I'm guessing it is your throttle body heater plate. Look under your throttle body. If you see white/orange coating on your rocker cover. White chalk is what coolant looks like after it has been boiled off. If you put your fingers on the two little pipes and find coolant on your fingers...there is your leak. It can start slow and only smell at certain times. I just replaced mine @ 87k on my 2003 Discovery. Be sure to replace all the land rover style hose clamps and buy traditional worm drive hose clamps. After I did that all my leaks stopped.

Your rough idle it probably due to needing new wires & plugs. I would suggest MagnaCore 8mm and Bosch +4's or NGK iridium seem to work well too. Right now I am using the E'3 plugs always advertised in the sponsored side bar. That job will take 4+ hours...depending on if you have small hands. There are many write ups on how to change wires and plugs do a search on the forum.

Order this: if you find a leak. Order it anyway if you dont find it leak. You will need it eventually
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/MGM000010KG.cfm

 

Here's a thread on the TB heater plate leak fix....

https://landroverforums.com/forum/sh...954#post153954

X10 on replacing all of your hose clamps

 

So if its under the throttle body, does this mean replacing the valve cover gaskets? Trying to load the link but its taking forever to load.

 

No you dont have to replace the valve cover gaskets. But tightening the two visble 12pt bolts on them slightly couldn't hurt. They are usually a little loose and tightening them can help stop oil seapage. Torque spec is 10Nm. You need a deep 1/4" 12pt 3/8" socket...if I remember correctly.
Dave

 

Thanks for the link, the photos really help out a lot. I did a google search on land rover discovery coolant leaks and it seems like a lot of people have posted pics on this issue. Must be common like you said earlier. I am at work but will check this out when I get home. This makes me feel a little better. I just always pray and hope my heads never go bad.

 

You guys have been really helpful as well, thank you both so much. I pray everytime I drive my Rover and everytime I think about it. lol

 

God works miricals, but proabably is too busy to care about our crappy made time bomb engines. Head gaskest will probaby die between 50k & 115k. Just keep your fingers crossed and knock on wood!
If you change your spark plug wires and remove the top intake manifold that should make you a little more compfortable about replacing headgaskets. As you were a little over 1\3rd on the way. Save up for a nice 3/8's torque wrench, it important with these rigs.

 

Right now I'm at 138,000 in miles. Most issues have been stupid but annoying. Do head gaskets always go out? I have never heard thus with other vehicles that's why I ask. How will I know when it's head gasket day?

2002 Land Rover Discovery 2 SE

 

Yes the head gaskets on a DII will always go out.
this is common on alot of cars now days because of the coolant used in them, it is better for the environment but it is corrosive and eats gaskets.
Just do a Google search for Dex-Cool.
You will know when the head gaskets go bad, either you wont beable to keep coolant in it but there wont be any puddles or it will look like you have a engine fire and your temp gauge will be pegged.
Do not let your truck overheat, you will be buying a new engine.
Read through the write up section if you have not already.

 

Last night I went outside with my 145 lumen led flash light and looked under the Rovers hood. I spotted no coolant dis-color in the places showed in the pictures posted or anywhere my eye could see. I kept looking to spot something. Then at the very very low bottom I seen green coolant setting on the lip of something. This is like at the bottom of the engine/motor. If you look between the space of the fan and the motor, right below the fan and on the edge of the motor is where this coolant is at. I tried to get a picture but it was a really tight area to take a picutre.

Bottom of engine, corner area in the front and near close to the fan area but on the engine. Any ideas? I checked for drips or trails of leaks but nothing.

Any ideas or off the wall guesses?