Land Rover Repair: 99 disco II, blown head gaskets, mass air flow sensor

Question
hi jan,
i will try to keep this as short as possible.
okay, my 99 disco has 100000 miles on it.
about 3 months ago, 4 dash lights came on.  i took it to a
certified lr mechanic and they gave me the synopsis for all the lights. turns out to be o2 sensor, airbags leaking, crank shaft pulley, abs modulator ($2k), etc.
today, my wife said the car was starting to shake as she
drove it, it's been running hot (in town)taking a whole gallon on anti-freeze/water (the resorvoir is like a bottomless pit), it's starting to smoke (not like burning oil smell, but weird smell, i noticed moisture on the pavement), and when you crank it, it makes a single popping sound almost like it's not going to turn over, but it cranks.
i got this vehicle, used, in june 06' with 92k on it and 2 months later all this stuff started to happen to it and it's been very costly to me.

any ideas on the situation?
thanks

Answer
Hello Tony,
Your DISCO seems to have "some" problems. I am not sure what the 4 dash lights are, I guess ABS, TC, HDC and Service Engine Soon. It is really hard for me to say what the real problem is (impossible!), but I give you a few hints. O2 sensors do not fail often unless they get contaminated with coolant due to blown head gaskets. There are common mixture adaptation faults doe to intake manifold gasket (vacuum) leaks and faulty mass air flow sensor. A good technician should be able to diagnose the problem properly. The most common fault with the ABS modulator is the failure of the shuttle valve which is a serviceable part, available from dealer for approx. $70. The shuttle vale is the MOST common reason the Modulators have to replaced. Again, it's only a guess. As far as the coolant leaks, it's not a joke, you could ruin the engine (if you have not done so yet...). The smoke may indicate blown head gasket, the shaking indicates misfire fault. So the car may have issues. I suggest to take it to the dealer and get an assesment to see how much you are looking at. Based on my experience, most independent shops tend to misdiagnose Land Rovers, especially DISCOs (as far as check engine light and ABS problems). The coolant leak and smoking issue could be identified by any reputable technicians/shops.
Good luck
Jan