Just found 1 of 2 possible coolant leaks. Stupid TB HEATER PLATE!

I LOVE MY LAND ROVER.. REALLY I DO. KEEPS ME BUSY... BUT ONE OF THESE DAYS ALICE....


Edit 1048pm. Just finished the stupid TB heater. Hoping it fixes the drip drip.

 

Replaced the Hood Insulation. Is there benefit? It's controversial, but I will find out. This is much more substantial than the OEM

 

Started a new project!

 

Wow, you found a series on oahu...nice

 

Found rot under the scuff plate on the drivers front rocker. I was gonna remove the seats and carpet and look to see just how far it goes... After pulling on the door seal and watching chunks fall out.. I think probably not.

At this point i am Wondering how long the roof racks and sunroof where leaking.

 

Painted safari rack and ladder, also found out that doing the wires is fun and removed the manifold to save the day after an ancient wire broke on the coil forcing me to do so. ( likely original as I bought it used with 19999 ).... Not hard just a learning experience and really helped. And fixed throttle body " heater plate " coolant leak...bypassing it using existing tubing. Free.

 

I was under the rover today looking at what watts bushings I needed to order and it turned out I only had a loose nut on the outside bushing and after snugging it up all was well. I love fixes like that, especially after seeing the price of those little bushings.

While I was under the rear I decided to be curious and take out the fill plug on the rear diff and check to make sure the level was good. Before I could even fully remove the fill plug a few drops started to come out and my heart sank.


I could clearly see by the color of the "oil" dripping out that this was not going to be a simple level check. I didn't even fully remove the plug I just screwed it back in and ran up to the store to get some new gear oil. When I got home I pulled the plug and it was just as bad as the few drops early on indicated it would be.


I am really surprised I'm not buying a new rear end right now. I last changed my diff fluid about 25-30K miles ago so who knows how long it's been like that. I went on and checked and changed the front diff too since the rear was in such pathetic shape. The front looked dark but just like old gear oil that was ready to be changed.


I have not be in any high water (Maybe the wife has been out playing) so I started looking for the cause of the water in my gear oil. I checked the breather and all looked good. I did noticed on the rim of the rear pinion seal there was what looked like some oil seeping.


On to the questions:

1)The truck had been horrible on gas for the past 6months and kind of sluggish up hills, could this have been causing that?

2)I have not once ever seen even a drop on the garage floor so the leak can not be that bad. So if I haven't been in high water could rain water gathering on the lip of the seal be getting sucked into the diff?

3)The seal is only $15 but they show special land rover tools are need to get it out. Has anyone done this repair and know if there is a way around the special tools?

4) Do you think there is likely serious internal damage and this a sign I should go ahead and make plans to replace, or upgrade(I love that word) the diff in the near future?

 

After you fill it with oil again, go on a drive, to the gym, park, work, or the Land Rovers natural habitat, the shopping mall, and feel the front diff. If its hot, than you have a problem, if not, your fine. A noise will also be revealed. I'll post what a bad diff sounds like.


I just replaced a bad front diff, the job wasn't to bad, about 5-6 hours. Just don't buy it from Drillbit whatever you do, I did, and I regret it. My diff came in a plastic 5 gallon bucket, that was once filled with plaster/cement, which wasn't cleaned out and it got in the pinion bearing and between the gears, it took me hours to flush it out before I could install it. I would have rather paid more for some quality control.

 

Bad Video, but you get the point

 

Thanks for the info Dane. I've never had any type of noise like in that video so that's good. I'll just keep and eye on it and Rover on.