Hey guys I'm new to the forum. Need to drive my newly acquired 2003 disovery II for 6 hours today and want to assure myself that its just an exhaust leak, but it's looking 50/50 right now. Here's the details:

2003 with 103,000 miles. Recently had some major servicing done 7k miles ago, lots of seals and gaskets. I am getting a really loud air noise from in between the motor where the head gasket is and where the exhaust manifold is. I stuck a piece of wet paper towel in to narrow it down but it's hard. Last owner said it was the manifold but I got it cheap so who knows. The loud noise comes only once every 8 cylinder fires I think, sounds like a Harley.

What makes me think it may be a head gasket leak is the last owner WAY over filled the oil like 1-1.5 in above the full line. I since drained the excess oil, but I fear this could have put strain on the head gasket. There is some oil around the area, but not much. Also I have never driven a LR before, but the 4.6 engine doesn't feel super powerful. I haven't hit the gas hard, and it does fine on the highway, so it may just be me not used to it.

However, the engine light is not on. Will a blown head gasket make it come on?

Really hard to tell just using a paper towel, so any help is appreciated. Should I just take it to a shop and have them look at it? If you're in front of the car looking at it, the leak is on the right side, 2nd cylinder away from the steering wheel.

Thanks guys,
Grouchy

 

Do all of the dash light illuminate when you turn the key to position 1? This is the bulb test sequence. If they don't all come on it can be an indication that someone in the past has disabled some or all of the warning lights to sell the vehicle.

You really need to read the codes with a OBDII device or app. You can get them read for free at an auto parts store.

Head gaskets do fail in that manner and may or may not throw a code.

Good Luck!

Oh, and how mechanical are you?

 

Try this. This will definitely be better especially with manifold leak than when the engine is running and plugging the exhaust with a wet towel. When the engine is running and the fan turns, air is alover the place. This you can feel all the gaps and leak alover withoit a smoke tester with this method.

 

Great idea!

You could probably still have someone blow cigar smoke into the vacuum inlet while you inspect the engine bay...

 

What codes? He didn't say anything about the SES light being illuminated.

That said, checking to see if all the warning lights illuminate when the truck is started is good.

I've never heard of a failed headgasket throwing a code, but I suppose if Cylinder 5 blew to the outside it could trigger a Cylinder 5 misfire. That'd be rare, however.

My money is on it being an exhaust manifold gasket problem. Relatively inexpensive and relatively easy to fix, if you don't put it off too long and risk the hot gasses damaging the aluminum head.

The shop vac method is excellent. I used it to confirm an exhaust manifold to down pipe leak last fall. With the shop vac blowing into the tail pipe I sprayed soapy water around the suspect areas. It was easy to see where the leak was. I didn't need to use duct tape at the tail pipe. I just jammed the shop vac hose into the tail pipe.

Good luck, and let us know what you find.

 

Some guys have bigger hoses than others.
......

 

I like this forum already. Great idea with the vacuum! Dang I should have thought of checking the lights, I don't remember the service engine light coming on when the key is in pos. 1. I'll check in the morning. The other lights come on like the oil light and such, should I take it to autozone and have them read the code? Just drove it 6 hours with no problems. Smoked a little in the driveway before leaving, possibly because of the extra oil I just drained, but no smoke after that. Also, I'm mechanically inclined, but limited on tools since I'm away from home. Man she rides nice though, I'm eager to put on the miles. If all goes well with the air leak I'll be towing a friend's boat next weekend to go camping/boating.

 

OK, took it to autozone and detecting cylinder 5 misfire. It suggests the cause is the spark plug.

 

I plan on unplugging the coil and seeing if it sounds different. Unrelated: Do these cars stop fuel delivery if the plug isn't igniting? I thought I heard of some cars doing that. Would that explain the P1319 error?

Flashback:
I didn't tell y'all it was a P0305 and P1319 error on the ECU code reader.
P0305= Cylinder 5 misfire detected
P1319= misfire with low/empty fuel drive cycle C:Signal out of range - above maximum

 

Replaced the spark plug. Still have a misfire in cylinder 5. P1319 code went away at least temporarily. I'm running out of ideas. Is my head gasket blown? Car smoked a little a week ago but hasn't smoked since then. Maybe since it was on an inclined driveway the coolant leaked into the cylinder 7 and burned up?