Blown Head Gasket

For $3,300 you can get a new engine, do NOT pay that for a head gasket, and if it only lasted 18,000 miles there is something else going on. Either he botched it the first time or let me guess..it overheats? And I'd also like to ask, what 'fluid' did he say to put in and where? Some sort of fix it in a can stop leak? And it IS a tough car

Disco's are tough as nails. If you put any kind of fluid in the coolant system you're an idiot. The mechanic was trying to make sure you came back to him after that "quick fix" ran out. But I agree with David just get a new engine.

The Land Rover engines tend to be fairly bulletproof provided they're properly maintained. Like all aluminium block engines they are very susceptible to damage from overheating. If there's any trouble with the head gasket have it replaced as sson as possible and have the cylinder head checked and, if required, surfaced. Never ever use any of those liquid stopgaps, as David already said stuff like that clogs up all the water passages in the engine and radiator and slowly (or in some cases very rapidly) ruins the cooling system finally leading to even more overheating, which in turn will ruin the engine. Those little cheap cans can lead to a tonne in expenses. I'd suggest flushing the cooling system a good few times then installing a good used engine and a new radiator. Remember: stop leak fluids are a mechanic's best friend, they are a surefire way to ensure you'll be back for way more expensive repairs than if it got fixed properly the first time...

Thanks for the answer. I carried car to a auto repair shop for Landrover's. They told me to put a can of liquid stopgap in vehicle. That is when I had 43,000 on car. After market parts are cheap. Wy quotes from 3,300.00 to 2,800.00 for repair.

Yep Jean, see what Lars and I wrote, that stuff is ...well, no need to repeat it all

Cheaper to sell car then repair. After market parts. Okay? car value is about 3,800.00. Repairr blown head gasket $3,300.00.

Using original Land Rover parts is expensive, for example an original land rover water pump would be around $270 but a QH one would be closer to $85, but I'd still use original Land Rover given half a chance. Like I said you're probably looking at a new radiator and heater core thanks to the buildup of the leak sealer and a resurface of the cylinder heads. Get a new rad and heater core and cooling hoses and a good used engine and you're looking at pretty much the same price.

No no no $3,300 to put on a head gasket is way out of line. See my first answer Jean....but you are correct, and to borrow words from Lars they are bulletproof ans should go much longer than 61k miles

Listen to Lars, Jean

Used engine would set you back around $1750 depending on the mileage. Add a bit for labour, a servicing kit, a new radiator and heater core and some hoses and it adds up to around $3000 all in. Resurfacing a cylinder head would cost you about $150 a head all in, you would still need to ensure that there is no warping of the engine due to overheating, do the servicing bit and replace the heater core and radiator and preferably the hoses, as well as cleaning all the built up leak sealer out of the engine or you'll be having the same problems again in no time.

Bullitproof and tuff as nails...and dont use stop leak? I have a 87 olds with a Buick 3.8 V6 with 402,000 miles on the original, never apart [exc. timing chain] engine, and it runs perfectly. I have put at least 5 cans stop leak in it over the 26 years that I have owned it....never have flushed the cooling system. I overheated it, temperature gauage pegged, for half an hour,towing a Chevy Blazer in the hills of California, over ten years ago. Now that is "Bullitproof!"

@bob6789 funny you mention a buick, because thats where the Land Rover V8 originated. It was a buick design and in the 60's Land Rover acquired the rights and tooling to the engine. $3300 is way out of line. these engines are as simple as any small block Chevy. There are no timing belt or water pumps to remove to get the heads off like on an overhead cam engine. Simply remove the upper and lower intake, and exhaust manifolds along with the A/C compressor and bracket that holds it for the drivers side, and the alternator and belt tensioner bracket along with the idler pulley. Its a pushrod engine so the heads come right off after that.

Here is a long explanation of the problem and solution. Read this to KNOW what is happening!! This guy knows his stuff about LRs. http://robisonservice.blogspot.com/2014/02/blown-head-gaskets-on-land-rover-v8.html

I went to cannibal v8 and bought a top of the line re-manufactured engine that is no bulletproof. Look the head gasket problem that WILL come back even after you get the best guy in the world to do it,, well its going to fail... Here is why, the head bolts, they use a type of stress bolt that damages the block, if not cracks it. second reason is the sleeves, the tooling is old and even though Land Rover makes you pay top price, they are only giving you low dollar tooling because they wont upgrade it... The only reason I did not give up on my Discovery is because I always wanted one. So I took the bullet and replaced, its not going to be cheap, and if cheap is all you can afford I suggest you stop and get another off road vehicle, and as far as saying OEM parts from factory,, look a little further, there are better parts for cheaper,, the Bosch ones will be ok but anything from Land Rover will be like I said inferior. also your power steering pump will start leaking, dont spend $245 for a new pump,, get a gasket rebuild kit for less than $30... I spent $6500 on my engine, but it is the best period.

Land rover knows this a common problem and should recall them all maybe a class action lawsuit would help ! let's do it

Crappycar land rover knows they have a head gasket problem and should recall these crap cans maybe a class action lawsuit has to be done lets do it

can anyone tell me the tourque setting for a 98 discovery head bolts

I'm replacing a head gasket, oil change, and valve replacements just to be proactive for $1,300.