Land Rover Repair: 2003 landrover discover. Se

Question
QUESTION: Driving down the road white smoke came out the car stopped pulling I filled. No good only works in. Reverse

ANSWER: Hi Jeff,

if you just started your engine and you see white smoke it could just be moisture buildup, however, if you've been driving your Disco for sometime, it's a sign that you have either transmission fluid or coolant leaking into your combustion chamber.

Transmission fluid has been known to enter the chamber via the vacuum modulator.

Coolant fluid in the combustion chamber is possible via cylinder heads (worn gasket, cracked or warped heads) or a cracked engine block.

A well-tooled garage can determine via the exhaust if it's tranny or coolant fluid and can check the coolant fluid for residual exhaust particles.

Check your oil to see if it's discoloured or foamy.  Check to see if coolant level is going down.  IF the smoke smells sweet, it's coolant that is being burned.  

I hope this helps and best of luck with this,
JohnMc

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi John! This isn't a follow-up question but a "thank you" for your answer. I ended up selling the vehicle and based on your response, I'm glad I did! I believe it was a cracked head/block and would cost more to repair than I was willing to pay. Must say, my 2003 Disco was one of the most dependable vehicles I ever owned. Purchased used with 80,000 miles, I put 209,000 miles in 5 years and never had anything more serious than replacing the transfer case, which I did myself. Truly enjoyed the ride while it lasted! Thanks again JohnMc!

Answer
Hi Jeff,

I know exactly what you are saying as I too have had more good days with my Disco.  It's those enormously expensive bad days that really make me ill.  The dealerships are probably the worse I've ever encountered and yet, even after all the complaints, I really enjoyed the vehicle when it was running well.  It has been the best SUV in winter that I have ever owned.  The stories I could tell.

Like you, I learned a great deal about auto repair while owning a LR Disco.  At least we can say, "been there, done that".

Until we meet again in another forum (GM SUV's?),

Best of luck,
JohnMc