I used @WILL.TILLERY when I did my HGs. He had a great deal for a full kit with heads ready to go. Saved a ton of hassle/time dealing with a local machine shop and allowed me to get through the job in a weekend. I've put more than 15k miles (in less than a year) on the truck since doing the job and no problems at all. Download the RAVE and search for a few threads to make sure you have the tools. It is certainly DIY possible if you can follow directions and have basic hand tool experience.
Meet "Oreo" - 1996 Land Rover Discovery Project
- Thread starter patdohere
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I used @WILL.TILLERY when I did my HGs. He had a great deal for a full kit with heads ready to go. Saved a ton of hassle/time dealing with a local machine shop and allowed me to get through the job in a weekend. I've put more than 15k miles (in less than a year) on the truck since doing the job and no problems at all. Download the RAVE and search for a few threads to make sure you have the tools. It is certainly DIY possible if you can follow directions and have basic hand tool experience.
Because a clogged radiator can cool SOME, so at idle an engine doesnt produce very much heat and it can cope with that energy output. Say the radiator is 50% blocked, which is very realistic. 50% cooling capacity is still more than the heat the engine produces at idle, so the temperature doesnt rise. Under load the engine produces a lot more heat, which exceeds the cooling capacity of the compromised radiator, and you see elevated temps.
That makes sense but you're forgetting that the coolant system scales to meet the load. The 50% unclogged radiator becomes more efficient as speed increases due to increased airflow. And the increase in engine RPM also means the water pump is turning more quickly. I.e. greater coolant flow rate equals better heat dissipation. Plus all the free airflow through the engine bay to alleviate underhood temps.
Idle is when the engine is least efficient at shedding heat. That's why cop cars are beefed up for extended idle periods. At idle the engine is relying completely on the fan(s) to pull enough air through the radiator while simultaneously circulating coolant at the slowest rate during normal operations.
I'm not arguing that a car cant overheat on the highway, just that a car that overheats on the highway will also overheat at idle. Assuming road legal speeds.
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No, because you're only utilizing 50% of the radiator regardless of airflow. At some point the engine produces more heat than 50% of the radiator can handle. Imagine blocking half of the radiator with a piece of cardboard. Doesnt matter how much airflow is going through the grill since half of the radiator isnt doing any work. Its the coolant being blocked internally rather than the air blocked externally, but the result is the same.
My experience was just that: i could manage short trips and stay cool, but hit the highway or drive for a while, and I redlined. Put a used RRC rad in and was good to go. When it finally gave out, I installed a new Nissen and it's been all good. A bit more plastic than I like, but no complaints at all so far.
And agreed about Will Tillery for the head gaskets. I did mine this spring at 193k, and his kit let me get it done in a weekend. No sending heads out for work; that stretches into a 2 weekend job. There’s a very detailed video on doing it that I found had mixed in with the RAVE I downloaded a few years back. I’ll post if I can find it.
The video I mentioned is by @eliaschristeas right here on DWeb. It was a lifesaver for me, and I just stumbled across it. Contact him, and maybe he can help you with a link to the video. I don’t know how I got it, and I sure can’t figure out how to share it. It’s the best tutorial out there.
One other possibility is it’s low on coolant or combustion is causing an air pocket so you’re not getting a correct temp sensor reading at low speeds/rpm’s, probably just reading steam/air. But higher rpm’s are spinning the pump fast enough to get enough coolant for the sensor to read correctly.
That’s how my HG experience went.
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The manuals and other stuff mentioned can be found in the google drive in my signature. At one point Tugela (member here) had a document of 'pointers' and things that made his job easier but I can't seem to find that now.
WIX 51515 is an oversized filter
WIX 51068 is closer to stock.
I've used both with good results for the last 10+ years. Napa sells them with the same part number as well. I generally buy them at Amazon and tack them on to whatever order is coming.
The only difference that I could find while looking through the spec sheet on the WIX site was the size. All other specs appear to be identical.
WIX 51515 is an oversized filter
WIX 51068 is closer to stock.
I've used both with good results for the last 10+ years. Napa sells them with the same part number as well. I generally buy them at Amazon and tack them on to whatever order is coming.
The only difference that I could find while looking through the spec sheet on the WIX site was the size. All other specs appear to be identical.
Is this the article your talking about?
A rookie's guide to Land Rover head gasket repair — Nicholas Bratton
Land Rover Discovery head gasket repair guide
www.nicholasbratton.com
Also I was wondering how to check for a cracked block? Can I determine that with a compression test?
Finally is it worth overhauling the cooling system while I’m working on HG?
A machine shop would have to test the block. Definitely a great time for a new water pump, rad etc. Anything that you’re not certain about.Is this the article your talking about?
A rookie's guide to Land Rover head gasket repair — Nicholas Bratton
Land Rover Discovery head gasket repair guide
Also I was wondering how to check for a cracked block? Can I determine that with a compression test?
Finally is it worth overhauling the cooling system while I’m working on HG?
That article covers all the details pretty nicely. The video gives you a little better hands-on eyes-on if you can find it. Being prepared ahead is really the key no matter. That would be with both materials and mental.
Couple useful tips, that you may have already seen, when you’re putting it back together:
-For the head bolts, after you do the first 15ft lbs sequence, use a paint pen and make a vertical line on top of each bolt head. That will help you keep track of, and is a guide to make sure you get 90° on each bolt for the next two sequences.
-The valley pan gasket for the intake sometimes seems like the holes are wrong and don’t quite line up to get the bolts in...but all you need to do is torque down the end clamps and it will suck it down so everything lines up perfectly.
Good luck but It’s actually a pretty simple job.
-For the head bolts, after you do the first 15ft lbs sequence, use a paint pen and make a vertical line on top of each bolt head. That will help you keep track of, and is a guide to make sure you get 90° on each bolt for the next two sequences.
-The valley pan gasket for the intake sometimes seems like the holes are wrong and don’t quite line up to get the bolts in...but all you need to do is torque down the end clamps and it will suck it down so everything lines up perfectly.
Good luck but It’s actually a pretty simple job.
If your trying to save some dough, you "could" remove the heads and anything else up there then have your car hauled to a decent Rover shop or some place that can check the block. Then you know what your really dealing with and not guessing. Have them check the heads while your at it.
Unless you've got the time to burn, I'd have them reinstall every thing, but that's me. They've done it many, many times and probably won't screw it up.
If it's a some machine shop that says the last time they seen a Rover engine was 5 or 10 years ago, you might as well do it.
Christ, if your gonna go that deep, might as well put in a new/decent cam and lifters. Crower makes one al lot of people here like.
Get it all done at once. No half steps thinking you'll save some money. You always end up doing the same thing twice when you could've just done it once. See what fun Rover ownership can be? Can you say "Bob's your Uncle"?
Unless you've got the time to burn, I'd have them reinstall every thing, but that's me. They've done it many, many times and probably won't screw it up.
If it's a some machine shop that says the last time they seen a Rover engine was 5 or 10 years ago, you might as well do it.
Christ, if your gonna go that deep, might as well put in a new/decent cam and lifters. Crower makes one al lot of people here like.
Get it all done at once. No half steps thinking you'll save some money. You always end up doing the same thing twice when you could've just done it once. See what fun Rover ownership can be? Can you say "Bob's your Uncle"?
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Haha well I did buy this car with two things in mind to build a budget overland vehicle for less than $10k. And to learn how to fix and repair the car in case of failures on the trail. Definitely getting what I asked for. Anyways I’ll keep everyone posted.