I have a 2004 Land Rover Discovery (V8 gasoline). It is misfiring and the head gasket is blown. All the mechanics in my area refuse to fix it, so I guess I will have to do it myself. I have no experience in replacing head gaskets or taking apart engines. It has had a head gasket replacement in around 2016 and hasn't been driven much in the last 2-3 years. Would this mean that I would have to replace fewer things other than the gasket? How would I replace it? What tools would I need? What other things should I take into consideration?
Thanks in advance

 

I believe you that mechanics only want easy quick money. Keep looking for others; you may not be skilled enough. Allow the chosen mechanic access to the service manual.

 

I also do not have enough money to pay a mechanic to do it, so the only option is to do it myself. I am confident I will be able to do it as long as I am able to get help from either youtube videos, or forums like this one.

 

Maybe if you post your location another forum member may be nearby and able to offer help or suggestions.

Meanwhile you will want to watch this:

 

@evil_goat it is not a hard BUT you will need to get the heads checked and precision is critical when torquing the heads.

You will need some good tools :
Socket set
36 in breaker bar
Torque wrench - a good one 75+ dollars none of those cheap need jobs
Some open/box end wrenches

You need gaskets, and either ARP studs or new head bolts - as you are new to this spend the money for the arp studs it is a simpler system

 

I prefer bolts over studs. Torque to angle gives more precise gasket compression in my engineering opinion. Does not require a torque wrench, only a paint pen. Only gaskets required are HG, everything else is reusable without issue if done carefully. Good assortment of 3/8 drive sockets, end wrench, at least 1 16mm 5/8 half inch drive socket and extension.

 

Hate to disagree with Extinct, but you do need a torque wrench.

https://www.roverparts.com/Instructi..._9224_D1_2.cfm

Buy the top-end/headgasket set, with bolts, or studs, whichever you prefer, but it will include all gaskets necessary (intake, exhaust, etc).

Buy a tube of pematex ultra gray for lower intake manifold gasket. Use liberally, but don't go crazy, on corner of rear and front sections where head meets block and lightly across entire gasket, rubber ends and valley pan gasket. Usually, l smear it out with my finger on valley pan.

Check all of your idler pullies and belt tensioner while you have them off, hold inner bearing with fingers and spin them, if they sound noisy, change them.

 

I had never done something like an HG before. I see another member posted the Atlantic British HG videos. What each of them a bunch of times before you start. They will help immensely. The basic cost will be the HG kit and the specific sockets recommended in the video. I was a bit light in tools so I needed a few more. My HG including kit, new lifters, heads milled, tools, plugs, CPS, O2 sensors was about $800.
Now if I can figure out why I am going thru a quart of oil every 500 miles I will be good to go.

 

how do you know it's the head gasket? If it was just done and hardly driven, you might have other issues......

 

My bad, forgot about the 15 ft lb snug up torque. Don't really need a "good' one for that.