An expensive gasket problem

[landnut]

Hi,

We took out disco 1 in for a diagnostic as it has not been running too well and the mix is rich, when we took into a land rover garage and managed to translate what the problem is, (we live in Limoges France) the mechanic suggested we might need a compression test as we also mentioned we seemed to be losing water. So we thought good idea.

The problem was that the left bank gasket (v8 engine) was damaged and we would need a new one. He produced a quote and after picking ourselves off the floor we said we would have to think about it. The quote was 1500€ about £1300!!, we cannot afford this mind you he was selling us a head gasket for 600€! :eek:

So the question is can we do this ourselves or anyone out there can help, (GPL system would need to come off) or anyother suggestions, I know we can get the parts a lot cheaper from paddocks, the mechanic would do the work if we bought the parts but would not guarantee the work:rolleyes:

[landnut]

hi,

Just adding another part to the tale, just phoned the Land Rover garage and they now say that it is just the gasket. The 600€ is for taking the parts off and replacing the gasket apparently that will take 10hrs does this sound about right? Also does anyone know if there is sucha part that regulates the pressure levels of the oil going into the head gasket?

Thanks

dave

[Satancom]

Depends what it is for exactly. I mean if he is removing the head, having it preasure tested /skimmed then reffiting with a new gasket then it sounds quite normal to me.

10 hours to remove and replace a head? Not sure what the book time is but its quite a bit of work! I would think more like 4 hours, but then again not looked into disco's that much!

[Ed Cheung]

In terms of manpowers, 10 hours is reasonable.
When I was doing my headgasket job, with power tools, I used 4 hours to put everything back together.
So, for them, maybe 3 hours to take it apart, 2 hours to clean up the mess (maybe coolant go into the oil or the the other way around) and check the cylinder heads,etc, then 3 hours to put it back, and some time to clean up the tools...

[rayw1]

I have had the head replaced twice on a 300TDI in the last few months by 2 different garages. Labour was 8 hours in both cases.

[V8_Disco]

Its quite a big job in the disco esp if it has Muli point LPG fitted

I was quoted about 1k for both heads last year, on my Disco 2 4.0 with LPG, Did it myslef with alot of help from the forum

Aidan

[Ed Cheung]

If you have the tools, it is not a tough job, just a long hours job, search the forum and you can get all the help you needed.
Take off the throttle assemble, fuel lines and return line, injection wiring, intake assemble, loosen all the PS pump, A/C pump, alternator, valley gasket, most of the water hose, valve cover, rocker arm, push rode, tappers, head studs(tough part), pull the head off. Then clean everything and put everything back.
Some good 6 point sockets and torque wrench, breaker bar, beer or painkiller will be your good friends.
Time needed 1-2 weekends.
As the heads are out you may want to do a valve job if needed.

[Ed Cheung]

Its quite a big job in the disco esp if it has Muli point LPG fitted

I was quoted about 1k for both heads last year, on my Disco 2 4.0 with LPG, Did it myslef with alot of help from the forum

Aidan


BTW, how's your engine running now, I remember some time ago, your V8 got a ticking issue, solved it yet.

[V8_Disco]

BTW, how's your engine running now, I remember some time ago, your V8 got a ticking issue, solved it yet.

No Still ticks, A little pressure on the Coolant side ... Its either a valve or one of the pistons, When time and money alow I want to replace it with a Turner Block and heads, But house buying, wedding and honeymoon are all in the next 8 weeks!

A

[Ed Cheung]

No Still ticks, A little pressure on the Coolant side ... Its either a valve or one of the pistons, When time and money alow I want to replace it with a Turner Block and heads, But house buying, wedding and honeymoon are all in the next 8 weeks!

A


For the house buying part wedding and honeymoon part --Congratulation!!!
I just finished the house buying part, wedding and honeymoon, will be coming as well.

As for the your v8, hmmmmm as i remember my does tick for a while after the headgasket job and it went away, properly the tappers I guess?? Had you tried putting 1 QT of AT fluid in the oil and run the engine for a good 20 minutes to flush things out and change the oil?


Replacing it with a Turner Block and heads..... do you need approval after the wedding:D

[V8_Disco]

"she" has yet to be convinced on the NEED for a 4.6, hot cam and gas flowed heads:D But she does acnolage that when the Disco gets worse it needs an engine, Can you tell the differance from a 4.0 to 4.6 on the outside because I cant!;) (i might be sensible and just go for another 4.0)

Engine has done 10k since rebuild, oil changed twice, Might put a flush in the next one ... but I am not hopefull

The new house has a garage/Barn that is mine, as long as the Car moves afterwards its my space(and it does not take more than a month), there is even a road between this and the house. a big differance from a house with NO parking:D

Aidan

[Ed Cheung]

Yeah, no way to tell a 3.9 and a 4.6, if I come to a rebuild in the next 2-3 yrs, I would properly turn it into a beast as well.

[landnut]

hi guys - ta verrily for your input -- but -- most of my (experience?] is with 80s style honda bike engines & some forklifts . is anti freeze in engine oil not good :o no sign of sludge in cap anyway
In general about 2 yrs aggro our gas system played up. the gas installer (name suppled if req} showed no interest in helping :frown2:incidentaly our italien neighbour phoned the makers who said will fix :)if we lived in italy no problem:banghead2 anyway , problems since then~~ ticking/coolant loss /chewed dizzy caps/ht leads/misc unrelated probs//has been okish fo
r 1/2 yrs & still running/ might this be ok for 2 hr hols trip in sept !!??
or do we fix our mondeo( far tooo long a story again)
IF ??? i do the job i wondered at only changing the valve seal stems & lapping/de-coking as the other optionals/ any opinions etc appreciated..
v8 disco ~ by no means lastly ~~ good luck on your forthcomings :band:

[landnut]

sorry guys forgot to mention , motor running rich & agreed with by our french LR dealership ..question is why he did nothing after compression test revealed coolant loss/compession to one cylinder only //and woulld this make a difference to the ecu ie less fuel used for now would be nice:nellie:

[V8_Disco]

thanks,

Whats the Milage on the car? If very high I might concer decoking valves

I would not run it ver far but when I had coolant issues I did use K Seal untill I could get the time to take the car ofroad, Goggle it it claims alot of things but It did imporve my coolant loss issue. What are you doing for the holiday? is it going to be Huge miles? I took the car of the road after about 1500 miles and did the job properly

I dont see how HG faluire can lead to overfuling but its years since I worked on a 3.9 with the older injection system, But LPG kits do take a feed from the Lamda (sp?) sensors on the exaust is this is reading wrong this wont help the fuling they do fail over the years as well ... but I am just spitballing

If you where in Yorkshire I would give you a hand but you are to far away...

Aidan

[landnut]

thanks aiden ..btw my chief pointed out your name is not (v8 disco)/sorry..
sealant to try.. motor has done 135k.. hols distance approx 120 each way .camping in the dordogne this time. we have some pressure in exp tank/and can be heard sometimes via heater matrix .roughly since feb time...
you did mention hg reading .but we were just shown a rusty plug end ..
NOW A huge assumption on my part is a break between cyl wall & water jacket( the fault i have been told is on 1 cylinder only) one of my concerns isnt water costs but the risk of "hydraulicing" ALSO .. could you suggest a way to check the lambda senssor.> the diagnostic costs for this gas nonsense is pricey ..at first opportunity its coming OFF anyway!!
sorry to drown you in detail & our aggro :sleep2:
you know you mentioned youd help , but we lived to far away (have you booked H/M yet ??? We know of a great campsite near limoges france available anytime for certain helpfull/friendlyLR people:hugegrin:

[V8_Disco]

Do you depresursd the system before every drive? that can help so i am informed, If you can here it in the Matrix and you are doing this its not good news at all :(

If it is the block prices start around 2.5k for a new one ... Irontight claims to fix these issues, a frend had some sucess for a couple of thousand with it, it might get you through the holls but I am a sceptic:rolleyes:

as to weather it will hydolic, only you can tell that a certan amount will be burnt out by the combustion process but how much, but if the block is going to be scrap ... does it matter!

No afraid i dont know how to cheque the lambda sensors, Jon V8 might but its best to get it onto a diagnostic, you wont need a specal one for a gas as you are not using it

sorry to here about the LPG issues I have had some but nothing to compair with the saving over petrol

Honey Moon is in South Africa i am afraid:D Also Mahala might just kill me if I said I just want to go and have a look/help a rover V8 down the road she sometimes strugles with my intrest in the things

Aidan