QuestionI bought my 2003 discovery about 2 months ago. It has 116k miles and it has a knocking noise which no one (even the dealer) knows how to fix. The noise starts after the engine heats up and is very loud at idle. When I accelerate, the noise moves along with it, and the rep is faster with the speed. About 7 oil changes, 16 new lifters, and new rocker shafts and rods, later, the noise won't go away. the car runs fine, but the noise is very loud. I took it to the dealer and they 'performed a diagnosis' without even dismantling anything and charged me for 2 hrs of labor and still did not tell me anything. Their story was that they have to take down the whole engine, which they said would cost $3500 to do. Please can you offer some advise based on your experience.
Answerdear disco owner,
It is hard to diagnose engine noise w/o being there. Couple questions for you, is there any vibration with this noise? Do you have any warning lights on?, ex. check engine, service engine, or oil light?
The symptoms you describe remind me of catalytic converter failure. These are known to go bad in the disco II, due to low premium gas being used.
Land Rover dealers are famous for replacing good parts and leaving you w/ the bill. I would suggest trying to find another independent LR mechanic. Don’t be shy about getting a few opinions especially with engine work. A reputable mechanic will look at the vehicle for a flat rate and give you an estimates of the repairs needed.
Worst case scenario, you will need a new engine but this could be done for not much more than the $3500 LR wants. If this does happen try to see if the dealer will refund your cost for the not needed work preformed.
I hope to hear from you soon w/your follow up answers. The more details you can give, the better........
Amber
