Most All Of The PROBLEMS With My Wife's LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 1 

I worked for Rover dealer for 11 years. I would say 90% "head gasket leaks" were actually just the intake manifold. But, guess what, you have to take the intake off to do the head gaskets so the head gasket job fixed the leak for three times the cost. Especially an oil leak, there is only a very small oil passage through the head gasket that is nowhere near the edge.

I was quoted £8-10k to fix mine when I got it, I’ve paid out nothing like that and last year it passed the Mot first time and it’s a perfectly reliable vehicle. There’s a big difference between a perfect car and a perfectly usable car.

Landrover: turning vehicle owners into mechanics since 1948.

I've got a disco 1 in the fleet, love it!!! Every time I drive it I always question why people need new cars!? It's so nice

Owning a Land Rover is like being the owner of the Millennium Falcon...your hyperdrive is always out, there's always some problem with the power converters or the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized and I'm afraid you'll have to replace it. In fact the Corellian YT-1300f light freighter is known as the "Land Rover of the Star Wars Universe". People would think that a guy like Captain Solo would ditch that POS for a more reliable ship....but they don't understand. Just like people don't understand my love for my Discovery 1...Check engine light turns on if a deer farts within 100 yards, she leaks oil, she leaks power steering fluid, my hyperdrive (aka cruise control) hasn't worked in about 10 years, my rear windows only work when they want to, one headlight is full of water...currently my transfer case shifter is frozen and won't move...the list goes on. My point is... like Captain Solo, I wouldn't trade my Disco 1 for anything! If you don't own one you'll never understand that relationship. Now to be fair...there are lots of people who have owned a Land Rover and say things like, "That thing was the biggest piece of crap I ever owned...I got rid of that piece of crap, nothing but problems!" I welcome the problems...I'm an overlander, an adventurer, a world traveler...and I have to say that misadventures tell way better stories, make for better experiences, and are much more memorable than plain old regular adventures. Then again, I'm a "fly by the seat of my pants" kinda guy...like Captain Solo...lol, just my 2 cents... PS.- No, I am not a Star Wars fanboy, it was just an analogy to make my point...besides Trek is better!

I had a disco 1 for 16 years with 300tdi engine. Very easy to work on, 260,000km, never needed a tow. Great vehicle if you appreciated its limitations. Serviced by me.

This guy gets no likes for his amazing edits, this dude needs to have more subs

The best part is once you just decided you'll do it all yourself it gives you the confidence to really know your rig. Making you even more attached to the enduring ownership experience of the Landrover Discovery

That is awesome that you are able to do that work yourself. It really opens up a world of vehicles that others can't touch. If I were able to do that kind of work I would still have my 2000 Expedition.

I also have one. A special one, D1 type D2😀, Diesel engine, 7places and working AC. Also some leaking that i learn to fix... and i love it. Cheap repair parts, and a lot of tutorials making owners a kind of mechanics for years.... 😀 Enjoy it.

Ah there's your problem..it's a petrol.

Ive got a diesel d1 fully decked out top of the line everything , twin locked everyday driver done 335000 and blows less smoke than a petrol !! This is the most comfortable driver ive ever had ... I keep waiting for it to break down and live up to its online rep but it refuses to its twin locked and cops a hard time off road every wet season this vehicle is a weapon to own and drives and handles superbly ...so i guess its horses for courses look after them and they will not let you down, d1 300 tdi one of landrovers finest hours full stop !!!

i drive older vehicles so i have a third piece of junk for back on the other two that way i always have some thing to drive.

Yessssss ! I have a 1999 D1. It marks its territory daily.....Subscribed !

Wow, I thought mine was bad. Kudos to you for taking this head on. I hope things get better.

I just killed my 95 about 6 months ago and now am in a 98. I hate that I love these cars so much. Hope your repairs have gone well. Definitely am going to check out the rest of your videos. All the Disco 1 love.

Sunroof leak- remove headliner, oh. Download “RAVE” , that’s the shop manual. Remove headliner, locate drain tubes make sure they are attached. Next check to see if the drain pts, where the tubes attach, are still siliconed onto the metal tray. It’s one of those two. No more leak.

I’ve got a 01 Disco, I feel ALL your pain!!! And yes I’ve replaced the head gasket from a eBay kit for $80 bucks.

I just got myself a 95 disco. I have been looking for videos like these on mine for a while now. Your videos are great and your editing majorly shows your dedication Keep them coming. There perfect. :-)

Can’t wait to see your projects! Your editing skills for the vid were on point

People buy Land Rovers because they've seen all the movies set in the African Veldt showing Rovers going where no vehicle has gone before and it makes people figure that the Rovers are super tough. The truth is that the Rovers are so popular because there's lots of free parts available from all the other Rovers which have broken down.

I have a 98 Disco LSE. I find your vids very helpful

Living in the UK i have had Landrovers since I was 16, my first car was an ex-army series 2a, great cars and very reliable as long as you give them the TLC they require and most importantly have the correct knowledge and technological understanding to keep them running. Good luck with the project, she looks a solid car👌

That disco has a very nice colour! I love it! I have a 1998 disco 1 my self! Looking forward to see result!

I want to follow all the way through I'm considering I'm buying a Land Rover you are my inspiration

nice! i am also in AZ and so excited about your channel as i just found a 2k disco 1 I want to buy as my first car!

Excellent presentation.

One of the best and honest dives in to the land rover world. You can do this. But yes to need to send the heads out. They are aluminum and a valve job never hurts.

I have an old MGB, the old saying for a UK built car is "if it ain't leaking its empty."

Love my discovery's they are fantastic old wagons and every bit as capable as a defender if you ask me 👍🏻

I had a head gasket blow out the side of number 5 cylinder in my D2. No over heating or lose of coolant. I did the new head gasket in my driveway. Very easy to do but lots of bolts. I’d suggest replacing your water pump while you have everything apart. Good luck. Subscribed to see what happens. 😀

I like that your just a regular joe and not just a self proclaimed expert. I noticed you live in a condo, where do you work on your car?

I just got a 99, foreseeing the same problems 🤦‍♂️good luck!

My D2 has less problems than this thing! Thanks for making feel better about my Disco

Man this is a classic, worth way more than any 2015 LR, do it the mainteinance and repair it... and enjoy

Thanks for sharing. Subscribed

as an owner of a 97 disco 1 and 03 disco 2, i am anxious to take the "ride" with u!! and get the curse jar ready lol!!! thumbs up!!!

This is awesome!! Looking for D1 To buy and build up!!

Boy that's pretty scary if it's the nicest one they have seen in awhile , just remember when you think you've got all the leaks taken care of one more will soon start it's a landy by george, great vehicle but always teared up.

Very much approve of your choice! Nice to pick one up with such a small list of todos ;-)

Oh boy, you’re gonna be in the driveway for so long the neighbors are going to think you’re a lawn jockey. ;-) Bon Chance! She will be solid when you complete everything and you’ll love every minute of adventure once she’s sussed.

Disco looks sick!

Had the same model but TDI diesel auto here in Australia. that stuff is just wear and tear from being driven. if the radiator hadn't been crushed the head casket would have been ok. looks like it lived its life with just engine oil changes, and forget everything else. The beauty of that model is you could still work on yourself with just minor mechanical skills, no electronics too spoil your life. Enjoy.

I dont know you or your mechanic skill level BUT i would highly recommend looking for a guy called "disco mike" on land rover forum. I believe he is from AZ, he own a disco and he is a certified landerover mechanic. Very knowledgeable, nice guy 😉

Just bought my first disco, and am so happy I found your channel. I’ve got some similar issues on mine so I will for sure be checking out your other vids and on the look out as you make repairs. Thanks for sharing!

cool video! i just found your Chanel and subscribed. i own a 1998 discovery 1 with 225k on it, and have a bit over 8k worth of new parts on it. that's parts alone i did the repairs. i estimate ive saved myself close to 15k in labor alone. i got most of my parts from Atlantic British, some used parts such as exhaust manifolds from eBay i also recommend lucky8llc, rovahfarm and rockauto for parts. most repairs are not very difficult and can be accomplished with only one person. i honestly love my discovery 1 and often i start it up just to hear that v8 purring. i recommend downloading the rave manual for the disco. it has been an invaluable resource that and RU-vid. A decent set of spanners and sockets, a dewalt impact driver with socket attachments bits, and a regular impact wrench for easier part removal where applicable. Also several your beverages of choice may be needed and highly advised while doing repairs/upgrades. if you're replacing the gaskets and machining the heads, i do recommend you replace the timing chain *my next project before it breaks*, water pump(STC4378OE), coolant hoses, thermostat with a 185 degree Fahrenheit unit, oil pan gasket(602087), oil pan bolts/lock washers (EOPBK), clean the oil pan sump hose metal filter/replace it *used brake cleaner to remove all varnish and thoroughly clean it*, metal radiator cap (ERR4686B), new exhaust manifold bolts (ERR6734G) *nickel based Copper slip for the bolts for easier future removal, 2400 degree version*, exhaust manifold studs (ERR551) *old studs will likely snap when removing, new manifolds/used manifolds may be required*, new exhaust manifold gaskets (ETC4524K2), zddt additive *to prevent premature cam wear added to new oil* (ZDDPLUS), fan clutch (ERR3443) *used a dewalt impact driver with allen hex bits to remove allen bolts made short work of them*, fan clutch wrench (88550) inertia switch (WQT100030L), new brake bulbs *vehicle will not move out of park if a brake light is blown out, found this out the hard way and bypassed mine by using a pin punch on the shift solenoid under the plastic center counsel* i do also recommend investing in a 52mm socket for the wheel bearings to adjust the pre and post load. also replace the fuse able links under the fuse panel in the engine bay x1(STC1757G), x3 (STC1758G), x1(STC1759G), x1 (STC1760G) *keep the old ones as backups as most non dealer parts stores do not carry the 100 amp alternator fuse and could very well leave you stranded should the alternator fuse blow* although it is alot of work, however most of this can be completed in a couple weekends worth of work. replacing those items will ultimately save you time in the future and give you a rock solid engine to build your rig onto. The fan clutch and water pump should be replaced as soon as possible as likely they're overdue for replacement, especially in a very hot climates, these engines are all aluminum so any overheating is a serious issue, as a new remanufactured block alone is 4500 without the core charge. new coolant green coolant is also recommended, avoid any oat based coolants as they tend to be harmful if left unchanged for long periods of time despite the claims that they are long life coolants. i replaced my cat back exhaust with a magnaflow system and it changed the sound quite a bit its not obnoxiously loud however you definitely know when its running. i look forward to watching your progress on your disco. welcome to the club ;)

The intermittent problem with the back windows is a dry joint on the ecu board. Plenty of vids on here on how to fix it, takes about 10 minutes. Enjoy the green oval for all it is worth, it will be a love hate relationship with it. When it's running right you will love it, when it's broken you'll want to set fire to it. I have 4 D1's all 2.5 diesel and they don't leak, they sweat power lol.

i love the land rover discovery 1 it is my favorite i hav one

Love my 99 disco 2

Good editing and flow. Keep it up.

impressive drone shot at the end there!

I love the scene you forgot your mask lol!

They used the parts to make these from lots of other vehicles, i used to drive an Ausin Maestro van and it shared the same rear lights, switches and other minor parts, the same parts would come either in a rover box or a land-rover box and the only difference was the price lol

This is indeed going to be a project, think back to why you bought it in the first place and keep going. You will get a lot of respect driving a well maintained old Landy

Don't forget the Land Rover mantra: water in, oil out. And when it stops dripping - it's empty!

Good luck with your project! Any 22 year old car will require a list of work to be done. Landrovers gain a bad reputation due to people still using them when they need to be repaired, and the list just build up and up. They can be fixed in the main by peope like yourself. Have fun in this great vehicle.

I don't mean any disrespect to all Land Rover independent shops....but so many of them charge outrageous prices that they send these trucks straight to the junkyard. 1600 for a transfer case reseal is absolute MADNESS. If you're ever in Vegas hit me up I'll do it for you.

ha ha it leaks oil! ... It's ok it's a Land Rover! Mine 300tdi disco 1 leak il from the oil pan, termostat oil filter housing.... it's like the dogs that marks their territory... Hi from Italy.

I had a Disco 1 V8i and it was a great vehicle while I owned it. You HAVE to be able to swing a spanner to afford keeping these old British 4WDs on the road unfortunately. I sold it for a 3UZ V8 powered Defender 130 but otherwise it was a fun vehicle to drive

I bought one and a donor one with head gasket gone so had parts both gone now but it was a money pit

I got a 96 d1... Love it.... Had it 4 or 5 years now and too many stories... Lmk if you have questions... I do my servicing... Have done the heads also tty bolts... Be careful if you deck them the intake may not align after a couple times.... My diff lock has a shifter btw... Heard it was the d2 that didn't have it....

A Landy is like your own child, you must be able to take care of it yourself. They become part of your life and your family memories. I would suggest that you get yourself a good workshop manual for your Landy, it will make life easier. I own a Discovery 1 300 tdi and my wife an old 1980 series 3 88" swb and no one works on them but myself. ENJOY.

They are brilliant vehicles.this one needs a tiny bit of TLC...just the usual wear and tear stuff....but they are brilliant 4x4's..they go places few other standard 4x4's can go. 😊😊😊

its a D1. im in. subbed.

Doing my own d1 they are great cars and cheap parts I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks I had my d2 td5 for 8yrs only thing that killed that for me was rust can't wait to get current 1 on and off road

Not bad, bought my D1 for $900, and I'm close to $4k+ on parts and labor so far lol - Oh and I see you guys drove by Palm Springs, good stuff, I'm just down the street from those windmills lol

A pretty car.. 🤩🤩🤩

Disco you sir are brave there really cool I just don’t want that much of a project.if it was just the under hood stuff yes that inside stuff drives me crazy!! I’m looking for a R50 (pathfinder or QX4 ) in Phoenix meow for an overland build,not as good off road as the disco but with some upgrades think I can get close without headaches(hopefully) I’m hoping to find one in sun city that’s not beaten!!

I have a 1998 Land Rover that I payed $200 for it 4 years ago and I just replaced the transmission on it it was $3000 to get it replaced and now my transfer case is leaking, but I love driving that Land Rover

Nice video mate I’ve had many types of landrover and yeah very common problems I remember my discovery it had pretty much the same problems ahh especially the leaking sunroof and I live in the U.K. so yeah was very stressful haha but it’s a shame that you Americans didn’t get the 300tdi yes it’s a inline four 2.5L turbo diesel but my god they are bulletproof and go one forever.. but nice v8i

I sold my1990 mod for 20 years ago, it still going strong :)

Discovery 1's are for DIY people. They are worth every penny.

I feel your pain

What was the little black cube you put in your pocket at 1:19? GPS? Looked like a beeper...

The LT230s (Transfer cases) all bloody leak. The intermediate shaft o ring o wears and loses its ability to seal. It's not typically a bad leak but involves pulling the box to fix.

The biggest problem is ... it's a Land Rover 🙂

just drive it into the ground or do repairs urself what you can do or go2 autozone they can recommend places and get ya all the parts you need to get the job done right the first time

Hello! which specialist did you take this to in Arizona? just picked up a D2 and need someone to work on a few things. is this in Tempe?

I'd say $1500 would be more in the ball park for headgaskets to be replaced at an independant imo. Assuming the heads and block are flat ofc.But yeah if you can do it yourself, $500 should be more than enough. Depending on the heads/block ofc.

I live in Phoenix, own an LR4, and would be happy to help you wrench if you need another hand. Just let me know. See you on the trails and thanks for your videos!

Also inspect steering box , prone to leaks

Par for the course on a Land Rover, if it doesn't leave it's mark on the driveway it hasn't got any oil in! My brother has a Range Rover classic and even after we removed the motor and gearbox it still leaked oil.

Won me over New subscriber 💐

easy stuff, NB the head gaskets have relief for oil return both ends of the head, IE there is no left and right head gaskets. the 3.9 and 4ltr blocks have no oil gallery's in the back of the block to match these relef. it can be an annoying and ongoing problem. now there are a number of slightly different heads but i suspect the American 4ltr has oil gallery's at the back of the head, I tend to dowel these, send the heads out for a light skim ( mandatory) check the deck of the block, well not so much the deck but the liners. some 3.9 castings were shocking for slipping liners, the 4.lt is the same block ( actually still 3.9) but they stepped the bottom of the bore for the liner. however it sometimes can move. the reason i mention this is, back of the head gasket is usually associated with getting a bit of the worm side, being alloy block and alloy head the liner expansion of head and block are about the same as opposed to a iron block and alloy head. thus you don't shit a head gasket as often. while your there check the velocity stacks are not lose, centre punch the alloy if they are.

Power steering system on this truck DOES NOT take power steering fluid. It takes auto trans fluid. Nobody realizes this and it exacerbates leaks. D1s are fantastic, simple trucks easy to work on and parts are cheap. The shit that ALWAYS sucks is the “luxury” they grafted on to make it more like a Range Rover than a defender. Sunroofs, electric seats, cruise control etc. if you find the most basic SD truck with cloth seats and sunroof delete it’s magic. These are NOTHING like D2s. This is a somewhat rare and good color.

Well this isn't a surprise!

They are like an old Detroit Diesel, if they stop leaking THEN you know you have a problem .

No AC in AZ. That would be my first repair 🤣

An oil leak in a Land Rover discovery is looked at as a feature rather than a problem most of them left the factory that way.

I love that D1s are criminally undervalued and misunderstood. In the US the d2 completely deserved the horrible Land Rover reputation and those prejudices fall back on the d1 undeservedly. They are almost unhyperbolically defenders without a tractor cab on top and entirely different than the d2, which was an exercise in BMW cost cutting. Unlike defenders they are dirt cheap and actually relatively comfortable to ride in. Land Rover does a fantastic basic truck, they do “luxury” horribly. You can find versions of these in poverty spec and absolutely without options and even with three pedals, those are the ones you want. The options you paid for when new are exactly the shit that broke six months after new and remains broken to this day and in no small part gives Land Rover unhappy buyers.

Land Rover: it will pass anything on the road except a mechanic! Just realize that owning one of these beasts comes with, as one poster said on RU-vid, a large dose of Stockholm Syndrome!

Its funny as over here (UK) we don't have many disco ones on the road and most of them a the good old donkey (diesel) and the V8 well they are low mileage because the cost of petrol and are pretty good all round and the faults you've have are more or less come every day things now once you have done all these pain in the butt jobs at the same time lift the body and reinforce the body were the mounts go it will pay in the long run and parts seem to be a lot cheap over there in the state . ;-))

Wait, your doing maintenance on yours? Mine sat under a tree for 5 years and I’ve only ever done oil changes

You know what they say about landies. When they stop leaking that means there's no more oil! Haha. Enjoy the rig man, but you still should of just skipped and got a landcruiser😂😉

Power steering leak.... most common leak ever.. The crappy steering box develops a leaky lower seal because of two things: 1. the Sector Shaft (the vertical one the drop-arm is pressed onto) nests in a pocket machined into the coverplate.. lets call it an iron bushing.. that sector arm is harded...the pocket "bushing" is not (it is soft iron).. - This causes, over time, an elongation/enlarging of the pocket in the cover plate. - This in turn causes a pinching of the lower seal, which ultimately leads to failure of the seal. * The area above the lower seal is part of the down-stream 'low pressure' area of the hydraulic bits inside the box. This is compounded by the second problem with this box: - The biasing valves (that provide directional boost to the steering) are high-pressure above, and low pressure below.. but they are kinda crappy and fail to seal fully (over time).. When this leakage happens it causes the low pressure area to become pressurized with high-pressure fluid.. which of course means the already weak and weeping lower seal opens the flood gates... Regarding head gaskets.. normally its the valve cover gaskets that are actually leaking.

When I was in college in 2001, I saw my first Disco in the campus parking lot. Absolutely mesmerized by the look - and always thought it was the coolest SUV on the planet. 21 years later as I was getting ready to hand my Grand Cherokee off to my 15 year old daughter, I decided a 2004 Discovery 2 would be my mid-life "corvette". I found one online outside of Boston. 84k miles - head gasket replaced - new drive shaft - frame sprayed - OEM brush guard - new A/T tires - safari rack - snorkel - rear ladder - chawton white color (prerequisite).When I say this vehicle was immaculate - not a single scratch in the paint, and the only interior issue was the driver captain's chair arm had some cracking. Otherwise, everything worked and looked amazing. Paid $35k for the vehicle and to have it shipped to Charlotte, NC. After receiving the vehicle, some gremlins ensued in quick fashion. 1. Starter went bad (Replaced - $400) 2. Power steering pump went bad (Replaced with buddy) 3. New pump went bad (Replaced it again, and replaced all lines) 4. Power steering leak at the steering gear (Mechanic replaced steering gear) POWER STEERING NOW FIXED (~$3,000 in parts and $1,200 in labor) 5. Water pump and radiator leaking (Replaced) $500 6. Mechanic bolting on water pump and broke engine front cover (Replaced engine front cover $500 - mechanic paid for it) 7. Pinion seals and transfer case seals replaced ($1,100) 8. Sunroof intermittent leaking (Not resolved yet) Ultimately, the power steering situation was the most frustrating. It was very odd, and I think more just a string of some bad luck. I have driven the car on several long trips (6 hour and 10 hour trips one way). I absolutely love it, and fortunate I have the means to invest in it to keep it maintained. As a note: If you find one in pristine condition, it will cost you as these are now collector's items. BE SURE TO GET COLLECTOR'S INSURANCE. The book value is much less than the market value. Good thing with that is the property taxes are inexpensive.

i just brought a 2000 model Discovery 2 with a 2006 petrol motor in it it has $10000 of extras twin batteries full offroad suspension 10 ply tyres which cost 1800 dollars reverse camera with recording mode for insurance in case you get rear-ended Geenie headers brand new brakes all around disc brakes of course heaps of other stuff too i paid $6000 not sure if i paid to much i also own a 1985 Landrover county it runs an American v8 Diesel i have never had one scrap of trouble with it and i have never seen another one like here in Australia

Does somone maybe know how space there is between the driver seat and de backdoor en the height of the boot? Cause i am wondering if a motorcycle wil fit in it

Just another thought the V8 Rover motor is basically a Buick nail head motor and maybe you should investigate if you can do a straight swop to a BOP motor?

2:07 there’s a Land Rover defender LE 1/300