Head Gasket... Anyone?

The beast is a 04 Disco.

The symptoms: pool of coolant on the floor in the am's, Exxon Valdez in the engine bay, just some plain bad vibes about it all.

So, I figured this lovely weekend would be the best time to tackle this looming problem I've been avoiding. I got the parts, grabbed a beer, and dove head-first into it!

Well, who would have guessed it. I ran into a couple snags and out of beer.

1) I can't get the head bolts to budge. Won't they bust off if I give them the 'ol hee ho? Also, this one goes out to anyone who had done the heads before on the 4.6 disco-how the hell do you get to the first bolt near the fire wall on the left side? I've tried every tool I own, and now I feel like one.

2) Should I even bother? After spending 4 hours digging down past all the nonsense to where I need to start, I finally removed the rocker covers and I swear, it looks like the person who had this before me Rino Lined the inside of the engine. I'll be a day or two now just letting parts I removed soak in chemistry, but what about the rest of the once suitable buick-designed powerhouse? I just bought this 70K mean green machine in Dec from someone who I would have peggd as a loyal maintenance man..........well....yeah. i guess not

3) If the general consensus is to continue with this ordeal (and I don't end up going josh beckett on some of the smaller parts) is there anything else I might want to know before hand from the vast wisdom of all you who like me like to spend every free moment thinking, dreaming, tinkering, but more likely fixing rovers? The alternative: I was contemplating replacing the engine because of it's knocking.....

but...

That's a thread for another time!

Thanks for help

________________________________________
1997 DI - $5500
1999 DI - $21000
2004 DII - $8500

One wife who actually understands why only one Rover will never be enough...

Priceless!

I have read that most people use an impact socket and a big breaker bar.

And as for the left rear head bolt, most just hammer the fire wall back enough to get the wrench on.
My guess is they hammer a piece of wood or pipe as it would be tough to swing a hammer in there.

I haven't had the pleasure of doing my head gaskets yet.
But I don't see why you couldn't loosen the trans mounts and jack the trans and t-case up a little to get the clearance to get to the head bolt.

Steve

Thanks Backina88.

I am going to go out today afer church to get a impact wrench. I was using a a 14in breaker bar and getting nowhere fast. The manual said to start with that bolt I mentioned near the firewall. I'll give the fire wall some loving and see if I can get a larger breaker bar in there.

For all you church goers...remember the guy working on his 04 Disco in Maine. I could use some divineintervention.

Also, does anyone know if I have to put the secondary air crap back? Or, is there a way to eliminate the system without causing the diva to come out in the ECU? Does it help or hinder? It just seems like another "california-friendly" add-on that complicates the already complicated.

BY the way Backina88, I love the disco, but would much rather see myself cruising down the road in a IIa or III. Nice truck!:thumb-up:

Thanks for the help

The secondary air has to stay, I have not heard of anyone being able to remove it and trick the computer into not throwing codes.

Went for a nice cruise today in the old IIa.
My wife likes it because it is so slow she doesn't have to yell at me. :o


Steve

I must be a sissy.

I still can't get the first head bolt budged. About 10 mins ago I was excited for about 5 seconds. I was putting everything I have into my breaker-bar... and all of a sudden Wamm! I thought I have actually brocken the damn thing free.

Nope.

All I managed to do was strip the bolt even more because of the awkward position you have to leverage it, bend my wedding band, and bruise and bloddy my hand that much more.

Seriously folks, do we Disco II owners have to remove the block to change the head gaskets? I'm in need of some expertise. I hammered back the fire wall, I tried breaker bars, can't get a air socket in such a tight spot... I've never had so much agony trying to remove bolts from the head.

If any kind and knowledgable Rover person is in the southern Maine area...I can pay with steak and beer for a quick hand on the Disco...:)

Thanks for any advise

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dandruka

The beast is a 04 Disco.

The symptoms: pool of coolant on the floor in the am's, Exxon Valdez in the engine bay, just some plain bad vibes about it all.

So, I figured this lovely weekend would be the best time to tackle this looming problem I've been avoiding. I got the parts, grabbed a beer, and dove head-first into it!

Well, who would have guessed it. I ran into a couple snags and out of beer.

1) I can't get the head bolts to budge. Won't they bust off if I give them the 'ol hee ho? Also, this one goes out to anyone who had done the heads before on the 4.6 disco-how the hell do you get to the first bolt near the fire wall on the left side? I've tried every tool I own, and now I feel like one.

---

I did my headgasket replacement last year.

See the photos I took as I worked on.
http://www.mysaab900.com/gallery/Dis...t-disassemble/

Cleaning head and Putting all together==>
http://www.mysaab900.com/gallery/Dis...2000/assemble/


I removed the head bolt near the fire wall with 1/2" Drive Breaker Bar , deep impact socket and a Universal Joint, 1/2"Drive to give a slight angle to it.

Then I had my friend to press the socket on the bolt with a universal joint firmly on the place before I apply the torque on the breaker. Apply the force very slowly to feel and make sure the socket grips the bolt firmly while your helper shows muscle power to press hard the socket sits on the bolt firmly with all grips in the position.
After you feel the socket has full grip and tight, increase the force on the breaker.
I worked for me after I slipped a couple of times.

This universal joint is available in many local autoparts stores. I got one from local AutoZone.
http://hand-tools.hardwarestore.com/...nt-117636.aspx

http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/p...6_front500.jpg

Thanks KH500

I did try using the universal joint bit already with no suck luck, however, what I have not tried yet is a second pair of hands.

I like how you took pictures of each stage of your project. I got to tell you thought, you could eat off your engine compaired to mine. Mine is ridiculously dirty. After seeing alot of wear on the cam bearings, i popped off the pan to find more of the same thing with the rod/main bearings....and probably the reason why my engine is knocking so bad when reved high.

I'm thinking it may suite me best to just reassemble what i've done so far and look for a good used engine. There's no sense in pouring wrench time into a engine that's gonna blow a rod sometime down the road...i guess.

At least I've got the trusty DI as a back-up!

Thanks for the encouragement my fellow Rover friends!

P.S. Anyone have a 4.0 (not a 4.6) Bosch Seconday Air Engine for sale?

if you use the correct wratchet, pipe to install on the end of the wratchet socked and short extension you can get to all the head bolts and even have no problems getting to the bolts near the bulk head/firewall and wont even need a swivil socket. they are tight though. get a good socket because a cheap socket will usually break.