…If it it ain’t leaking, it’s empty
My Land Rover Discovery II started leaking coolant about 4 months ago…enough that I could smell it after the vehicle ran for a short time, and enough that I would have to refill the tank about every 7-10 days. Also noticed that I had an oil leak from the cylinder head gasket.
On Friday, I dropped it off at one of the only two places in Austin that works on Land Rovers.
Turns out the oil leak and the coolant leak are related, and it also turns out that faulty head gaskets are a common problem on Land Rovers. My truck is also leaking oil from the crank case and the oil pan gaskets. Or about $1800.00 worth of repairs according to the repair shop. Yikes.
As another Land Rover owner remarked about the Disco II, “If it it ain’t leaking, it’s empty”.
So, I’ll be without my truck for the rest of this week. Luckily, my wife’s office is only 2 blocks from my office so we can car pool this week (for those wondering why we don’t car pool anyway, it’s because our schedules are different — she works 8:30 – 5:30 M-F, whereas I work 7:30 – 4:30 M-Thur, and 7:30 – 11:30 on Fridays).
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I just got word from my local mechanic (one of few who will work on the discovery) that the coolant is leaking from the timing case cover, the water pump and headgaskets. He basically said the whole top of the engine is leaking; will need to be taken apart and replaced and put back together.
He says parts are approximately $2100. WIth labor Im looking at 3 grand.
Discovery II 1999 – 70,000 miles.
Oh and LandRover says the parts are on back order for a least a month. The dealer also told my guy that this is a common problem and that he has a bunch of truck sitting in his lot waiting for parts and repairs. I looked for recall info but nothing fits.
Im not a happy girl!
We love the truck but are so disappointed in these necessary repairs.
Could you imaginw how much the dealership would charge me to fix her?
Your thoughts?
What part of the country do you live in? I can’t imagine those parts not being readily available.
Ask your mechanic about compatible non-factory replacement parts…these should be considerable less-expensive and much more readily available.
I had almost the exact same work done that your mechanic is proposing:
head gaskets replaced (I even had them pull the entire head and remachine it), replaced the oil pan gasket, and replaced the crank case gasket.
Total cost of parts was only $900. Labor was $1200.
Sound like you might be getting taken and/or lied to.
I would seek out the advice of another mechanic.
Thanks for your reply. Sounds like I need to do some more homework.
I live in South Africa, and have just read your comments. I drive a Discovery TDi.
I was on holiday in December, when my car overheated, and blew the cylinder head gasket. I also had the head skimmed. After costly repairs (approx R41 000-00 or $6 700) the car seemd to be in order. Now, less than 6000km later, the car again overheated, and I now have to replace the cylinder head as it has apparantly cracked. This will cost me another approximately R10 000. It seems as if these overheating problems are here to stay, and I will definately sell my car as soon as I can, which is really unfortunate, as it is a very nice car to drive.
1999 Discovery II
Radiator hoses started buldging out from excess pressure. Smell of coolant. Took it in and yes it is a head gasket issue. Price quote is $2k and parts have been somewhat of an issue.
2000 Discovery 75,000 km
Coolant goes staight to the oil pan so that the dip stick shows 1/2 a metre of cloudy brown oil.
Truck is in the shop, sounds like another head gasket repair …could it be worse?
Mine’s going back in the shop today — haven’t driven it almost at all sicne I got my motorcycle back in October; now the battery is completey dead, so I bought a new one yesterday, and it still won’t start.
Something electrical — if I could find somebody willing to take it off my hands for what I still owe on it, I’d do it in a heart beat.
(Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Disco II — it’s just that I never drive it anymore)