major repairs DIY?? What am I in for?
 

2003 D2
75000 miles
SAI

I found that my front cover was leaking out of the lower corner when I pressure tested it at home. I took it to 2 different shops for estimates. Both shops said that in addition to the front cover leaking, I also needed a water pump, head gaskets, and re-seal the oil pan. Shop 1 quoted $1875 for heads, front cover, and water pump. Shop 2 quoted $3300+ for all of that plus the oil pan. I have read about a million pages and posts from the forums and I think I may just do it myself. I've got a few days coming up in June where the wife and kid will be out of town and will have her car as a backup. All work would be done at my house, in the Texas heat, I don't have an air compressor (may get one if it will make a huge diference, I have air tools though) I'm pretty handy with a wrench and have lots of tools. I worked at a chevy dealership for 3 years, 10 years ago, as a mechanics assistant. I have built 4 engines from short blocks and restored a classic camaro and a classic mustang. The only reason I have considered paying to get this done is because Land Rovers are new to me, and its been a while since I've done anything like this. Also, it is my daily driver and if I ran into something that I didn't know what to do with, I might be screwed.
So here are the questions:

Parts? I've read that the kit at AB is the way to go, but then Rovahfarm has the gasket kit for like $75?? Is it the same, or good enough?

Also what all do I need to do with the heads? And can any engine shops rebuild them, or does it have to be a special shop because its a "Land Rover" $$$...
Get them machined, and a valve job..??

How hard is removing the oilpan, on my back, on a gravel driveway?

Should I go ahead and throw a new cam in there too (like that buick Crower cam?) If so, what am I in for on that? Looks pretty simple from RAVE, pull off the chain and pull it out?

There is a small chance that I may get to use my in-laws shop to do the work in, air conditioned with a lift and unlimited tools and things that may make it easier, but probably not. I may post up some more questions, individually though. But really I'm just wanting to here from ordinary people that have done this themselves, I neeeeeeed to get my confidence up!!

Buy some ramps and sheet of plywood and moving blanket to lay on if working outside. No need for gravel rash.

If just front cover leaking, why bother with heads at this time? But I'd think about doing oil pump (high failure item) while cover is off. Oil pump and gasket set is about $115 from AB. Water pump is also a "maybe", depending on inspection. You can do a WP in like 2 hours later.

Pix of wp, was wobbling, when they wobble they eat metal. Note scale build up. Note stopz leakz coating. And a way to jam crnk for removal of bolt, if you are dropping pan (to clean off pickup screen and replace the O-ring). Note oil pump cracks.

RAVE shop manual will walk you through it.

pwaltrip,

Im also new to d2's but i just recently did all you mentioned plus more. wouldn't mess with the heads unless you need to as far as pump/front cover and pan it was pretty easy but i would do like buzz said with the ramps and somthing nice to lay on cause it will take some time. air tools is a waste of time because nothing is really easy to access so just go slow and comfortable. the heads are more work then all other 3 combined so see if you really need it, but yes its a regular head job, machine, new guides, stems etc..

I agree with Buzz, forget the heads unless you need it. Its not that hard to reseal a front cover (on a 3.9 Discovery one) I assume your 4.0 isn't to much different (bosh?) I would do an oil pump and you might as well throw a new timing chain in. I recommend removing the radiator so you have more room to take off the front cover. Yes you will need to drop the oil pan and reseal it. When I did this (DI) I jacked the front up from the FRAME OF BODY and not the axle. This allows the suspension to drop and your now able to take the oil pan out. I would get all your parts from Atlantic British, I've never dealt with rovahfarm.
Cheers!

First go down load a free copy of the Rave CD, shop manual, then let us walk you thru what to do, it is not hard or technical work, also, depending on the parts needed, there are better places to buy parts, both by quality and price.
If you want, I can walk you thru what you are looking at, PM me your number and I'll call you.

heres the story on the heads...The guy I bought this car from said the week before he sold it he took it to an indy shop and had all the hoses replaced, system flush and t-stat...a few weeks after I bought it, I noticed a leaking front cover, pressure tested it myself and found that to be the only leak. Changed the oil myself, it looked like honey, no funky smells in the oil or coolant no chocolate milk either. There is no smoke coming from the tail pipe, no miss or rough idle, and only about 1 cup of coolant loss every 10 days or so. When I got the estimates done, one of the shops actually was the shop that did the work before I bought it...I asked them to pull their invoice from the previous service, and right there it said "customer advised that head gaskets were leaking", the customer opted for a block seal treatment. So I'm guessing that is why I can't find a leak? They told me that they have seen that sealant stuff last 2 days and also 50,000 miles, so its kind of hit or miss. So should I mess with it or wait unitl it grenades on me? Or do the cover and sell it?

Oilpump-? I'm not in the bad VIN range, do I have to do an oil pump?
Waterpump-Will definitely put a new one on.

It would be nice if I could get away with the front cover and water pump, so I can move on to Option B amigo fix(YAY!!)

Went and bought a scan gauge today, I was tired of going to Autozone to get codes read. I am really loving it because of the real time coolant temp. I drove it at highway speeds and let it idle for a while, the hottest it got was 212, then it would come down to 196 usually ran about 204. Is that normal for these trucks? I'm just wanting to keep an eye on my temps so that that I can shut it down quickly if I need too. Also, wouldn't it be running hot if the heads were leaking?

On the highway 196 OK. 212 too hot on high way. Check oil pressure before work to be sure you don't need a pump. See Oil Pump Gear Kit W/Gaskets - Land Rover kits from Atlantic British for break out of prices, you'll need WP gasket as well as the cover gasket. HG leak can make over heat, or just loss of coolant until it does overheat, or coolant into oil.

On the highway it would hover around 198-202, it got the hottest while I was just sitting there letting it idle. I think I am gonna go ahead and order the front cover gasket kit, and a new water pump and see where that leads me to next.

From what you have said, would not think WP is out of order. If making an investment for the future, oil pump would be my choice, because WP is easier to change at a future date. The stat is rated to start to open at 180F, and be fully open at 204 F. So at speed, warm day, AC on, seems like you were in the range. Flush of radiator may improve things. There is also a stat now avalable that runs about 10F cooler, generic term is "soft spring stat", it is Rover OEM for another vehicle. Sold by several, including Justin at Lucky8. Some owners had them shipped in from the UK (about $100 including rush freight).

If planning on a WP, there is an after market model with large bronze impeller that will move more coolant, BPUtah.