By Tim King on Wednesday, April 18, 2001 - 07:22 am: Edit

I own a 1995 Discovery I currently has 96500 miles. Have been hearing a popping sound immead after I shut down the engine. The sound is like when a metal gas can swells on a hot day and expands the metal, or when you squeeze a plastic container and pops when you squeeze and also when let go. The valve covers are leaking around the gaskets on both sides (fairly heavily). The dealer tells me it could be due to overpressure in the oil system and wants to clean all the top end journals and replace the intake gasket (485.00). Has anyone else had this problem? Any solutions? All help would be appreciated.

By Ben There on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 06:33 am: Edit

been running through fields of popcorn lately? Seriously, the noise you describe sounds like really hot metal cooling down. Do you have any fluid leaks other than the valve covers? Is your engine running hotter than usual? Dealer sounds flakey; youcan do your valve cover gaskets yourself in about an hour. No need to replace intake gasket unless you are having problems with it. He might mean the valley gasket (under the intake) or he may just be pulling you. I would fix th egaskets and then listen for th esound again, before I would take back to dealer.

By Nada on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 06:36 am: Edit

Could be oil dripping on cats after shutoff; have you looked at them for oil on them?

By Jon on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 08:13 am: Edit

Sounds like cooling metal making the popping and pinging. Every vehicle I've driven does it immediatley after shut-off. As for the leaky valve cover gaskets, mine used to leak alot. So I got mad one day and held the transmission in second gear as I floor-boarded it and drove continuously about 50 miles down the highway trying to blow the engine (but the rev limiter stopped me). It hasn't used a drop of oil since, and it's running the best it ever has. It's a '95 with 84,000 miles.

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 02:51 pm: Edit

Yes, an Italian tune up is good every now and then, I do it too, and my 97 runs great with no leaks to speak of.