Im about to start the process for doing my head gasket in my 2004 discovery. It has 110k miles on it and has a rear leak (right about cyl 8) so its time to fix it before it gets worse. I was thinking about the rock auto kit Beck Arnley Head Gasket Kit for 134$ im curious to what others recommend that have worked, as I REALLY do not want to crack the motor again. Also is there anything else I should replace while im working on the motor? everything else works good just curious if there is any other big issues I can address while im down there.



Its been off the insurance currently, but makes an excellent ATV around the yard

 

V. Rienz gasket set is good. IMO (and my mechanics) just use the stretch bolts. New water pump while you are in there and injector o-rings. I also got new intake/exhaust manifold bolts but probably not needed. Do that PCV mod while you got the valve covers off. New vacuum lines. TB bypass. In-line thermo mod. Go nuts.

Lucky 8 and Ebay are the places to go.

 

 

in addition to previous comments. Make sure you have a good magnet tool with you. The metal rings in the valve covers that the bolts screw into tend to come lose and can fall into the valve springs or in some other random hole if you're not careful.

 

 

 

Your Disco looks good!


What I WISH that I had done was use a dremel to hand grind the exhaust ports on the heads to match the exhaust headers at the inner edge of the exhaust gaskets. So, 1 regret.




What I like that I DID do was:
ground the crank .02 and used .02 oversized rod and main bearings,
used new finished cam bearings and new crower cam+lifters,
machined the heads flat, checked block for flatness,
lapped the valves and verified that they no longer leaked,
replaced the valve stem seals,
used ARP studs,
used Cometic all-metal head gaskets (no more slipped sleeve tick!),
new oil pump gears and timing chain,
honed the liners,
blueprinted the piston ring gaps,
flow-tested the fuel injectors,
JB Welded over my new freeze plugs,
and installed new coils, plugs, and wires.

Perfect idle. Great power delivery. Super smooth revving.

 

With the exhaust ports enlargened to the size of the gasket the throttle response on the highway is like having a new car. Passing at 70mph plus is now easy. The manifolds restrict the already restrictive head exhaust ports by mm's.

A Dremel will do it, but a good Die Grinder will do it much faster. I used a Makita, but you could get a Chicago Electric to do it, I just did not have a Harbor Freight store near me. I got a carbide bit set that I was too nervous to risk on the head, but it really did a nice job on the manifolds. There are youtube videos on the process, and they are very helpful. You can get sandpaper kits at Harbor Freight, or Summit Racing. But a Dremel will do it, it will just take a while.

And No Doubt, considering your ability to wrench removing and porting the manifolds could be done in a day!

 

Ok I ordered most of my parts now, i have many many tools, however I have an old fashioned torque wrench that doesn't give me an angle reading. Anyone bite the bullet on buying one or is there a place I can rent one? Also in terms of prepping the engine, I'm thinking of spraying pb blaster on any bolts that will be a PITA to get off. Going to try and follow the Atlantic British video closely...