newbie freelander * need help asap*

newbie to freelander 1, need help!!!
Hi can anyone help me i have purchased a freelander 1 about 3 months ago now, i use it on a daily basis and wanted to check a few niggles.
I have some service history with the car and know all belts and pump etc have been replaced.
Not sure how i check head gasket??
also i do a weekly check on the levels etc and have to top up coolant on a weekly basis it seems to go from max to just around minimum on a weekly basis im pretty sure this is something wrong. i only drive it for in town work and do approx 50 miles a week in short journeys - max 7 - 8 miles a day.
i have checked inside the coolant and cannot see any oil and have also taken the oil cap off and checked inside there and that all looks normal too, no creamy gung or anything - no gung at all.
There is no problems with the car overheating or anything , it rarely reaches half way on the thermostat.
I have the car parked on my driveway and cannot see any oil or coolant leaks but if i look down at the engine at the skid plate? it looks damp??
lastly, i have no rear propshaft on my car as when i first got it there was a terrible banging noise???
we had the rear propshaft removed and now the banging noise has gone but i have noticed a very annoying noise that only happens every now and then and sounds a little like a horse trotting or a tin rattling? it sounds like it is coming from the passenger side front but not 100% as i am obviously driving, it only seems to do it once the car is completely warmed up and has done a few miles, and sounds worse if the car is slightly loaded or on warmer days???
It has just had a mot and the only thing that was needed was a track rod which was done at the time and it has no advisories so has anyone got any suggestions as completely clueless
Am female but think i know basics on the engine and dont want it to break down on me.
PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!

I assume its 1.8 petrol. The water loss could be due to a head gasket failing the way to check it take it to a garage to do a sniff test, that will show any problems. The banging noise you described will be a failed IRD only way to cure is to replace and not cheap, it is likely that the VCU failed causing the IRD to fail. On the earlier models the ratios on the drive chain caused the wind up of the transmission. You would be better to take to a good independent to get a report on the faults.

Kim you have 2 threads with the same question going, that is a no no be patient and you will receive help.

What you need to do is cancel one thread so you don't confuse us old farts. And again good luck.

Mr. Hippo is the top freelander info guy, and make sure you look at the tyre threads, as different tyres can really f@@k your IRD and CVJ real bad

Can yu verify.. Is it a 1.8K or a 2.5KV6?

If it has just passed an MOT, then the noise is unlikely to be a drop link (common fault); if if you say it is coming from the "front", then it is unlikely to be a rear diff mount or broken chassis/subframe mount.
As stated above the most likely cause of the noise is a Fubared IRD. The water loss could be several things. It is worth checking under the passenger side of the centre console in the footwell area as this is where you occasionally find damp carpet from a leaky heater matrix. As already stated, get a "sniff" test carried out to check for combustion gases in the water, but it could be as simple as a failed coolant bottle cap, a cracked coolant bottle or a broken thermostat housing.

hi sorry, yeah it is a 1.8 k servies engine, i have had a landrover guy look over it and the ird is fine, this was the first thing we thought it could be, annoying this is the sound comes and goes. are there any home tests we can do regarding the coolant??

front passenger footwell is dry, we have rubber mats so would have shown but did check anyhow. something i did notice with the coolant is that when i checked it yesterday it was just above minimum and today when i checked it , it was just below minimum so guessing leaking somewhere???