[GaryAinsworth]

Got an issue that I'd like to ask help on to decide whether to fix the Disco or part her out.
A few weeks ago I grenaded the T-Case main drive bearings after the seals between transmission and T-Case blew. Replaced seals and bearings, gear oil, transmission filter and fluid. She drove great for about two days, then all of a sudden, when I accelerated from a stop light, she wouldn't shift past 2nd. I stopped, checked for leaks, found none, started going again, but same result. After starting and stopping a few more times, I noticed my coolant temp gauge had shot up to the "H". This time I popped the hood and heard a loud "hisssss" and saw coolant on my ignition coil at the back of the engine. Coolant was dripping from the back to the ground at a rate of one drip every three seconds, for 5 minutes. Haven't driven her in 5 days due to other things happening.
My question is, is it possible the new tranny fluid broke crud loose and clogged the cooler causing minimal flow and that caused excess heat to build and blow another gasket? No smoke from exhaust and engine runs smooth, but gets hot after about 15 minutes of idle. I'm knowledgeable on everything mechanically except transmissions. Just don't have ant experience with them.

I only paid $1,500 for her and two incidents of being hot by other drivers have given me $$4,500 in repairs from insurance, so I'm financially ahead and feel if I have to spend any more than a few hundred, it just isn't worth it. She has good body parts (needs paint, but dent free) and engine is solid, save the leaking coolant. I'd just like to hear from others to decide the best approach.
Message me here or email me at [email protected] with suggestions. I love my Turd Rover, and if she's dead, I'll part her out and find another one. I'd really like to know the problem before I go through the agony of stripping her down. I know there's some good money in parting her out, but it would be painful doing it. I'm hoping and praying it's something minor so I can keep her. I'll be getting a list of solid parts together just in case she's done and I'll post them here by Friday. Anyone in Dallas/Fort Worth willing to meet me and help would be rewarded in some way. I can't sink much cash in her tight now because I'm buying a house and can't afford much right now. I can offer Cowboys' tickets and lunch/beer but low on cash...

 

[GaryAinsworth]

A little surprising that I've received no responses. Guess that means she's toast.

 

[rionhosaki]

The transmission really doesn't do much with your cooling system, except having a ATF cooler in the radiator. Unless the cooler cracked and your coolant is mixing with the ATF I don't see how it would affect the heat of the engine. If coolant does mix into the ATF the ATF will look like a strawberry milk shake. Then it would be pretty obvious on your transmission problem.

What does the ATF fluid look and smell like? Is it low on fluid? When was the last time the filter have been serviced?

The engine seems to have overheated in the past and as it overheats more and more the heads warp more and more on the ends causing the gap between the block and head to open up having coolant squirt out.

I had a smog check place destroy my rover engine where it got so over heated the heads warped and coolants was literally pouring out the back of the heads. Since you say you are mechanically knowledgeable do a head gasket jobs and have the heads resurfaced and a valve job.

or parts the car for your next Discovery so you can build one good one.

How much miles is on this Disco? If its high miles I'd parts the car as all the bearings are most likely wore out in the engine and will need a full overhaul if you want reliability.

You can confirm you engine's health by doing compression test, leak down test, vacuum test and also by pulling the oil pan, drop one of the crank shaft bearings out and inspect it. If there's copper showing on the bearings, you got about 20,000 miles left to go if not less.

Does the engine seem to be well maintained? No sludge build up when you take off the valve cover or oil pan? Any blow by? how soon does the oil turn black? etc.

Good luck.

 

[Disco Mike]

Gary, if you want some help with this problem, send me your number and I'll call you.

 

[GaryAinsworth]

Thanks for the offer to assist and I appreciate it. I spent about 7 hours Saturday visually inspecting her from top to bottom, and discovered this set forth a chain reaction of events that were waiting to happen already. This was an inspection I should have done when I bought her. Numerous leaks masked and quasi sealed by caked on road grime and engine residue. When I repaired the transfer case and became fed up with having crud fall in my eyes, nose, mouth and ears I stopped the repair to remove as much of it as I could see, and I did not use any kind of pressure washer or steam. Old fashioned hand tools and a ton of rags. Anyway, both valve covers have a pretty bad leak, class I leak from oil pan, class II leak from power steering high pressure line, class I water pump gasket leak, class II leak from somewhere on top of transmission, and both drive shaft connectors deveolped cracks in the last two months, because I had checked them out in August and they were actually perfectly fine.
After discovering all of this I decide to cut bait and move on. I'm parting her out. The best items on her are her shoes, yet even without an asking price, no one has inquired. She has five less than one year old Falken all terrains that are absolutely awesome off road, and relatively quiet on pavement. So if you know anyone... I'm keeping my eye out for another Disco I between 96-98. I will have another one. Just as a Land Rover t-shirt I saw a guy wearing the other day said, "You may go faster, but I can go anywhere."