Coolant leak/Dash Lights/Anti Lock - Land Rovers Only

cskone · 10-04-2007, 10:06 AM

Something for everyone...('97)

When i get out of my car after driving for any period of time, i notice a sugary/maple smell in the air. I'm assuming this is a coolant leak of some sort, the problem is, i can't see it anywere. Nothing on the ground, nothing in the car. Also, my heater is "gurgling" when i start the car and i have intermittant heater failures. Coolant leak right? Are there common areas to check other than the ground and near the floorboards??

My dash lights seem to be going out one by one. Started w/ the buttons for volume control and rear wipers and is working it's way around the cab. Now i basically have no dash light, save for one or two here and there. I know this is common, but i've checked all the fuses and they are fine...any other solutions?

I mistakenly took my car to midas to get my brakes changed...now my anti-lock light is on. The other day, i had to slam on my breaks and low and behold, no anti-lock. Coincidentally i had to change my break switch right around the time i got my breaks done. I can't imagine that there is something in the break switch that would actually turn off the anti-lock instead of just turning on the light. Suggestions?

Answers to any part of this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Elemental · 10-04-2007, 10:14 AM

What year?

stolenheron · 10-04-2007, 12:47 PM

wow, the last time i was in my buddy's shop back in florida there were a few D1s and a D2 who had coolant leaks. We couldn't see them until we took off the upper manifold and it looked that nice (and sad) milky brown of oil and coolant mixing...

bigd2010 · 10-07-2007, 07:57 AM

my anti-lock light came on a week or two ago aswell. The guy at the local car shop i go to said it is from the brakes needing replaced real bad and the rotors..something about the rear sensor in the brakes

cskone · 10-10-2007, 07:34 AM

brakes are relatively new, so i don't think that's the problem

LRXD · 10-10-2007, 02:13 PM

cskone,

I am not a mechanic, nor certified technician. As always I always encourage anyone working on/near vehicles to seek certified individuals to work on your vehicle.

Below you will find only some suggestions of what your current situation may be. I can only write about my own experiences and what I have learned from others throughout this forum.

Take a look at the link I pasted below. In a nutshell I had a similar situation. I would first check your hoses to see if you have wear/tear that would cause a leak. Many times what happens is that you won't find anything leaking under your vehicle because it would burn up within the system before reaching the ground. Another suggestion is to check your coolant overflow and see how low/full it is. It could be needing a head gasket. Does your CEL illuminate? If so, are you able to pull the codes? Most likely these are only simple precautions to get you started.

You mention that the vehicle heater is "gurgling", this may be your heater core (maybe a crack), but more than likely what I can tell from my own experience and some research is that it could possibly be a slipped cylinder sleeve(s) in the engine since you mentioned the coolent, which may be leaking into the engine and causing the beginnings of any over heat, if it hasn't already. Give your front passenger footwell area a good check, especially under your floor mats, sometimes the fluid drains around there and gets soaked up by the padding under the carpet.

Depending on how severe this could be, you may also need a valve job as well depending on how much wear/tear is on the vehicle, due to the carbon build up on the valves from the gasoline.

If you do have a slipped sleeve, I have heard of mechanics and machine shops replacing the sleeves, but its not always the correct fix. The resolution is almost always to replace or rebuild the engine. In that case, if you replace the engine, be aware of the specs. Let me know what your thoughts are after you read the below forum. Let us know.

"Ocean Wave-like" sounds, Gurgling & Sloshing

flunkster · 10-12-2007, 08:30 PM

unless the engine has been knowingly overheated and it is making an awful ticking (not always)...i wouldnt be worried about a slipped liner just yet.

some things to look at for head gasket failure. pull the plugs and look for one that is very clean. your exhaust can be white and sweet smelling. with the radiator cap off, you may see bubbles coming up. check for instant pressurization of the cooling system. your oil may become grey or light brown (milky). do a compression test on all cylinders...one or 2 may be low depending on where the gasket has failed

a valley pan leak will often show up as drips of green or orange coolant on the trsansmission bell housing.

most external leaks will show up on the ground but do let the operating temp get up and look around with a flashlight with the engine running. key areas for an unfindable external leak will be around the manifolds (think-coolant dripping on them).

the dash lights all seem to go at the same time. they can be ordered from atlantic britis, discount british and many other places for around $3 a piece in amber and green. changing them is easy...post up when you get the new ones.

going on the circumstantial evidence....the midas tech may have just knocked an abs sensor out of it nest a bit. go in there, pull them out, clean them and their seats and reinstall making sure they are snug. the best way to fix abs (imho) is to pull the abs fuse from under the hood and then the indicator light from behind the dash....rendering them non-functional so they dont kill you later on.

enjoy!

cskone · 10-19-2007, 03:57 PM

I do have a sweet smell, but it's only in the engine area right after i turn off the car. I'm replacing the water pump this weekend in hopes of getting rid of a rather annoying squeal coming from it...i have a hunch that it's leaking coolant as well. None of the check engine lights are on...wouldn't my car be driving rather poorly if i had a head gasket leak?? What's the surest sign of a head leak? My oil is "kind of" brown, but not bubbly, never overheated, no ticking...what is "instant pressurization of the cooling system"?

My abs IS inactive right now...would that happen from knocking the sensors loose? i'm NOT taking a 10 year old car to a shop unless it completely stops working, so thanks for the help!

cskone · 01-16-2008, 03:28 PM

Follow up:

well, it turned out it was the water pump...the thing was screaming at me for a month or so and coolant was being blown away by the fan so i couldn't see it.

my front rotors are totally warped...would that have something to do w/ the ABS light?

lights on the dash are still out, but i didnt really make an effort to fix them.

10-04-2007, 10:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
cskone Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 20 Gallery: 0	Coolant leak/Dash Lights/Anti Lock Something for everyone...('97) When i get out of my car after driving for any period of time, i notice a sugary/maple smell in the air. I'm assuming this is a coolant leak of some sort, the problem is, i can't see it anywere. Nothing on the ground, nothing in the car. Also, my heater is "gurgling" when i start the car and i have intermittant heater failures. Coolant leak right? Are there common areas to check other than the ground and near the floorboards?? My dash lights seem to be going out one by one. Started w/ the buttons for volume control and rear wipers and is working it's way around the cab. Now i basically have no dash light, save for one or two here and there. I know this is common, but i've checked all the fuses and they are fine...any other solutions? I mistakenly took my car to midas to get my brakes changed...now my anti-lock light is on. The other day, i had to slam on my breaks and low and behold, no anti-lock. Coincidentally i had to change my break switch right around the time i got my breaks done. I can't imagine that there is something in the break switch that would actually turn off the anti-lock instead of just turning on the light. Suggestions? Answers to any part of this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks __________________ Skoner

10-04-2007, 10:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Elemental Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,017 Gallery: 0	What year? __________________ I only worry about myself, screw the others.

10-04-2007, 12:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
stolenheron 2004 Discovery II driver Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Fort Myers, Florida Posts: 1,436 Gallery: 6	wow, the last time i was in my buddy's shop back in florida there were a few D1s and a D2 who had coolant leaks. We couldn't see them until we took off the upper manifold and it looked that nice (and sad) milky brown of oil and coolant mixing... __________________ 2004 Discovery II SE7 - My Ride 2006 LR3 SE - Dad's Ride

10-10-2007, 07:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
cskone Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 20 Gallery: 0	brakes are relatively new, so i don't think that's the problem __________________ Skoner

10-19-2007, 03:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
cskone Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 20 Gallery: 0	well... I do have a sweet smell, but it's only in the engine area right after i turn off the car. I'm replacing the water pump this weekend in hopes of getting rid of a rather annoying squeal coming from it...i have a hunch that it's leaking coolant as well. None of the check engine lights are on...wouldn't my car be driving rather poorly if i had a head gasket leak?? What's the surest sign of a head leak? My oil is "kind of" brown, but not bubbly, never overheated, no ticking...what is "instant pressurization of the cooling system"? My abs IS inactive right now...would that happen from knocking the sensors loose? i'm NOT taking a 10 year old car to a shop unless it completely stops working, so thanks for the help! __________________ Skoner

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10-07-2007, 07:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
bigd2010 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Maryville, Tn Posts: 39 Gallery: 0	my anti-lock light came on a week or two ago aswell. The guy at the local car shop i go to said it is from the brakes needing replaced real bad and the rotors..something about the rear sensor in the brakes

10-10-2007, 02:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
LRXD Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 21 Gallery: 0	cskone, I am not a mechanic, nor certified technician. As always I always encourage anyone working on/near vehicles to seek certified individuals to work on your vehicle. Below you will find only some suggestions of what your current situation may be. I can only write about my own experiences and what I have learned from others throughout this forum. Take a look at the link I pasted below. In a nutshell I had a similar situation. I would first check your hoses to see if you have wear/tear that would cause a leak. Many times what happens is that you won't find anything leaking under your vehicle because it would burn up within the system before reaching the ground. Another suggestion is to check your coolant overflow and see how low/full it is. It could be needing a head gasket. Does your CEL illuminate? If so, are you able to pull the codes? Most likely these are only simple precautions to get you started. You mention that the vehicle heater is "gurgling", this may be your heater core (maybe a crack), but more than likely what I can tell from my own experience and some research is that it could possibly be a slipped cylinder sleeve(s) in the engine since you mentioned the coolent, which may be leaking into the engine and causing the beginnings of any over heat, if it hasn't already. Give your front passenger footwell area a good check, especially under your floor mats, sometimes the fluid drains around there and gets soaked up by the padding under the carpet. Depending on how severe this could be, you may also need a valve job as well depending on how much wear/tear is on the vehicle, due to the carbon build up on the valves from the gasoline. If you do have a slipped sleeve, I have heard of mechanics and machine shops replacing the sleeves, but its not always the correct fix. The resolution is almost always to replace or rebuild the engine. In that case, if you replace the engine, be aware of the specs. Let me know what your thoughts are after you read the below forum. Let us know. "Ocean Wave-like" sounds, Gurgling & Sloshing

10-12-2007, 08:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
flunkster Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cawood KY Posts: 23 Gallery: 0	unless the engine has been knowingly overheated and it is making an awful ticking (not always)...i wouldnt be worried about a slipped liner just yet. some things to look at for head gasket failure. pull the plugs and look for one that is very clean. your exhaust can be white and sweet smelling. with the radiator cap off, you may see bubbles coming up. check for instant pressurization of the cooling system. your oil may become grey or light brown (milky). do a compression test on all cylinders...one or 2 may be low depending on where the gasket has failed a valley pan leak will often show up as drips of green or orange coolant on the trsansmission bell housing. most external leaks will show up on the ground but do let the operating temp get up and look around with a flashlight with the engine running. key areas for an unfindable external leak will be around the manifolds (think-coolant dripping on them). the dash lights all seem to go at the same time. they can be ordered from atlantic britis, discount british and many other places for around $3 a piece in amber and green. changing them is easy...post up when you get the new ones. going on the circumstantial evidence....the midas tech may have just knocked an abs sensor out of it nest a bit. go in there, pull them out, clean them and their seats and reinstall making sure they are snug. the best way to fix abs (imho) is to pull the abs fuse from under the hood and then the indicator light from behind the dash....rendering them non-functional so they dont kill you later on. enjoy!

01-16-2008, 03:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
cskone Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 20 Gallery: 0	Follow up: well, it turned out it was the water pump...the thing was screaming at me for a month or so and coolant was being blown away by the fan so i couldn't see it. my front rotors are totally warped...would that have something to do w/ the ABS light? lights on the dash are still out, but i didnt really make an effort to fix them. __________________ Skoner

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