Hey all, I am new to forums and Land rovers completely! My girlfriend got an 01 discovery II with 130k miles on it, everything looked, sounded and felt good about it. Drove perfect! Within a week we got the "3 amigos" and then within 4 weeks it was overheating. She drove it, until it stopped, and then called me for help. LOL wish I could have had her pull over before! LOL changed out the lower hose and thermostat and had a major dump of radiator fluid when it got to running temp. So I started to do my research. Found the cooling issues left and right and figured it was the gaskets.
In the mean time her "mechanic buddy" convinced her she needed to change the belt, water pump, the upper radiator hose, the starter (went bad at some point), and put blue devil in it and get rid of it before it breaks again at the low cost "deal" of $650.00. She had him do that and it overheated 10 minutes after she got it back and blew that blue devil crap all over the place!
I convinced her, the gaskets need changed along with hoses, flush the radiator, the head gaskets, and machine the heads. So I have done all that (minus the radiator flush), along with oil change and have been checking fluids daily to make sure things are good. There is not one leak, that is visible, no drips or puddles when parked or running. But it keeps overheating.
So just from the research I have done, knowing a bit about some cooling systems, and advice, I have come to a couple possibilities.
1- blue devil mucked up the new thermostat I threw in and that is now bad.
2- Radiator is not up to par and need the flush, or replaced.
From what I see, the cooling system needs TLC on these and as long as you upkeep em these are the best cars ever. I am just not as familiar with em as I need to be. Anyone have any advice on where to go from here?

 

Replace stat with a $60 ish Land Rover 180F one from Rovers North or others, not sold by dealers (it is for the diesels not imported to US). Don't buy a Motorad knock off. Muck fills up tiny holes on top disc.

Radiator has very thin passages. Which are now full of the combination of Blue Devil and Dex Mud from original coolant. The lower rows are probably clogged, no flush will get it all out. Will show greater than 10F difference top to bottom. New rad from Rock Auto is a Nissens, $200.

Coolant flush every 2 years or 30,000 per owner manual. No body reads those.

 

I realize you don't know me from Adam, but I would suggest you send me your number so we can talk, and do not let anyone touch that engine till we speak.

 

I don't know if the message went through but I think I sent you my number. Message me if it didn't go through cuz I dunno how to navigate this forum yet