Hey all,

I'm happy and pretty nervous at the same time, because I finally have a Discovery!

It's not actually my first Land Rover - I bought a Freelander back in 2003, and it....well - let's just say it didn't go as well as I hoped.

So, 8 years after trading the problematic little Hippo, I finally decided to take a chance and get that Disco I always wanted while there were still a few floating around.

Wanted a 2004, but got a 2003. Wanted a Silver S...got an Oslo Blue HSE7, so I made a few compromises. 82k miles, reasonably well cared for, with a few things I'll need to address.

It has a pretty good vibe on cold brakes, so new rotors and pads are on the way, along with a steering damper. It is a bit weepy in the oil department, too. But I sniffed that thing up, down, left and right for coolant smells (salesperson thought I was crazy) and couldn't detect anything.

And thanks to all the awesome advice I found while lurking, a new front propeller shaft is already on the way here (original is still on the truck!).

So I am excited, but totally nervous...I don't seem to have the best luck with cars for some reason, and I'm hoping that I can ward off a repeat of the Freelander fiasco.

Thanks in advance for everyone's help - I've never talked to Disco Mike, but feel like he has taught me a ton about Discoveries already!

 

Welcome. Please download the RAVE, so you will have the shop and owner's manual available. Also consider an Ultra Gauge, about $70, reads/resets engine codes and displays live data, like engine temp. The stock heat gauge is programmed to stay at 50% until overheating begins. With digital display, you can see it creeping up and do something about it. Be sure to check your fan clutch (should not freewheel when warm) and your electric fan (should run at some point with AC on, blades should spin freely). Flush radiator and remove any Dexcool coolant, go back with green premix. Snug up the valve covers (8mm 12 point skinny socket) and some oil leaking may slow down. As for oil, 15W40 Rotella is a good cheap choice that can be changed often without regret. The factory manual says W30 oil is only for use below 95F, so stick with anythingW40 or 20W50, etc. Steering dampers usually just cover up other problems and are not the basic problem themselves. Truck can be driven without it, the purpose of the damper is to keep a big rock on the trail from breaking your thumbs. Search forum for "death wobble".

 

Thanks for the info!! Downloaded the Rave, and that Ultra Gauge looks pretty cool - real-time info and bling-y lights.

I'll get started on fluids - I am a die-hard Rotella fan, anyway, and I wasn't sure if the Dino-oil was ok (the Freelander was all synth), so I'm jazzed I can use my favorite stuff.

And thanks for the death-wobble tip - I'm going to start checking suspension parts and tightness on the front-end now...sometimes it does it a little bit when I let off the gas at mid-range speeds, so there is more than just a brake think going on there.

I can't wait to get the front end feeling solid...then I'll be able to have fun driving it while I get the rest of the maintenance stuff up to date.

I'll do a search, but is it worth it to rebuild the oil pump as preventative maintenance once I've taken care of all the pressing stuff?

 

Quick update - replaced the rotors, and the death-wobble magically went away...happy about that.

Did the steering damper since I had already ordered it - the original was in pretty sad shape, although replacing it didn't really make it feel a whole lot different.

Just got done fighting with the propellor shaft tonight, so that is in and ready to go, too.

So next up is fluids, then investigating all the leaky bits and hitting the bottom with some POR-15....and fixing a small rust spot I just noticed on the roof by the passenger rain gutter.

Eventually, I'll get past all the necessary stuff, and hopefully have a few pennies left to do some fun stuff.

 

The propshaft is the big issue. The oil pumps usually failed before your miles, but a mechanical gauge test would be an easy way to see if oil PSI is where it should be. IF OK leave it until you really need to open the front cover for something else.

 

Gotcha - will the Ultra Gauge give me usable oil pressure info, or do I need something with a dedicated sender?

I did a couple of searches, and it looks like if I were cracking the front cover open, I'm pretty much committing myself to a water pump, and probably timing chain and gears while I am in there, which I would rather put off if everything is working ok at this point.