Getting ready to buy a 99 discovery with a bosh engine setup. Have had 4 other rovers with the gems style engine. Have pretty much figured out the gems......but the bosch...... Its using coolant, I know nothing about these. My worthless a.s.e certificates say head gasket but there is no water in the oil no oil in the water, but engine is missing and it uses coolant so head gasket is the suspect. Any oddball things other than the norm this could be? I have to get it towed to the house to tear it down but I am brainstorming until then. Thanks

There are a couple of places where they can leak that doesn't mean the head gaskets are doomed.

The throttle body is preheated with coolant. Check hoses at throttle body and the gasket between body and plate underneath. If it leaks, you will se dried up coolant on the left valve cover.

The top coolant hose has a smaller hose spiced in, and it seems the vulcanized splice gives up, allowing coolant to travel along the cord and exit at the ends of the big hose. Newer hoses have a T-piece and hose clamps.

Look for traces of coolant on the bell housing, my 4.6 has leaked on and off from somewhere around the intake.

Finally, heater core o-rings. Coolant under the front pass carpet is the indicator.

Oh, water pump about to explode will leak as well.

thanks for the info wilsby, but it is actualy burning coolant wherin the throttle body theory is definatly relevent I may have it this afternoon and start wrenchin.

dropped cylinder liner

What he said ^^^ liner slip.

You can get them machined & top-hat linered but it might cost a few $$$.