LR Mechanics

[sparksgarrett45]

Looks like I'm going to the dark side... I just got a line on a mint 02 Kalahari Edition with one catch- Can anybody take a guess?
The head gasket needs to be replaced, and I am knew to the California area. Does anyone have a preferred mechanic in the area? Thanks for any replies, and hopefully this hasn't been covered yet... :coffeedrink:

 

[Rocky Crag]

Big area...NorCal? SoCal? nearest major city?

 

[sparksgarrett45]

Guess that would have been helpful. Lol. In the Monterey, to SF area.

 

[dcproven]

I like http://www.cerroneseuropean.com/landrover-service

 

[sparksgarrett45]

That's why I love expo. Thanks for the quick responses. I'm thinking about doing the repairs myself, but I don't have a big garage like back in Kansas anymore.

 

[454]

Cerrone's are good people.

 

[NCLRbear]

Cerrone's is ok. there's also a shop in Oakland called besa. I haven't been there and then there's another place in livermore called west coast British. the guy who owns it is mike green and he only likes to work on older land rovers but give it a shot. you should also check out our club. Northern California Land Rover Club now that you're in the area. http://nclrclub.org

 

[sparksgarrett45]

I'll give them all a ring and see what it looks like. Any shade tree mechanics? Lol. All rounds are on me!

 

[pugslyyy]

Cerrone's is ok. there's also a shop in Oakland called besa. I haven't been there and then there's another place in livermore called west coast British. the guy who owns it is mike green and he only likes to work on older land rovers but give it a shot. you should also check out our club. Northern California Land Rover Club now that you're in the area. http://nclrclub.org

Mike Green did a lot of work on my 110 when I lived out that way - including reworking the heads, a transmission swap and installing an air locker. He's a character (what independent LR guy isn't), but nothing but good things to say about the work he does.

 

[Fivespddisco]

Cerrone's are good people.

Add me to the Cerrone's fan page

 

[psykokid]

Definitely heed Bear's advice and look up the guys from the NCLR club. Lots of good people in that club that I've had a chance to wheel with a few times. They usually do a monthly meeting at the Hollister Hills SVRA if i recall correctly. There are quite a few in the club that are gearheads that would more than likely be willing to chip in and lend a hand as well as tell you where you can get the heads checked and machined before you put everything back together. If you feel like tackling it yourself is out of your comfort zone then they'd be the best source of info as to tell you where to take the truck and have the job done.

 

[Green96D1]

I've Dealt with the Cerrones ,Besa and WCB and they all have done good work on my Rovers. Definitely look up the NCLR lots members on there around the Bay Area and Central Valley. Also try www.lrrforums.com it is a Bay Area based repair and mod forum and many of the members are very helpful of DIY repairs!

 

[sparksgarrett45]

Looks like I'm pulling the trigger on the Kalahari. The head gasket is leaking exhaust to the coolant, with some good ol' pressurizing. Not a big deal, and its worth every penny (to me). The Disco is as close to pristine as I've ever seen, and I will be picking it up Saturday. Wish me luck!

 

[psykokid]

One of the vendors on discoweb was doing an exchange special where you are sent a set of resurfaced rebuilt heads with a headgasket kit and then you send your old heads back after the swap as cores. Good idea if you are wanting to limit downtime and are doing the HG swap yourself. Even the newer bosch injected motors are still essentially just a bored out buick 215 with a bunch more sensors. One of the easiest HG swap's I've ever done since you have a ton of space to work in the engine bay vs all the newer german cars I am used to working on where you have to disassemble half the front end of the car just to get to the timing belt.

 

[454]

We did the heads on my '01 D2 a few years ago. One Saturday to break it all down, the heads spent the week getting resurfaced, then back on and together the next Saturday.