[bjonesy21]

03 discovery 104kmiles. Parked it in restaurant parking lot. Got out and had some steam coming out of hood. Took family in restaurant, came back out , steam had stopped and some green antifreeze/water mixture was dripping under the driver's side. Popped hood and looked but could not see anything leaking. Started engine and looked again but still did not see anything. Cut engine off, let it sit a while and checked coolant level and it was fine. Drove the 15 miles home, temp gage never went above normal. Pulled in driveway, checked under hood no leaks. Engine off, no leaks. Completely confused and need some help.

 

[Disco Mike]

You sure didn't look very hard, with a Rover, if you see coolant dripping, you find it before you drive it or chance toasting your engine.
Have you looked under your t/body for the leak? How low if any was your coolant level?

 

[bjonesy21]

At the most it was 1/4" below the level indicator but the engine was not "cold". I checked every hose I could get my eyes on and did not see a source. Checked around engine block did not see a source. I saw evidence of the leak on driver side engine compartment components as far up as what looks like a round metal splitter device for the fuel injector pipe. Like I said, took the chance to drive it home and once home still no visible leak. Would think a hose or radiator leak would continue to leak not what I saw. So far a one time event.

 

[Disco Mike]

Go pressure test the coolant system, you'll find it real quick.
Did you verify the t/body is not leaking onto the valve cover?

 

[jakked]

At the most it was 1/4" below the level indicator but the engine was not "cold".

That's not good; when cold, it should be at the level indicator. When hot, it should be above it, not 1/4" below it. Go take a look once it has cooled off overnight and see how low it is.

 

[Disco Mike]

Doesn't make too much difference if he has never checked it before prior to a cold start, I run mine 1/2" above the seam mark and here again, only check it when cold, he needs to do a pressure test, if need be hot and cold.

 

[bjonesy21]

Ok, completely cold, the level was very low but I did lose a good bit yesterday when whatever happened happened. Refilled reservoir to above fill mark by 1/4". Pressured up to 15psi and started looking. Did not find anything spraying out or leaking like I had yesterday. Pressure did bleed down to about 8psi. I pumped it back up to 20 and started looking again. Still no leaks until I looked at the top radiator hoses. There was small weeper on the shortest of the three top hoses. Tightened the hose clamp and re-pressured to 20psi. The weep was gone. Still nothing leaking, spraying, dripping,etc. Did not see anything leaking around throttle body. Pressure now SLOWLY bled down to 15psi. Don't know what to do next.

 

[Disco Mike]

If it bleeds more then a pound in 15 plus minutes, assuming you have a good tester and you don't see an external leak, there is a real good chance you have a head gasket failing.

 

[bjonesy21]

I understand that logic but I definitely had an external leak yesterday but now nothing. I guess at this point, I will monitor the coolant level daily and wait for it to happen again unless you have another suggestion. Thanks for the help.

 

[Disco Mike]

Good plan, make sure you only check the level prior to a cold start in the mornings. Let us know what you find.

 

[Brit4x4]

Start with the simple stuff. take a look at your throttle body heater plate (gasket). They can leak slowly, then more and more.. The coolant will drip out of the plate, onto the valve cover and down onto the ground. (worst case scenario), usually it burns up on the hot cover or motor and you smell it before you start looking for it. In the picture,(s) you can see it leaking and turning to a gel like consistency. You will loose a little bit of coolant here and there and you may even see puddles of it resting on the cover or on the ground... This is a good place to start when the smell of coolant is in the air or you are topping off the coolant, occasionally there will be a puddle on the ground. Even if it is HG's it usually burns off before creating a puddle. If this area checks out ok, then look at the hoses. Start with the small one at the top of the radiator (overflow tube on the drivers side/upper portion of the radiator) then work your way to the larger upper and lower radiator hoses (rare if your leak/puddle is on the drivers side as stated).





This tube/hose could be your culprit as well....

 

[Dane!]

I had the throttle body leak, my coolant would stay pressurized in direct sunlight and leak alot all day, and would leak about the same driving, Bputah sells the plate for 30$ if this is the case or ive heard people get copper tubing and make a u shape and bypass the plate all together.

 

[Brit4x4]

It's still going to leak if by-passed. Just fix it right. Roverparts.com $21

 

[jafir]

I sold my D2. In my left over parts box, I've got a new plate kit and also a throttle body gasket to make installing it a little easier. I'll sell both for $18.


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