HELP, possible head gasket leak for coolant??

[IWANTADISCO]

Here's the lowdown:

Took our 2002 Discovery SE7 in for the 60,000 mile service and some new breaks. The 60K service was going to be $800 and new brakes as well as rotors about $1,000. I'm okay with that.......but then the dealership hit me up with a found problem of a coolant leak happening due to the head gasket needing to be replaced.

They said this was going to be an additional $2,000 worth of work. I'm not sure I can swing that seeing as how I was just laid off about two weeks ago. I'm attaching pictures they took from the dealership and asking that ya'll please provide me with some serious advice as to whether or not I should do this.

[auwesman]

seems to be a minor leak form the photos. Have you noticed any oil drops on your driveway. How about coolant? Does it get low evey so often?
Small "seeping" leaks can be ok as long as you keep an eye on your fluids.
Rovers are prone to have their leaks.

[ArmyRover]

There was a leak there?

Kidding doesn't look that bad to me but pictures really won't tell the tale. More information is needed like does the oil look like coffee with creamer? Is it running hot? Is it losing coolant? etc...

use the search and look at some of the head gasket threads there is alot better info out there than I will give you.

[IWANTADISCO]

Thanks for the feedback. Ya'lls questions are the exact reason I was questioning the dealership. We've seen absolutely no leaks on our driveway of either oil or coolant. We've never noticed the engine running hot, never smelt any oil or coolant burning after we've driven it, etc.

In fact, just the other day as I was reading some of the horror stories on this board I was thinking how lucky we are. I realize that luck can change very quickly on a LR, but for as little as that care is driven...about 15 miles a day, an maybe 45 on the weekends...it seemed odd to me that all of a sudden we would have a $2,000 problem on our hands.

I have spoken to Disco Mike and I think he and I have a game plan on our hands. Needless to say it involves a second opinion. Any other thoughts from anyone on this board are more than welcome. Keep 'em coming.

[Steph]

Well, if the leaks are external, it can go on like this forever. But as the others have said, it is very critical that you check your oil and coolant levels at least 2 to 3 times a week. Your oil condition will let you know if the leak becomes internal, in the way that your oil will become a milk chocolaty color. You also have to check your coolant for presence of oil. A cloud of white smoke on cold start-up will mean that coolant is present in the combustion chamber. Buy Dexcool coolant, mix it 50/50 with distilled water and keep some, along with a quart of oil in the back of your truck.

Now, go to a rad shop or good indy mech, and have them pressure test the cooling system.

I can't press enough the importance of monitering your fluid levels and their consistance.

How mechanical are you ??? Brakes are somewhat easy to do and the 60K could be done by you, one thing at the time, extended on a few weeks. Mega savings right there$$$.

[IWANTADISCO]

Fairly handy, but not sure about mechanical. The 60K and brakes I'm okay with the dealership working on. Right now, in the time of a major career search I don't have time to have my wife's car down and me not have a way to get places.

The main thing I was concerned with was the fact that after the dealership knew they were taking me for $1,800 they tried to drop another $2,000 bomb on me. Something sounded fishy, and from the sounds of all the responses and a conversation with Disco Mike it seems my hunch was correct.

I'll keep checking those fluids and as soon as it's back in my hands I'm going to take it to the local mechanic to do the coolant pressure check.

Keep the thoughts coming.

[Britabroad]

Hey IWANTADISCO,

I had the same diagnosis from a LR main dealer soon after I bought my car from a used lot. They claimed a fire hazard was causes by the leak ? which sounded weird to me but there might be a TSB out there. I'll check my invoice this afternoon and post exactly what they did. I hadn't noticed any change in coolant levels. As the others have said, the pics don't look like coolant. My 2002 D II has 92k miles and looks similar to yours underneath. i just check the oil, PAS, coolant and trans fluid twice a week. Spots on the road where I park - but no fluid drops. I think this is just a joy of DISCO ownership.

[Disco Mike]

So, per our conversation, have you had your local shop do a coolant pressure test yet?
Mike

[slouzon]

The dealer charges $1000 for pads and rotors??

[IWANTADISCO]

Disco Mike, I emailed the dealer last night to tell them the three things I wanted tested:
1. Coolant Pressure Test
2. Valley Pan Gasket as the possibility of the actual problem
3. Possibility of this leak coming from the gasket between the intake manifolds and cylinder heads
As of right now they have not contacted me back. I'm led to believe that they figured out I just gave them a taste of their own medicine so maybe they are trying to figure out what they are going to tell me next.

The good news is that I have a Jaguar XLJ to use until I get my Rover back. The bad news is that I really want my Rover back.

[auwesman]

Originally Posted by slouzon

The dealer charges $1000 for pads and rotors??

I didn't even catch that. I guess thats a "normal" price for a stearlership, but if you'll take 2 hours out of your saturday you can change pads and roters for less than $500.00 (depending on what you order).
Thats a do-it-yourselfer right there. VERY SIMPLE (one of the joys of not having drums!)

[ArmyRover]

$1000 is a little cheaper than Mercedes Benz charges for a brake job on a ML320. They wanted $1200 for that I did it for $175 new pads and had the rotors turned good to go. Took about 2 hours.

[Britabroad]

IWANTADISCO, just checked my invoice. Apparently my coolant leak was the throttle body de-icer, $450 under warrantee.