coolant leak from behind pass. side valvecover, help!

96 discovery. Was close to home the other day and the temp gauge started
creeping up, continued and by the time I hit my driveway temp was getting up
there but not critical according to the gauge. Stop the engine, fan stays
running, coolant running out slowly onto driveway. Coming out somewhere
behind the pass. side valve cover and spilling onto exhaust
manif. and dripping off trans. casing. Can't see anything back in there. Any
thoughts? Do LR engines have soft plugs? Did I crack something? I've heard
there's a heater core and bulkhead back there?

Help! Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

Thanks

-Tom

On or around Fri, 10 Jun 2005 18:19:10 -0700, "TT" <[email protected]>
enlightened us thusly:

>96 discovery. Was close to home the other day and the temp gauge started
>creeping up, continued and by the time I hit my driveway temp was getting up
>there but not critical according to the gauge. Stop the engine, fan stays
>running, coolant running out slowly onto driveway. Coming out somewhere
>behind the pass. side valve cover and spilling onto exhaust
>manif. and dripping off trans. casing. Can't see anything back in there. Any
>thoughts? Do LR engines have soft plugs? Did I crack something? I've heard
>there's a heater core and bulkhead back there?

there are always head gaskets... not the most cheerful news. If there are
no water pipes etc. in the relevant location, though...

on the bright side, V8s are nice easy engines to work on and the heads don't
weigh half a ton[1] like the bugger on the 2.5 petrol that I lifted. If you
do lift a head, don't forget to check that it and the block are flat before
refitting a new gasket, or you end up doing the job again.


[1] felt like it. about 40 Kg, probably
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Appearances: You don't really need make-up. Celebrate your authentic
face by frightening people in the street.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 18:19:10 -0700, "TT" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Coming out somewhere
>behind the pass. side valve cover and spilling onto exhaust
>manif. and dripping off trans. casing. Can't see anything back in there. Any
>thoughts? Do LR engines have soft plugs? Did I crack something? I've heard
>there's a heater core and bulkhead back there?
>
>Help! Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
>
>Thanks
>
>-Tom
>

Sounds very much like it's the P gasket behind the water pump - a
known coolant leak blackspot ;-)
Have a look, standing at the passenger side, at the front of the
engine - you should be able to see traces where the coolant has leaked
out from the aluminium to engine block joint behind the water pump.

You need to drain down coolant, remove aux belt, alternator and the
complete mounting with the water pump on it to replace the gasket.
Make sure you get one of the metal gaskets to replace it.
Takes about an hour if you know what you're doing or two if you don't

If you must drive carry at least a gallon of water with you and be
prepared to turn the heater up to bring the temp down - running at
excessive temp's is not good for the cylinder head - too much and
you're probably looking at warping the head and developing a blown
head gasket BTDT

Did my P gasket last weekend ;-)

Chris
Take the rubbish out to email me!

On or around Sat, 11 Jun 2005 08:26:07 GMT, Chris Ward
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 18:19:10 -0700, "TT" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Coming out somewhere
>>behind the pass. side valve cover and spilling onto exhaust
>>manif. and dripping off trans. casing. Can't see anything back in there. Any
>>thoughts? Do LR engines have soft plugs? Did I crack something? I've heard
>>there's a heater core and bulkhead back there?
>>
>>Help! Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>-Tom
>>
>
>Sounds very much like it's the P gasket behind the water pump - a
>known coolant leak blackspot ;-)
>Have a look, standing at the passenger side, at the front of the
>engine - you should be able to see traces where the coolant has leaked
>out from the aluminium to engine block joint behind the water pump.

Interesting that you assumed TDi and I assumed V8...

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Remember that to change your mind and follow him who sets you right
is to be none the less free than you were before."
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180), from Meditations, VIII.16

On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 22:56:40 +0100, Austin Shackles
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Interesting that you assumed TDi and I assumed V8...

Hehe - at least he has both side's of the coin now then!

Chris
Take the rubbish out to email me!