Rover V8

[rovertech]

All D2 owners. I am compiling some cooling system failure information. I would appreciate feedback on the number of repeat repairs you have had on your cooling systems. Specifically radiator replacement and cylinder head gasket replacement. This is for my own curiosity. I am not compiling a lawsuit or anything silly like that. I have been in the LR repair world now for 11 years and I working on more permanent fixes. :ylsmoke:

Please include model year, length of ownership and mileage. Thanks!

 

[Oxcart13]

No repeat failures, but 03, owned since new, with 121K, still running original radiator, head gasket done at 87K. No other cooling related issues.

Rovertech = Brent?

 

[rovertech]

'02 and newer Disco's tend to have less radiator trouble due to the deletion of the oil cooler.

Not Brent. This is Scott WIlliams. I helped Brent get the Portland shop rolling and I own my own shop in central WA.

I appreciate the feedback. All of my work has been done in the NW so I like getting feedback from other geographies. What I see locally in repeat failure is poor workanship on the first go around typically. Misdiagnosis of cracked blocks is also a common cause of repeat head gasket replacements. Anyhow, thanks again!

Scott

 

[Dmarchand]

'04, owned since 2005. HG done this January at 62K miles. Same Rad, hoses, etc (soon to be changed).

No other leaks/issues.

I forgot to add, pre-HG and after HG, my coolant temp will run 197 at highway speeds. In stop and go, it peaks at 215.

 

[kellymoe]

Good info here.
http://www.robisonservice.com/articles/RonR_march2006.asp

 

[rovertech]

The link has some good info. I know reasons why they fail. What I am curious about is when people have had failures and if they have repeated during the course of ownership.

 

[Z O O R O P A]

1996 Discovery 5spd, HG, Valves, etc. 60K miles ( was not covered by my LR warranty )

2004 D2, HG/Plugs done @ 58K miles


will you share your results with us?

thx!

 

[BLUEGRASSMAN]

'04, Head gasket replaced at 120k miles. everything else running strong. some things running quite a bit stronger! :ylsmoke:

 

[R_Lefebvre]

04, I think about 60-70k miles, can't remember off the top of my head. No failures at all, yet. I think I discovered the coolant was a little low at some point just over a year ago, so I topped it up. I thought it was weird because I've never had to touch the coolant in any of my cars before. But it hasn't been a recurring problem so... ?

I discovered my electric aux fan has failed. Not sure when. All I know is last August I was on a trail, and actually had the A/C going (just to tease the Jeep guys! ) and noticed the engine was getting hot on my Scangauge. I turned off the AC and it came back down. Then I checked and noticed the aux fan was seized. Have yet to replace it.

The temps I saw, again, can't remember the exact number, but I know it was just below what would trigger the factory gauge to go into the red. Everything seems fine so far.

I am planning on doing a flush sometime this spring. Wondering what coolant would be best to put in.

 

[rovertech]

1996 Discovery 5spd, HG, Valves, etc. 60K miles ( was not covered by my LR warranty )

2004 D2, HG/Plugs done @ 58K miles


will you share your results with us?

thx!

When I have enough information to come up with some averages I will post them. I am collecting info from my shop records, here and on another site. Thanks for the info!

 

[muskyman]

The problems all go back to people not flushing the systems and the caustic coolant then eats its way through the head gaskets.

If people were simple smart enough to flush and change the fluid on a regular basis most head gasket issues on these motors could be avoided.

The choice to go to dex-cool just made things worse IMHO because then people thought they could leave the suff in there forever.

 

[rovertech]

The problems all go back to people not flushing the systems and the caustic coolant then eats its way through the head gaskets.

If people were simple smart enough to flush and change the fluid on a regular basis most head gasket issues on these motors could be avoided.

The choice to go to dex-cool just made things worse IMHO because then people thought they could leave the suff in there forever.

That is not entirely accurate. Rover's service intervals were still 30k mile coolant changes using dex-cool. Even with proper servicing I saw failures as early as 30-40K under factory warranty. What I have found most commonly is oil saturation from leaking pressure rings in the gasket. If left alone this deteriorates the water jacket which sits directly below the ring. Erratic torque from torque to yield bolts is also a major problem. However this thread is now digressing.

 

[Root Moose]

The problems all go back to people not flushing the systems and the caustic coolant then eats its way through the head gaskets.

If people were simple smart enough to flush and change the fluid on a regular basis most head gasket issues on these motors could be avoided.

The choice to go to dex-cool just made things worse IMHO because then people thought they could leave the suff in there forever.

That is not entirely accurate. Rover's service intervals were still 30k mile coolant changes using dex-cool. Even with proper servicing I saw failures as early as 30-40K under factory warranty. What I have found most commonly is oil saturation from leaking pressure rings in the gasket. If left alone this deteriorates the water jacket which sits directly below the ring. Erratic torque from torque to yield bolts is also a major problem. However this thread is now digressing.

I've heard stories about Rover V8s not having the heads bolted down properly as delivered from the factory. Finger tight even in some cases.

If that is true, is it possible that coolant is able to weep and make the gasket fail and result in an early failure?

If it's true gives more credence to Clarkson's retort on Land Rovers: "built by communists in the Midlands".

 

[rovertech]

I have had head bolts be loose and others hellishly tight on the same engine. Rover's stretch bolts don't seem to be consistent and the factory's assembly was usually not much better unfortunately. Other makes use them successfully but there is good reason not to use them on a rover V8 anyhow.

Erratic torque can cause seepage and lead to complete failure of the gasket.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I have had head bolts be loose and others hellishly tight on the same engine. Rover's stretch bolts don't seem to be consistent and the factory's assembly was usually not much better unfortunately. Other makes use them successfully but there is good reason not to use them on a rover V8 anyhow.

Erratic torque can cause seepage and lead to complete failure of the gasket.

Sounds like you're suggesting the problem is... luck of the draw? You either have an engine that was assembled properly, and you might/should be OK. Or you got an engine that was not assembled right, and have a ticking bomb. And that this is not a problem with the gasket design whereby all engines risk failure?