Hello fellow rover owners I have a 2002 Disco that I purchased a month ago and loving it to bits!! However there are several leaks... the most major of which is the front cover. I am handy... but I am unsure about the lvl of skill and tools required to do the gasket myself.

Looking for guidance / advice. I have the shop manual and read the directions, but it sounds like I will need several special tools and it does look complicated. The local shop will do the whole thing for 780.00 (I think it sounds high, considering that there is only about 100.00 worth of parts) and if I can do it for less and get some good truck lovin' in I would be happier (so would the wife ).

Appreciate any input, cheers!!

 

order yourself a oil pump kit set and a timing chain & gears, the oil pump kit will have all the gaskets for the front of the motor including the crank seal and the oil pan gasket. YES unfortunately you have to drop the oil pan.
And their is no sense in going their and leaving the old timing chain, and investment $10.00 in a bolt kit, you're at about $200.00.
standard tools nothing special needed.
1. thing you want to do is break the crank bolt free, while the belt and everything is in place.
2. a pair of large water pump pliers/channel lock or large adjustable will work if you don't have the fan tool.
3. the radiator does not have to come out, cover it with some good industrial card board.
4. the a/c compressor, alternator, power steering pumps do not need to be disconnected they are can be unbolted and pulled out of the way, this is where bungee cords become your best friend.
5. the crank seal can be driven in and out with a large socket, if you don't have a bearing driver set.
6. there is a frame support that runs under the oil pan with a couple bolts on each side, if they don't come easy you can just jack up the suspension and the oil pan will come out with a little wiggling.
7. the RAVE only calls for RTV on 4 bolts and the four corners of the oil pan, personally "I" use a THIN layer of black RTV on every gasket.
8. this is a good time to consider the age of your water pump, hoses and thermostat?.
9. also speaking of the RAVE it is wrong on the count on the oil pan bolts add two to whatever number the manual says.
10.there are a lot of little tricks like you cant trace the new gaskets on a piece of cardboard and poke the old bolt threw the card board so you know where they go back.
But hell that's like stopping and asking for directions.
11. Clean the engine and under carriage good, foam engine/oven cleaner and a undercarriage car wash works well. just don't let them see you spraying it.
It will take you the better part of a day I would guess,
if your not out to set a speed record.
go for it ; its not rocket science here, bolt out bolt in,
hell I could do it.