Thread: Head Gasket Disco S1

Do a search on "rebuilding a Rover V8" or posts by Disco_owner.
Regards Philip A

V8 or diesel?

Either way it is possible for the home mechanic to replace the gasket.

Originally Posted by BigJon

V8 or diesel?

Either way it is possible for the home mechanic to replace the gasket.

It's V8 Petrol. Thanks

2.5 K , bar any head work i could do it in my front yard in less than a day.

Originally Posted by cyberdidj

It's V8 Petrol. Thanks

Sounds a BIT steep to me for a V8, even if they charged a $1000 for labour, there certainly isn't $1500 worth of parts, unless they are going to machine heads, new valve inserts, valve guides, valves and springs as well, try elsewhwere, give Graham Coopers at St. Peters a ring for a quote, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by cyberdidj

Hi,

Just had my 97 SE serviced and have been informed that my cylinder head gasket has a minor leak. Est Repair $2.5K Assuming by the estimate, this is a very speacialised job and should only be tackled by a quialified LR mechanic ? or can someone give me a run down of what is involved in replacing the head gasket.

Thanks

Craig

I recently did the heads on mine.
Get a RAVE CD and follow the steps take your time
Cost me $780 to have the 2 heads pressure checked, new guides, machined assembled ready to fit.
New composite head gaskets,composite valley cover , end seals, new rubber rocker cover gaskets, exhaust gaskets new head bolts etc cost under $300, for OEM parts inc coolant.
You'll need a Degree tensioner to tighten up the head bolts to spec.
Kingchrome make a cheap one that will do trhe job, it goes onto the end of your socket breaker bar. As the head bolts are torque to yeild.
Allow a day to take off and run down to machinew shop. then another day to fit.
Not dificult for some one to DYI with a manual with specs.

It's a bit too much IMO. Once you've removed the plenum and inlet manifold, then the rocker cover and exhaust manifold it's only a matter of removing the rocker gear and head bolts

I suppose while you're at it it's worth doing both heads and maybe getting them clened up, valves relapped, surface milled. For doing both heads about an hour to remove and maybe two hours to replace - outsourced reconditioning work may take a day or two at most and may cost around $400at a rough guess. A couple of composite head gaskets, new inlet and exhaust manifold gaskets cost under $200 and you can usually re-use the (rubber) rocker cover gaskets.

EFI takes longer of course than the old SUs; on my 4.6 Rover SD1 with 4 barrel Edelbrock carb both heads can be got off in 20 minutes.

Originally Posted by Traco

For doing both heads about an hour to remove and maybe two hours to replace .

Hell you are fast!

It took me 40 minutes to get the intake manifold off my 3.9 EFI.
I wasn't working really fast, but I wasn't going really slowly either.

I think an hour to remove both heads is unrealistic for an average backyard mechanic.

I would budget near on half a day to get the heads off in my shed and a full day for cleanup and reassembly.