Category: exhaust

Posted on

April 2nd, 2003 (Post #26)

April 2, 2003
Head Gasket
Well my worst fears were confirmed at Rover Cannibal today. The head gasket is leaking. This leak is charging my cooling system causing the coolant to leak out of the expansion bottle. Not a lot of fluid but enough to cause a tri-weekly annoyance. My options:

  • Complete Head Job. Pull the heads and have them planed and replace the gaskets.
  • Head gasket replacement. Pull it apart, replace the gaskets.
  • Retorque the heads. The leak is small maybe if lucky it will fix it.
    I’m sure there are 100 schools of thought on this subject. I have gotten a lot of advise from many trusted sources. The real bottom line is how much does it cost? I will be getting prices back this week.

    What are some of the hidden problems?

    The head could be cracked. This is not so bad as the worst problems, I could get a replacement
    and use the replacement. The worst thing that could happen is the block is cracked. I know a
    replacement engine will be about $1800 plus all the labor to put it in. That would be horrible.
    I will keep you apprise you of my decision soon.

    Exhaust update. I bought a replacement exhaust today. I will pick it up tomorrow.

    • Posted on

    March 20th, 2003 (Post #25)

    March 20, 2003
    Rust and Rovers
    Rust. What else can you say? Everyone knows about rust and Rovers. When we lived on Guam there was this stuff they called “creeping crud”. It was basically rust on your car. A small rust spot would start and it would creep up your car. Rust was due to the salt air and all the tropical conditions that foster rust.

    But today I wonder about rust. Why so much of it on Rovers? What make them so special? I have owned many cars not one of them had any rust. Not one of them has had the exhaust rust out.

    My last vehicle was a 1993 Ford Ranger pickup truck. I drove it 189,000 miles in 7 years. Not one bit of rust. Exhaust was pristine. But in the 10 years my Rover has been in existance it has developed several rust issues. They are too numerous to mention but every time I climb under it I see more rust.

    Well this week while crossing a busy intersection in town in five o’clock traffic my silencer falls
    off my truck. My carpool buddy said, “Did that just fall off your truck?” I replied I don’t think so
    as it was only 2 years ago that I had replaced it and there is no way it could have rusted out by now. I was wrong, it was mine. And trashed it was, by the time I got back to pick it up.

    I reported a month ago that the exhaust would need to be replaced. I thought I would be able to
    replace it at my leisure. I guess I was wrong again.

    With the need to replace it looming I have several questions that I will have to research or ask
    the good people of several Rover Message Boards for explanations.

  • What is the silencer for?
  • Do I need a silencer?
  • Do I replace my exhaust with stainless steel?
  • What is the best value for my money?
  • What are fair prices for the components of the exhaust?

    The obvious, “Hey he’s in a Land Rover, he must be rich.” look on mechanics and others faces is
    almost a bad cliche in Oklahoma. I can’t tell you the number of times I walked out of a shop or store when I was about to be fleeced. So I hope to have my homework done first and not be taken advantage of when getting my exhaust replaced.

    • Posted on

    January 23rd, 2003 (Post #19)

    January 23, 2003
    It is bitter cold outside. For all of you from other parts of the world that means it is in the teens outside with a wind chill in the minus ranges. I’m sure Rob can tell us of cold weatherup North near Canada. This is the cold that you all know and love. You all know it because nothing fails on your Rover until it gets this cold outside. The power steering pump is failing, I know it’s days are numbered. The fluid leak has exaserbated the problem and I will likely need to replace it. I am now angry that I squandered the 60 degree temperatures of last weekend with house silliness instead of Rover silliness. If the weather guys are correct we should warm up next week. I will be doing auto repair if I know what’s good for me.

    Add to the list below….

  • Exhaust.

    • The exhaust is in bad shape. I forgot to include this on the list with the rest last week.

  • Rusty Tailgate.

    • Everyone I know has this problem. I need to find that rust stopping goo. If anyone knows what it is called email me so I can get some.

    Posted on

    January 13th, 2003 (Post #18)

    January 13, 2003
    RovErica asked me while I was doing my duty of delivering her “taxi style” to another of her activities, “so, do you have any work to on the Rover?”

    What a question. I knew I only had 5 minutes to tell her an answer before she got out
    of the truck so I gave her a short list. To which she asked, “was any of that under the hood?”
    Yes and told her which of the things would be under the hood. On the way home that got me thinking, that there is a lot to do on the Rover and I’m not doing any of it. You probably have a list of want-to-dos, have-to-dos, and should-dos, too. I encourage you to write it down and then let it eat a whole in you as you continue to ignore the work you have just made for yourself.
    What follows is a list of the things I know about and should start work on when the days and funds allow.

    In no particular order.

  • Cooling Problem.

    • The cooling problem only raises it’s ugly head during the summer months in Oklahoma. I have done some work on this the last two years but have not found the problem yet.

  • Power Steering Leak, Part Duex

    • I had a hose fail in the past. Now I have another leak but it has been too cold to find it.

  • Broken fog lamp

    • The Big White Bus was driven by my daughter and the next day I had a broken lamp. Coincidence?

  • Trouble Light

    • Want to add a trouble light I got off a 1995 GMC truck under my hood.

  • Driver’s Seat

    • Heater never worked. A warm butt is a happy butt. Memory switches quit working. No biggy but annoying.

  • Air Conditioning Compressor

    • Has a leak. Actually the entire seal around the compressor is showing the tell tale green
    ooze we put in to find the leak. Probably a new compressor sometime next year.

  • Suspension

    • I know I should replace the shocks and the bushings. Ryan has suggested new springs too.

  • Exhaust.

    • The exhaust is in bad shape. I forgot to include this on the list with the rest last week.

  • Mysterious leak

    • There is a mysterious leak that wets the carpet up front during the rainy months. Windshield is probably the culprit. I need to have it pulled and resealed.

    So if you were wondering if you were the only one with a naggy list of Rover To-Dos, wonder no more you are among friends.

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