QuestionHi John,
Thanks for your answer, now that I know how much this will cost, I guess my next question would be if this problem causes damage to the vehicle or is it just a nag? In other words is this something that is worth doing or should I just leave it alone? The truck runs fine otherwise it's only on hills that this happens. Thanks.
Oscar
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Followup To
Question -
Hi,
I have a 94 Discovery which has been running great in Texas. I recently moved to Utah where there are alot of mountains and large hills. When I am cruising at 70mph and then I start to climb a hill my disco. seems to begin to lose power. It keeps going up hill, but the mph begin to go down rapidly. If I want to keep the speed constant or close to constant I am forced to almost floor the accel. Is this normal, or should I start to look for the cause?
Answer -
Hi Oscar,
one of the most common problems with Disco engines is the sticking exhaust valves. At the 50,000 mile mark, this problem starts to creep into the open. It robs the engine of power and it can be evident when approaching hills or on hot and humid days. Most 4.0 engines suffer greatly under this problem.
Our older Disco I's with the 3.9 engine have the same problem as the 4.0's BUT our engine management system is different and the engine can continue to work EVEN with this problem. You'll see the power loss but at least the engine continues to run.
The cure is a valve job that can cost up to $2000+ if the dealer does it.
There are other components that can also cause power-loss if your engine has low mileage. The timing may be off, ignition wires, distributor or coil may have problems, fuel feed problems may exist.*
If you are not familiar with engine work, have your local LR dealer run some diagnostics on the engine. Make sure they focus on the engine alone and not wander around other components in order to load-up the work order. You can always try a general mechanic but they often are not familiar with LR and can make simple mistakes and oversights.
Best of luck,
JohnMc
NB:* there is a fuel tank recall for our older Disco's. If you have not been notified, contact a LR dealer to see if your Disco is affected. Could mean a new tank and maybe a fuel pump, depending on conditions of fuel feed system when the tank is about to be removed. Most older Disco's require a new fuel pump to compliment the new tank, some need new fuel lines. Again, ask your dealer about this.
Answer******************* FOLLOW UP ********************
Hi Oscar,
my Disco is only a year older than yours. I too have the same problem that you describe and I know its probably a valve job that will fix it. Although our engine is older, it can function well enough with the sticking valves. Yes, the performance is not as efficient and we use more fuel but it will get you from A to B (unlike the GEMS engines "that doth protest too much").
Eventually, I will do the valve job myself. I have a couple of friends who enjoy working on engines (like some people like doing puzzles) and I am always learning from them. You may consider doing a valve job too or having it done for you.
For the moment, I have other more pressing problems to address, like the leaking radiator, the water leaks into the passenger footwell, the rusting undercarriage, the fuel tank recall, the rust all around the engine firewall...but eventually I'll get to the valve job.
If you have loads of money and a 2nd car, I'd have it done. If that's your only concern then go ahead and do it while its still summer. I'm not absolutely sure of the weather conditions in UTAH and they may be similar to that of Texas BUT I do know they are much warmer than here in Quebec Canada. You don't have to worry too much about 3 foot snow storms and if the snowplough had cleared the road ahead. With our LandRover, I still worry but not as much as the neighbour with the Jeep!
Don't worry too much about it causing damage to the Disco. A trustworthy mechanic told me that our 3.9 litre engine are "real work horses" and can run even with a serious sticking valve(s) problem. Its something to address ... eventually...
Regards,
JohnMc
NB: If you do alot of off-roading, I'd have the valves done sooner than later. You'd enjoy the trails more.
