Freelander 1.8 overheating

Hello, I am new to this forum and would like some advice. I have had a Freelander 1.8 for some months and this fault has recently developed. It has been losing coolant and overheating. It has the modified in-line thermostat, which seemed to be US, (pipe on one side red hot, pipe cool the other side of stat) so both thermostat and header tank cap replaced. Same problem exists, fans have never worked, it still overheats and pipes on either side of thermostat are hot and cold. Phoned the Land Rover dealer where I bought the stat and he said could be a cylinder head gasket problem (the modified stat requires a modified head gaket). Surely this would have been evident from when I bought the car. The temp gauge on the dash always shows normal. What do I do now, other than sell the car. I have not even started on the central locking, but one fault at a time!

Get the head pressure tested to see if it is a head gasket problem ?
Ian

Thanks Ian, now it has cooled down enough for me to touch the engine, there is a slight cream deposit around the oil filler cap, so head gasket gone. But surely that would be the result of the main problem, ie engine overheating. I have heard of the impeller in the water pump coming loose and not doing its job, or some eletrical failure not starting the fan. Where is the senser that starts the fan? Why doesn't the gauge show overheating?

search and you will find

depending on mileage change the cambelt and the water pump at same time as the head gasket, and good luck, it is all very well documented.

romanytony said:

Phoned the Land Rover dealer where I bought the stat and he said could be a cylinder head gasket problem (the modified stat requires a modified head gaket).

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Well they don't know what they are talking about - that is rubbish

If the car now has the modified stat fitted - presumably the PRT in line type stat, do you know if the original stat in the plastic housing mounted to the rear of the engine has had the stat removed?

A couple of things....
Mayo on the oil cap is NOT indicative of HGF. It could be due to short runs and condensation. Get a sniff test done to check for combustion gases in the coolant. A PRT does not need a duff head gasket, but is normally fitted after HGF ( horses and bolts). My understanding was the the normal thermostat was a sealed unit ( at least the KV6 is).
As a PRT has been fitted, I would suggest that yu check the complete cooling system, as it has been altered.

Thanks for all of your advise, the cream is on the dipstick as well so water in the sump, no oil in the water though. It occured to me that there may be a duff stat left in the block if the in-line is a modification. Anyway I have been told today that a specific American block seal will fix it, a solution that all of you mechanics out there will no doubt scorn. But everyone I have spoken to swears by the stuff.

Romany tony I have the exact same issue EXACTLY. I have check several other things which may help.
I have checked that the old thermostat at the back of the engine has been removed. It has
I have flushed the radiator and I honestly don't think it is a blocked rad.

My fans do work so I asked myself how do the fans cut in when the the thermostat has not even opened? It is as if the stat is set too high but is is a brand new stat and should open at about 85deg. In the mean time the top hose is hot and under pressure. The hose which runs from the middle of the top hose to the stat gets warm but not really hot enough to open the stat. The fans are running because the sensor is near the top of the block which is hot. My next plan is to remove the bottom hose and open the stat by hand in case it is stuck (even though it is new)
I'm convinced it is a stat issue. I will check for air locks and I am going to fill the radiator separately to try to avoid this but as a last resort I am going to replace the stat with a 3 way connector (like that in the tophose) just to see what that does.

By the way I also have central locking not working on one door. (told you I had exactly the same issues!!)

Just to update anyone who's interested. I took the thermostat out completely and rerouted the hoses to freelander original spec. (Not the stat in top hose) So now the car is just like the original cooling system except there is no stat. Result....... Still overheating. Top of engine and top hose red hot. Bottom hose cold!! Lots of hot water pouring into the the degas bottle either from the jiggle pin spout near the water pump or the connector at the top of the rad. I cannot tell yet. Anyway nothing is going through the rad and that is why it is hot. Still working on this.

wal said:

Just to update anyone who's interested. I took the thermostat out completely and rerouted the hoses to freelander original spec. (Not the stat in top hose) So now the car is just like the original cooling system except there is no stat. Result....... Still overheating. Top of engine and top hose red hot. Bottom hose cold!! Lots of hot water pouring into the the degas bottle either from the jiggle pin spout near the water pump or the connector at the top of the rad. I cannot tell yet. Anyway nothing is going through the rad and that is why it is hot. Still working on this.

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Busted water pump.

Jiggle valve and rad overflow are doing their job

blocked radiator core?

freelance said:

blocked radiator core?

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Possibly?
FL rad is massive, tends to be trouble free, unless some idiot has dumped K-seal, Radweld or alternative (raw egg) into the system.

i is an idiot that uses k seal............ non taken

The car is running much better since the head has been skimmed, the water pipe below the stat now gets hot, but the fans still don't work. The temp gauge always goes to normal. Could the sender that brings the fan in be broke?

could be, but fans do usually come on after prolonged period of idling only, mine does anyway, they never come on if there is airflow throgh rad.

romanytony said:

The car is running much better since the head has been skimmed, the water pipe below the stat now gets hot, but the fans still don't work. The temp gauge always goes to normal. Could the sender that brings the fan in be broke?

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The head skim would make no difference on the cooling front.
Have you done something else when sticking the head back on?

When you say overheating? are you referring to temp gauge or the relative feel of the pipes???


Disconnect the brown coolant sensor when the engine is warming up and see if the fans come on.

Northern Irelander said:

The head skim would make no difference on the cooling front.
Have you done something else when sticking the head back on?

When you say overheating? are you referring to temp gauge or the relative feel of the pipes???


Disconnect the brown coolant sensor when the engine is warming up and see if the fans come on.

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It would if it was causing a vapour lock situation with combustion gases previously and stopping water flow.

fanatic said:

It would if it was causing a vapour lock situation with combustion gases previously and stopping water flow.

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How would it, even beyond tolerances >0.05mm


it would also run like a dog

Northern Irelander said:

How would it, even beyond tolerances >0.05mm


it would also run like a dog

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I'm not even going to comment on that-otherwise your start a month of trolling again.

I will say I'm pleased that there is progress and suggest that the cooling fan fault is rectified