Dear Rovers North,
A few weeks ago, I emailed regarding oil usage on a ’04 Discovery Series II. I was using 3.5 quarts every 6,000 miles without blue smoke, etc. I believe that I have finally found the issue. After looking inside the air intake with the butterfly flap open, I noticed dark oil residue on the inside of the intake where the passenger side valve cover vents into the intake. The other side was clean. After researching the design of the valve cover, it appears that Bosch removed the typical PCV valve. The small hole on the vent stack (where the rubber hose attaches on the valve cover) should serve like a PCV valve (by regulating the gasses into the intake). However, the continuous air flow through the intake draws air in from the value cover and thus oil vapor/mist with it.

After putting on a PCV valve downstream from the valve cover vent stack, oil consumption was zero in one day. It has been 1/8th quart or more every day over a hundred miles. Maybe there is something to a PCV valve. I wanted to share this issue with your readers in case others have a Land Rover with the 4.6 liter engine.

Andy Iverson
Bennett, CO

[Steve Haskell of Rovers North notes the Bosch device, called a “spiral separator,” can be cleaned out and made to work effectively. The oil consumption seems high at 1/8 quart. Have you tried checking for oil film at the exhaust pipe? Have you tried a compression test? Make certain to pull all the plugs on each bank when you do the test to get a true reading. And feel free to call Rovers North for some additional diagnostics –ed]

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Dear Rovers North,
Just a quick note to Les at Rovers North and to all other Series Land Rover enthusiasts out there to express my delight regarding my Mt. Mansfield heater. Now that winter is here (in Michigan, anyway), I can let you all know how well it works. I just got my vehicle back on the road this past summer, after a 4 year comprehensive restoration, and I struggled with the cost of the Mt. Mansfield, but I have no regrets now. Before I restored my Land Rover, I had a classic Smiths round heater, which looked cool but, frankly, sucked when it came to battling a Michigan winter. So, I sold it to a guy restoring a Morgan and bought the Mt. Mansfield. It’s like having an imaginary, massless duct of infinite length pumping hot air directly from a volcanic vent, minus the toxic gases, of course. And, unlike the Smiths heater, it actually defrosts and demists my windows since it has a fresh air intake. No more squeegeeing! If you’re on the fence about the Mt. Mansfield and afraid to take the plunge, I encourage you to open your wallet and get one. Mine works great.

Happy Holidays to Land Rover Drivers everywhere,

Myron DeRose
Grand Rapids MI
64 IIA 88 (back on the road!)

[I have one Series Rover with a Kodiak heater, which is pretty good, and one II-A with a Mt. Mansfield. Guess which one I prefer to use on the coldest days? –ed]

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Dear Rovers North,
It has been a sincere pleasure to be a Rovers North customer. Recently, I ordered a set of spark plug wires for my 2002 Land Rover Discovery II SE. Arthur, as usual, was both pleasant and very helpful with my questions. It is wonderful to work with such a knowledgeable, fair and honest organization.

Thanks for publishing the Rovers North News. It is always a pleasure to receive this fine publication. I appreciate the articles on the Tata Group who recently purchased Land Rover/Jaguar from Ford Motor Company. I am hopeful that the Tata Group will maintain Land Rover’s worldwide success. My local Land Rover dealer recently informed me that Mr. Tata has started to visit Land Rover dealers around the world. I don’t believe any CEO from Ford Motor Company ever visited their worldwide Land Rover/Jaguar retailers! As a long time Land Rover and Peugeot owner and enthusiast, I would have preferred to see Automobiles Peugeot-Citroen purchase Land Rover/Jaguar. Peugeot designed and builds the Land Rover V6 and V8 turbodiesels. Peugeot has experience building 4 x 4 vehicles, including the Peugeot P4/Mercedes Benz G Wagon that has been used for military use, the Dangel Peugeot 504 and 505 4×4 wagons and modern Peugeot/Citroen rally cars. Like Land Rover, Peugeot has successfully marketed automobiles throughout Africa and the Middle East for many years. To this end, Land Rover/Jaguar would have complimented the Automobiles Peugeot-Citroen lineup.

Again, thank you very much for your continued outstanding service to the Land Rover owner. Rovers North is the best Land Rover parts company by far! Keep up the great work.

Sean Donahue
Lake George, NY

[Thanks for your own contributions to Land Rover enthusiasm with two Discovery Series II’s! Just as Land Rover proved to be the vehicle of choice in former British colonies, Peugeot station wagons proved their mettle in the former French colonies. High-end Peugeot and Citroen models compete with the Jaguar, and BMW’s experience with Land Rover demonstrated that medium size auto companies might not have enough investment capital for future models of Land Rover – ed.]

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Dear Rovers North,
Thank you so much for your great magazine and super stories.

Michael Bondmass
Las Vegas, NV

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Dear Rovers North,
I just received and installed the console cup holders in my ’97 Discovery I and they look great and work so much better than the original, slide out cup holders. Thanks very much!

Steven Walls
Baton Rouge, LA

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Dear Editor,
Thanks for putting out a top notch magazine.

Jack Hayes
Nantucket, MA

[From one island town to another, thanks for being a reader and Land Rover enthusiast. The Rovers North News requires the energy and passion of correspondents, photographers and staff specialists at Rovers North. It’s part of being a member of the Land Rover community –ed]