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Kup's 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2 rescue rebuild

Kup · 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2

Land Rover Discovery 1 and 2

2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard

Read the full write-up at 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard ↗

Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard

Rescuing a 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2 with a cracked 4.6L block

Kup bought a rough-running D2 that a previous owner thought only needed a head gasket, only to find a cracked cylinder liner once the engine came apart. He's rebuilding the 4.6L rather than LS-swapping it, while also lifting the suspension, fixing frame rust, redoing the exhaust, and tackling a sagging headliner. The thread documents a methodical driveway rebuild still in progress.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
4.6L V8, rebuilt with new RV cam, machined flanged liners, resurfaced block and heads, new seals and oil pump
Suspension
Terrafirma 2 inch coil spring and shock lift with machined shock towers
Steering
Terrafirma heavy duty steering linkages
Wheels & Tyres
285/75r15 Falken Wildpeak AT4WS
Exhaust
New cat section and Magnaflow performance muffler, original cast manifolds retained
Interior
Headliner refinished with sanded fiberglass backing and rattle can black paint, Kilmat roof insulation added

Parts used

Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.

Engine 4

  • RV cam

    Installed new during the engine rebuild

  • Machined flanged cylinder liners

    Replaced the cracked liner and others during rebuild

    In the shops
    Cylinder Liner ↗MGOC Spares· £23.55
    Engine Cylinder Liner ↗James Paddock Ltd· £29.95 GBP
    Cylinder Liner Set (4) ↗MGbits4U· £174.13 GBP
  • Replacement 4.6L block

    Purchased from the machinist after the original block was found cracked

  • New oil pump

    Installed during engine reassembly

Fuel & Ignition 1

Suspension & Steering 3

Wheels & Tyres 1

Body & Trim 1

Interior 2

Photos

39 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

Progress photo of the disassembled DiscoveryPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Engine bay during teardownPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
How I found itPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Just started on scaling and degreasingPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
After the acid washPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
First coat of POR15Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Ship dog approvedPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Primer coatPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Transfer case removed for resealingPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Work in progress on the chassisPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Further frame or suspension workPhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Reassembly progress on the vehiclePhoto: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard
Photo: 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard

How it was done

Starting condition

Kup bought the D2 for $1000 from an owner who had done a head gasket himself but couldn't resolve other symptoms including coolant blowing out the upper radiator hose and water pump cavitation. The interior and frame were solid with only surface rust, which made the project worth saving.

Engine diagnosis and rebuild

Compression testing looked consistent, but oil kept getting contaminated with coolant. A machinist in southern California found an unweldable crack in cylinder 6 and sold Kup a spare block. The engine is being rebuilt with a new RV cam, machined liners, valve job, resurfaced heads, new seals and oil pump, reusing the original crank, rods and cylinders.

Suspension and rolling stock

Kup fitted a Terrafirma 2 inch lift, discovered delaminating shock tower bases and replaced them with machined towers, found old date-coded tires and replaced them with Falken Wildpeak AT4WS, and upgraded the steering linkages to Terrafirma heavy duty parts.

Frame rust treatment

Starting at the worst area near the rear, Kup dropped the fuel tank, needle-scaled and flap-disked the rust, then applied POR15 phosphoric acid treatment followed by its rust preventative coating. He plans to treat the rest of the frame as more components come out of the way.

Drivetrain and exhaust work

The transmission and transfer case were pulled to be resealed and to ease engine reinstallation. The transmission filter was fine with no shiny debris. A sheared pan bolt is holding up reassembly. The exhaust system was replaced with a new cat section and Magnaflow muffler after discovering botched repairs around a stolen catalytic converter.

Interior and remaining plans

Kup refinished the sagging headliner by sanding the fiberglass backing and painting it, adding Kilmat insulation. He is rewrapping the wiring harness and sourcing new hoses, motor mounts and a water pump for reassembly, with future plans for new driveshafts, a crossmember spacer, steel bumpers and a windshield.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at 2004 D2 saved from the scrapyard ↗

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Kup's 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2 rescue rebuild | Restomod Life