ready to kill my self

[cousindave]

Well, I rebuilt my transmission, in doing so, I decided to tackle the annoying rear main seal leak. Well, got everything together started her up yesterday and tried her out she ran beutifully. Now in my attempt in getiingf the two pumps out of my braking system I jacked her up and noticed a little puddle of oil underneath she'd the transmission and engine meet. Since she's up on jack stands I decide to start her up and see if it was motor oil or tranny oil. As she's warming up I noticed the drips turning into a constant run. To add insult to injury she started to run hot ani noticed the top radiator hose starting to ballon and I hear a hissing sound which was from the radiator that sprung a leak! Wtf? Today I really really wish I never had a land rover!!!

[Cutter]

Hang in there, we all know the feeling.

[mongoswede]

welcome to the love hate relationship...sort of a hazing process only the authorities won't help you out :thumb-up:

[artpeck]

Hang in there. I replaced the fully rusted springs on Christmas eve. That started a chain of events that I only sorted out fully last weekend. Trust me it is very satisfying to figure it out but I wanted to give up along the way many times.

[cousindave]

The killer is I had been spared by the evil spirits on two previous trucks now I'm getting quadruple the curse with this truck! And this vehicle was in better shape thenthe two previous. Ain't that a bitch!

[artpeck]

Mine has only 30,000 miles and sat for 20 years. Apparently now making up for lost time...

[SafeAirOne]

You might do a compression test on each cylinder. It sounds as if the cooling system and crankcase are being pressurized.

EDIT: Maybe not...I just read your clogged radiator post.

[cousindave]

Ok, I flushed the system and a lot of crap came out. Checked the thermostat and it opens perfectly at 82° C. Filled the radiator with antifreeze and start it with cap off and heater on full blast. Right away the the antifreeze started to come out of the filler neck before the 88 had a chance to reach temp. Let her run the temp gauge startted to the red, I checked temp with a thermometer and antifreeze was only at 75°C. I am assuming that the stat is not opening so I am getting an air bubble in the motor thus the temp increase and I have a head gasket leak. I also ran a compression test and 12&3 read 110 #4 read 115. What are the parameters for compression test? And... what gun should I use to shoot myself and this landy with?

[Mercedesrover]

Today I really really wish I never had a land rover!!!

Yeah, you'll get that from time to time. These things aren't for everyone. Sometimes I wonder if they're for me too.

Got both out of the barn today for the first time this spring. Both started without trouble (Gosh I love these Benz engines.). The 109 lost the brake fluid to the front wheels. but a quick bleed and they were good enough for now. Took both for a ride and all was well.

If these things get into your blood, under your skin, there's really no turning back. There are a lot of times I hate my trucks, but I stick with them and always will. This persistence isn't really a virtue, more like a problem.

[cousindave]

I know what you mean about getting in your blood.. My wife always looks at me and shrugs when I come in from the garage looking and smelling like I've just came out of the battle of bastogne. I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement.. All of my friends are constantly encouraging me to get rid of this rig and get something else, but then I remember all the great times my wife and I have had in our previous series rigs when we were a little younger.. I guess we're getting soft!!

[Broadstone]

My wife always looks at me and shrugs when I come in from the garage looking and smelling like I've just came out of the battle of bastogne. I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement..


Whenever I am stumped with a problem and ready to just forget about it my wife is always reassuring and tells me "You'll figure it out, you always do". And you know she is right I always figure it out. Hang in there!!! you will start to love it again!! Perhaps try running without thermostat for a short period and see what happens?

[cousindave]

I know what you mean about getting in your blood.. My wife always looks at me and shrugs when I come in from the garage looking and smelling like I've just came out of the battle of bastogne. I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement.. All of my friends are constantly encouraging me to get rid of this rig and get something else, but then I remember all the great times my wife and I have had in our previous series rigs when we were a little younger.. I guess we're getting soft!!

[Terrys]

12&3 read 110 #4 read 115.
Nothing wrong with those numbers.
Dumb question, but I have to ask; you have the thermostat in right side up? Bimetal spring towards head.
I have never found series trucks to be any trouble to fill and bleed at all. In fact, I rarely have to go back and add any coolant. Some people insist on drilling a small hole in the thermostat's valve plate, and there's nothing wrong with the theory, but as I said, I've never had trapped air issues.

[cousindave]

Terrys: yes stat checked stat and it's in there fine. I'm going to run it with no stat today.thanks. when are the cylinder pressures too low? And how can I interpret those numbers as a head gasket leak?

[yorker]

Terrys: yes stat checked stat and it's in there fine. I'm going to run it with no stat today.thanks. when are the cylinder pressures too low? And how can I interpret those numbers as a head gasket leak?

Usually when there are vast differences between the different cylinder readings. Yours are pretty much the same, if a bit low.

[printjunky]

We need to start an "At the end of our rope with our Rovers" Brotherhood CousinDave. I've made some similarly Autocidal/Suicidal posts in the recent past. I must have used up my Rover Karma back on the one I drove when I was at college at UMaine. That thing was pretty flawless (wait ... now that I think of it ... except for the weird wiring problems and the busted half axle and never actually having reverse, and .... OK, I might have romanticized the memory of that Rover a bit).

One thing I can contribute is that I actually have had some serious problems getting my cooling system to "burp." After flushing my system and not getting back to it until it was bone dry, I had all kinds of overheating problems that took me forever to narrow down to an air bubble. I had the most success filling it when it's sitting facing up the pretty steep slope of the apron to my driveway.

[cousindave]

Thanks printjunky for that info! I'm pretty much going to stop where I am and start all over again!!!! After giving up on solving the overheating probblem the normal I figure I'll take the tranny out again and reinstall THAT will probably solve the overheating issue. While I am at that, I figure I'll bleed the brakes to solve the rear main seal and replace the solenoid to get rid of the double pump brakes!

[printjunky]

Yeah at the moment. we're living the same Rover life. I'm about to swap my twice-rebuilt Zenith out for a Rochester in hopes it will fix a suspected valve problem. Unfortunately, I know this move will certainly cause a multiple swivel bearing/railko bushing failure .....