When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Whew, been working on replacing the oil sump gasket, timing cover and water pump gaskets as well. The oil pan is a beeotch! Thanks to Alex_m for his write up. The rave is good and all but I am convinced his write up is sticky worthy.
Over the last couple of days I had an intermittent Three Amigos fault, so I pulled the SVS valve switch today.. the insulation on the wiring had crumbled the wires were awfully corroded... overhauled the wiring and applied the "option B" method... worked like a charm!
Adding lockers shortly, so I re-worked by air compressor setup to this all-in-one unit. Has the solenoids for the lockers on the end. Fits nicely in the rear area side bin area, I'll get a pic later
Nice! I’m looking into buying a “mechanics special” 2001 Disco 2 but the seller says it does not run and needs new heads. If ya don’t mind me asking about how much money will you have invested in repairing the heads? Trying to calculate if it’s worth it. Thanks in advance!
It depends on how far you want to go really. There are several things I did and didnt need to do that would affect the cost. For my build it cost the price of valve seals and about 12 bucks for a valve laper and some paste. Also to be considered is I spent about 6 hours doing it. Heres what needs to be done or checked to do it properly I think costs you will be able to work out:
1. head planing- aluminum heads will warp if over heated or improperly torqued and is the cause of many head gasket failures. Use a verified straight edge from corner to corner and down the middle to see if there is any day light between the head and the straight edge. (should be 3 ways 2 sets of corners and one middle) There is a tolerance range which is checked by using feeler gauges under the straight edge where the day light is. Planing would cost ME about 100 dollars. your guy might be more. My heads were flat.
2. Valve spring height-Depending on mileage, your valve springs may be weak and not lifting as fast as they should. there is a minimum height for the springs and is measured from a known flat surface to the top of the coil. This is easy to do and will cost you the price of as many springs you want to replace. Last time I bought springs they were about 2.50 a piece. I have a low mileage engine so I just checked that they were equal height and put them back in..
3. Valve guides- Again depending on mileage and in some cases how hard the engine has worked ie pulling trailers etc. the guides will become ovaled . this is usually obvious when you look in the port. the tube or guide that the valve goes in is not round. There is a test for this involving a dial indicator but if you want to know that Ill pm you. A simple old mechanics trick is to place your finger over the top of the port while you remove the valve. You should feel the suction pulling your finger into the port. This works when experienced only as you wont know what a new one feels like. Again there is a tolerance. Mine will do just now so didnt do them. The guides themselves are cheap but having them put in isnt. You cant do this at home! Been years since I had it done so cant say cost is accurate but I would think about 150.00 or so.
Valve seats- the reason for lapping is to remove pitting and glazing. This stops the seal. if there is heavy pitting or cracking, you will need new seats. Again, you cant do this. Usually If this needs doing you need guides too so it will get priced together lets say 200 to 250 for the lot.
4.Cracked valves- They wont seal so need replacing. I have no idea what they cost here for a landy. prices can vary between exhaust and intake as well as some engines the valves are all the same.
5. unless you want to buy seals twice you need valve condoms! 0.0 These usually come with the seals. Looks like half a straw with one end rounded over. this is so you dont cut the valve seal when you put the valve into the new seal. There are tricks.They involve lubrication lol o.o
Basically you are going to pay for the knowledge and skill to do what I just put up whether they do any of that work or not. I have seen rebuilt heads as cheep as 800 and as expensive as 2500 that have had nothing more than what I did done to them. You can do it for the lets say 30 bucks I spent and six hours I put in as long as you know what your doing. If you want to try it, pm me. I can tell you how to hear if a valve is done being ground and how to feel if the seat is good. Im sure you can do it, too many guys are afraid of it for no reason I will advise that you avoid using mechanical valve lappers!!! it is tooo easy to f.... it up! do it by hand and you will always be happy.
I've had this 04 for almost 2 years and been trying to catch up with everything. I just replaced both front O2 sensors, again. I replaced all 4 shortly after I got it (PO blacked out CEL). Had to replace MAF, had some other issues so after almost 2 years I thought maybe I fried the front sensors, well that fixed a lot of problems. I did the PCV upgrade, changed t case and diff fluids. (all 3 were just absolutely horrible with a bad smell). I did new plugs, need to do wires, new rubber coupler on rear driveshaft, waiting on new front driveshaft with Spicer u-joints from ProShaft to arrive, upgraded to larger oil filter, and don't even remember what else.
I'm lucky, head gaskets show no sign of leakage, yet! I know it's coming, just want to get all the smaller stuff done before I begin tearing it down. PO removed cats, which I'm okay with, I like the sound, but where they welded the straight pipe, I discovered a leak in the weld today. Thinking I might as well replace whole exhaust with a new one, but so many things to do and so little money! Lol
All in all, I'm extremely happy with this rig. I have no service history from 120k and earlier, so might as well play catch-up insted of waiting for something to go wrong first.
Sucks to hear that. In Chicago I kept nothing important in my truck and never locked it
Thankfully they didn’t get the car seat, and my tools weren’t in there. Now that I think of it, I am taking out my cup holders until the window is in. I left mine open once. And someone took the cup holders.
A simple old mechanics trick is to place your finger over the top of the port while you remove the valve. You should feel the suction pulling your finger into the port. This works when experienced only as you wont know what a new one feels like. Again there is a tolerance. Mine will do just now so didnt do them. The guides themselves are cheap but having them put in isnt. You cant do this at home! Been years since I had it done so cant say cost is accurate but I would think about 150.00 or so.
I will advise that you avoid using mechanical valve lappers!!! it is tooo easy to f.... it up! do it by hand and you will always be happy. 
