I've had to add a bit of fluid over the past few times I've driven my disco II but it hadn't been very much. I drove the vehicle two hours yesterday, all highway miles around 70 so it was in the wind and at relatively high RPM. Drove it some today around town and it didn't show overheating on the gauge, but when I got out at a store it was leaking fluid right at the firewall on the driver side and the driver side floor board is wet. I know that should be a heater core (right) but with the problem from the day before could I be looking at a weak water pump as well?

Also, I'm away from town and would really like to limp this thing back to the house if I can. What are my options? If any.

Thanks.

 

Im not sure where the heater core is on the discos but normally they're either in the center or opposite side as the steering wheel. Try to locate the origin of the leak. Weak water pump? I don't really see how unless you mean its leaking or the bearings are going bad or some impellar fins are broke off.. I would make sure the coolant system is full and I'd have plenty of 50/50 with me just in case and keep a close eye on the gauge if you're limping it home.

 

Okay now this might be a real big problem. Let me first state that I work in Alaska six months of year and my girlfriend will drive my car from time to time while I'm gone and this might be something that happened with her and I don't know about.

I too thought that the heater core would leak on the right hand side, but thinking that it was a british vehicle I thought that it might be on the left hand side. I've driven the truck a little bit in the last day and haven't let it get the temp get up on it, but I know for a fact that there is a leak on the drivers side on the back side of the engine/firewall. This is what scares me about that, there are no hoses right there, and I'm afraid I might have coolant coming out of the block.

My reasoning, is it will leak even after i cut the vehicle off, and then i can add 50/50 to get it back up to level and I feel like it is just the coolant in the block leaking out. Anybody with some knowledge on this? I did go ahead and bypass the heater core, and I've only driven the vehicle once since then but with the same results. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

either do a pressure test or put in some UV dye and trace it.

 

I just looked at my LR and the heater core goes into the cab right behind the passenger side valve cover. I would bet it's your heater core leaking and it's running out of the driver side floor vent. I can't think of any other reason you would get coolant inside the vehicle.

You said you bypassed the heater core. Does your heat still work?

Side note, don't let your girlfriend know you think it's her fault.

 

No the heat doesn't work at all. It was blowing cold air before I bypassed as well. I topped it off and drove it around the block a lot and it seemed like the dripping had stopped. I think I need to do a pressure check because I'm worried it might be a gasket or possibly leaking from drain plug. I searched a lot of other threads and they have me worried. Yeah I agree on the gf thing, glad this is a second vehicle

 

I just don't see how it would be getting onto your floorboard if it were a gasket or drain plug... I would drive it around with the heater core bypassed for a little while and see if it still leaks. If it doesn't then hook it back up and see if the leak comes back. If it leaks again, you'll have it narrowed down.

 

Yeah I agree with you on that APG but my thought is that the heater core went out and something else is wrong as well. There is the possibility that it ran hot with her and something else might have happened. Or it could be a separate problem with the coolant system that is totally unrelated to the heater core.

My concern is that after I bypassed the heater core I still had a leak that was dripping on the driver's side of the firewall onto the ground. After that came up in some searches here, I didn't like what I read.

Now after I've sat here tonight thinking about it, I'm wondering if I didn't add enough coolant after I did the bypass and that was why I had the drop in reserve and the coolant that was dripping could have been left over fluid from somewhere. The reason I've thought this up (other than wishful thinking) is that the last time I drove the truck the temp gauge didn't budge. It was too dark to check it out when I parked it but I think I've got some leads for tomorrow.

How about this for a peaceful weekend at the GF's house? Due to my newly uncloaked mechanical abilities, I've been working on possible pop in law's small engines.

Thanks for the help with everything, if you get any ideas, let me know.

And if the GF is at fault, she'll be riding in the cold with me for two hours, so she'll get her payback.

 

Not sure this will help. Head gasket is weakest at the back of the engine block which is close to the firewall. Recommend seek mechanic help to troubleshoot. I found mine leaking coolant at three points. Two leaks at the back of the engine on left and right side head gasket and from left side front cover.