Hello Rover Enthusiasts
 

Until a couple years ago I never even changed my own oil. I since have totally rebuilt a 2004 Disco HSE 4.6 with 120xxx which I bought in 2005.
I mean the engine compartment looked like new, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING. Shortly there after I took it for a roll, literally, but I bought it back from the insurance company and parked it in my yard, yes it still drove fine.
It took a few months to find an adequate replacement that didn't have rust issues and was in decent condition and pay I did. The insurance only paid about 2/5 of what it would cost to actually replace it with similar milage and condition. What I got was a 2004 HSE in pretty good shape with 187xxx no rust for 8550 as opposed to paying 15000 for an 04 HSE very nice with 120xxx miles which mine was.
Let me tell you that shipping a vehicle across country is an expensive stress test added to purchasing a vehicle that I couldn't actually kick the proverbial tires.
Fortunately my brother lived an hour away from San Diego and checked it out, took it for a test drive etc and gave me the thumbs up.
When it arrived here the hauler had left the key in the ignition and the battery was dead, OMG then being backed in up top all the way at the front of the trailer on a slope there wasn't enough gas to start it. Once super long jumpers where located and a few gallons of gas added the Keystone Cops started it and had stopped on the gas revving it up beyond imagination for like a minute blowing a smoke cloud and almost rolling it off balancing on top of the stops jerked it into drive.
I drove off beside myself with the D flashing, a grumbling and sputtering vehicle that felt like I was driving on a rumble strip to the gas station about a football field away. After filling it up I drove away with the check engine light on but the grumbling and sputtering stopped it was lacking power. Upon arriving home the antifreeze resivwar was empty and I could smell antifreeze in the white exhaust, no leaking, not overheating. Y'all know what that idiot did, I wish I had it on video, they would be paying for a new engine.
In an attempt to resurrect it I changed the coil pack, new wires and plugs as well as upstream 02 sensors, an oil change etc. To my dismay there's inadequate compression, its burning antifreeze and oil while getting terrible mileage so now its parked it in the yard.
So ya, I'm going to be swapping engines and transmissions around this summer to restore the 2004 Disco.
In the interim I needed transportation and picked up a 2000 Discovery with only 107xxx miles in very nice and clean condition, new General Grabber tires, new metal front bumper, no rust, only 2 previous owners, clean carfax and title for a nice price. BUT it does need head gaskets and main earrings soon, the weightings on the wall. Y'all might be scratching your head, I'm not a nut bag, nor a sucker for punishment, nor am I starting to collect redneck yard ornaments, or trophies for my hard luck, I just won't drive anything else, enough said.
My reasoning is I can drive the the 2000 knowing that I won't be rebuilding it because it's not worth the effort to rebuild a 4 liter in my opinion.
The new plan is to get radical and put a Cummins diesel in the 2004 Disco and have an awesome and I mean awesome hybrid extremely capable incredible off road monster.
I will swap the engine from the rolled over Rover into The 2000 sometime this summer and will use that as my daily driver.
So me being an armchair mechanic I'm going to have questions and with a couple project Rovers to share and maybe inspire some here, I'll be sticking around a while.
I have a lot of ideas and a fun project turning the carcass of the roll over into a tow behind camper.
My experience is a life long career as a fine finish carpenter and millwright so I have tools & know how to use them. So until i start digging in under the hood, I'll be scanning the archives & asking questions as I don't have a garage and its winter with snow & freezing where I'm at.