QuestionI have a 1995 Land Rover Discovery, 3.9 liter, petrol vehicle. I recently noted a smell of antifreeze when I turned the vehicle off when in the garage. I checked the garage floor and find that there is a small leak under the front of the engine. I also note that it seems to take a little longer to warm up/provide heat than usual. It does warm up, the temperature guage is reading as it always has, I have not had any overheating difficulty, and have not noticed any performance problems. What do you suggest? Thanks in advance for your response...
AnswerHi Robin,
well, it could be your radiator, a hose, a cracked engine block, headgasket failure or heater matrix leakage.
Depends on where the leak is...is it in the front of the engine or the back?
If its in the back, it could be heater matrix. If the leak is in the front it could be a hose or the rad.
When I lost my radiator, my '95 Disco did not show signs of failure until it was serious. Our engines run hot and my guess is that when the rad finally failed...the heat was too much. In my case, I had the radiator recored and it cost me only $450Cdn. You could buy a used rad for about $50 or so...www.car-part.com can help.
You'll have to determine if its a hose that's leaking. Use your hands or a clean cloth and wipe all around the hoses and the connections. If wet...you've found the problem.
You could also have a general mechanic perform a pressure test on the rad or the cooling system. This too can reveal most leaks.
Might be a good time to change your thermostat and coolant.
Best of luck,
JohnMc
