NicoRossBerg

New Member
Hi all,
My 2002 Discovery TD5 was running "ok", no overheating, no white smoke, very slight oil leak for a while. I was driving home a few days ago and was just around the corner from my house (luckily) and suddenly I heard a sound like pressure escaping from the engine bay area. Managed to get home, still no overheating or lights on, turned the engine off. Noticed jet of steam coming from driver-side front wheel arch area and the sound of the escaping pressure became more apparent with the engine off. Looked underneath the car and a dark brown sludge was getting sprayed everywhere underneath. I quickly grabbed a large tray from my house and shoved it under the engine bay to stop the gloop from polluting the side of the road. After it had cooled down and stopped leaking the tray had about an inch deep of dark brown slightly watery liquid in it. Now a few days later looking at it the liquid in the tray has become like an dark emulsion and the same liquid has coated the underside of the whole engine bay. The coolant tank and engine oil are both now empty.

Anyone have any idea what on earth happened? I'm trying to decide what to do with it. Get it towed to the local garage etc. but would like to have some idea what awaits me!

Thanks R
 
Check fuel cooler and hoses there bolted to side of intake manifold there should be some signs to look for wet pipe of antifreeze stains somewhere
 
The dark brown sludge is usually dirty oil and anti freeze mixing would be cream coloured if clean oil.pop the cooling hose off at the water pump see if you have the same in the cooling system and get your finger down under the rocker cover to see if it's there.
 
Hi all,
My 2002 Discovery TD5 was running "ok", no overheating, no white smoke, very slight oil leak for a while. I was driving home a few days ago and was just around the corner from my house (luckily) and suddenly I heard a sound like pressure escaping from the engine bay area. Managed to get home, still no overheating or lights on, turned the engine off. Noticed jet of steam coming from driver-side front wheel arch area and the sound of the escaping pressure became more apparent with the engine off. Looked underneath the car and a dark brown sludge was getting sprayed everywhere underneath. I quickly grabbed a large tray from my house and shoved it under the engine bay to stop the gloop from polluting the side of the road. After it had cooled down and stopped leaking the tray had about an inch deep of dark brown slightly watery liquid in it. Now a few days later looking at it the liquid in the tray has become like an dark emulsion and the same liquid has coated the underside of the whole engine bay. The coolant tank and engine oil are both now empty.

Anyone have any idea what on earth happened? I'm trying to decide what to do with it. Get it towed to the local garage etc. but would like to have some idea what awaits me!

Thanks R
Sounds like oil cooler. There is a small tapered hose off the back of the oil cooler. Mine blew and I had steam coming out of the wheel arch and bonnet. That is obviously the coolant part of the equation. However you also have oil mixed into the coolant. That suggests the o-rings have gone in the cooler itself, allowing oil and coolant to mix. The mystery is what has caused the hose (if it's the one I mentioned) to burst. I don't think leaking oil seals would pressurise the coolant. Mine burst a few months ago and now my head gasket has gone. I'm guessing the two are linked. A dodgy oil cooler shouldn't cause head gasket problems and vice versa. Though it could be possible to (coincidentally) have both issues at the same time.
 

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