depending on how well you maintain it. If they are not blown now, here are the items I would make sure have been replaced in the last 50k miles before I worried about the Hg

1. Inline thermostat mod if not done
2. PCV mod if not done
3. All the hoses (they get weak and split, causing an overheat)
4. Coolant expansion tank (they will crack with age)
5. Radiator (end tanks will crack with age)
6. Water pump (the bearing will wear out and it will start leaking from the weep hole)
7. Idler bearings - they will start whining and you can hear them before they let go
8. Alternator - the brushes will wear out and it will stop charging, when it happens truck will run about 15 mins before battery is dead- see my post on it

 

Hello Extinct:

The only ones I've not done are 1 & 2, I think, I have a great mechanic that worked for LR for 30 years so he might have done them and I've forgotten.

1. Inline thermostat mod if not done
2. PCV mod if not done

I'll ask him....

I am worried that given my nature to try to prevent things from happening, I'll do the HG job and my engine will stop running as good as it does right now... Any symptoms I should watch out for that will start telling me that its time?

Thanks for your initial prompt response.... Have a great Sunday!

P.S. Did you see my other Thread about the ARB Air Diff Lockers? I have a 2001 LR Disco II with no CDL and no "Nipple" on the Transfer Case to be able to activate the CDL after market. What do you think about the ARB Air Diff Lockers and whether to put them on the back diff or front diff if you are only doing one initially? I thought the back diff would be better to do first.... Let me know your thoughts....

 

I have a question about this topic. If you replace the head gaskets in a preventive maintenance like Mando is describing. Should the heads be leveled? Or simple at home checking with a straight edge and feeler gauges should be enough?

 

@keninnc On an aluminum engine always get then professionally checked and trued, iron you can get away with a basic check. You my head gasket went the left side was so far out it could not be trued but the gasket on that side was fine

 

If you have a good straightedge you can check them with a feeler gauge. In a preventative situation almost zero chance they are warped. I've done 15 or so and only had one set warped.

As far as lockers, if I was going to do one at a time always do the fronts first, they are the wheels that lose traction first going uphill. You should source a transfer case with a nipple from a local breaker and do that first.

As far as signs to watch out for, drinking coolant, running hot, pressurized hoses. I have a truck with 260k on it and to my knowledge only one set of HG.