Ok, LR new guy here...

I picked up my Discovery last night and drove it home via the interstate (65-70mph). It ran very smooth, I was impressed. When I got home I checked for leaks underneath. I noticed some water dripping onto the driveway. How do I tell if water dripping after driving is something from running my a/c or a bigger problem (aside from turning the a/c off )? It wasn't gushing and there is no residue from the puddle the next morning. Just a small oil spot or two.

I also noticed a water rushing (waterfall) type of noise coming from behind the dash on the passenger side. The noise was directly related to the application of throttle. I read that this may be caused by a leaking head gasket?

The lower back end of the engine has some oil on it, but it was just generally oily looking and I couldn't see a specific leak. For the near future I'll have enough vehicles to be able to park the LR for any maintenance, so I'm trying to get done what may need to be done sooner rather than later. I guess I've just read so many horror stories I'm just holding my breath waiting for something to happen..

 

congrats/condolonces on picking up a Disco. water may be a/c, but maybe not. start with the sticky's on the top of the forum page, do the 'high mileage' maintenance. breathe, no point holding your breath with a Rover, just let it happen.

 

I start by borrowing or renting a radiator pressure tester ASAP, the "water fall" means your coolant is low, real low.

So the first thing you should do is find the coolant leak, if it exterior great, if it's not

dont put a dime in the truck until you know where that coolant is going. JMHO

 

Air trapped in the cooling system is the "waterfall" sound you hear. It either wasn't bled correctly, or you're getting air in there somewhere. You could bleed the system correctly and see if the cooling system is ok, but it's likely that there's an issue there somewhere.

 

Water puddle under your rig:

Your AC condensation and sun roof drain ports are directly above the transmission under the rig. If you lay underneath the rig and look up at the transmission tunnel with a flashlight, you will see two rubber drain tube ports. Take your finger and brush off the end of these drains, if your lucky, water will drip down on your face, drains are working!

 

So I'm going to just flush the coolant, bleed it, and if I'm still hearing noise or running low on coolant then check for leaks? When checking for leaks: if the hoses, thermostat, radiator, heater, etc don't show signs of leaking, then it would have to be internal (the head gasket), correct?

Sorry if these sound like basic questions, I'm learning.

 

Yes if everything on the cooling syftem checks then it would mostly be HG, cracked block behind a liner. Thats why i would fill it with water and PT before i put any money into it. It is the only way to test the cooling system, other than die.

 

Is that to save money on coolant? I'm just trying to weigh the cost of buying a radiator pressure tester.

 

Rent a pressure tester. Or, if you are serious about owning a rover, buy one. I just purchased one on eBay, I have not received it yet, but it was under $70. Once I get to use it I will write a review.

Not only will you save money on coolant, but if you use pure water, you won't have to worry about disposal, unless you have some coolant mixed in. Also not a bad idea to take this opportunity to flush out all the old coolant with distilled water.

 

I don't think drowsswap meant it to save money on coolant. I think he was referring to knowing what is bad before you start dumping money into different parts. Many people start replacing stuff, only to be hit with a $$$$ engine replacement in the end.