Freelander v6 cooling (again)

I have a V6 2002 auto with cooling problems, but very wierd. About 6 weeks ago she started blowing steam and air out of the expansion tank so a new thermostat and plastic pipes and coolant sensor were fitted and a new expansion tank and black ratchet cap. We did a sniff test and it is clear. The system was bled, and bled, and bled. Sitting in the drive for over an hour without the cap just a small rise and fall in the tank and temp guage dead centre. The heater in full on and heat to the screen no problem. Turned heater to off and ran for half hour seemed ok so put on the cap. It ran for an hour or so spot on. Turned off, no massive bubbling in the tank, left it overnight to cool down and the level was spot on in the tank. Went for a drive up hill and down dale over 45kms, had heater on and off, hot and cold and tried with air con running, spot on !!! Parked up no bubbling etc. Went out the morning after and after 12kms the temp gauge shot up to full then dropped back to normal, it did this 3 times over a km so I stopped and the tank was gurgling full pelt. Trailered it home and left it to cool off, topped up the tank and bled again then ran for an hour with reader on live data, the temp never went above 102 and the tank is gently up and down with heater on full, with heater off she starts to fill the tank. I dont think she is actually overhaeting but whats with the temp gauge jumping up to full then back down ???? bearing in mind I did 40 odd kms up and down perfectly and the thing never moved then she starts bubbling and f----ng again. Any help/suggestions very welcome. Thanks Alan

Did you bleed it just through the tank or did you bleed it through the bleed point near the firewall just below the engine cover/air filter assembly

Sounds like there is still air in the system. The v6 is a funny engine to bleed. Some bleed easy and some don't. Luckily my current v6 is easy to bleed. Do you have the Freelander thermostat or the Rover type?

This is the procedure from the LR manual, I figure they spent some time getting it right.

1. Remove bleed screw from heater return hose.
2. Slowly fill the system through the coolant expansion tank until a steady flow of coolant is emitted from the bleed hole.
3. Fit and close bleed screw in heater return hose.
4. Continue to fill system through the expansion tank until coolant reaches to the base of the expansion tank bleed hose.
5. Fit expansion tank filler cap.
6. Start and run engine at idle speed for 5 minutes.
CAUTION: DO NOT operate air conditioning
7. Switch off engine.
8. Squeeze bottom hose several times to remove any trapped air.
9. Start engine and run at speeds varying between idle speed and 3500 rev/min for 7 minutes.
10. Switch off engine and allow to cool.
11. Remove expansion tank filler cap and add coolant until it reaches the 'MAX' mark on the expansion tank.
12. Fit expansion tank filler cap.
13. Start and run engine until normal operating temperature is reached.
CAUTION: The bottom hose must be warm/hot, this will ensure the thermostat is fully open.
14. Ensure warm air is available at vents.
NOTE: If warm air is not available, an air-lock may be present in heater matrix. If necessary, allow engine to cool, remove expansion tank filler cap and repeat bleed operation at heater hose
15. Switch off engine and allow to cool.
16. Check for leaks and top-up coolant to 'MAX' mark on expansion tank
17. Fit underbelly panel.
18. Fit engine acoustic cover.

Thanks for that FreeTaz, its not much different from what I did but I will go and try it exactly as per the book, fingers crossed

gennyman said:

Thanks for that FreeTaz, its not much different from what I did but I will go and try it exactly as per the book, fingers crossed

Click to expand...

Is the thermostat a LR (spring cilp hose fitting) type or Rover worm drive hose clip fitting? There is a difference to the way the engine bleeds.

FreeTaz said:

This is the procedure from the LR manual, I figure they spent some time getting it right.

1. Remove bleed screw from heater return hose.
2. Slowly fill the system through the coolant expansion tank until a steady flow of coolant is emitted from the bleed hole.
3. Fit and close bleed screw in heater return hose.
4. Continue to fill system through the expansion tank until coolant reaches to the base of the expansion tank bleed hose.
5. Fit expansion tank filler cap.
6. Start and run engine at idle speed for 5 minutes.
CAUTION: DO NOT operate air conditioning
7. Switch off engine.
8. Squeeze bottom hose several times to remove any trapped air.
9. Start engine and run at speeds varying between idle speed and 3500 rev/min for 7 minutes.
10. Switch off engine and allow to cool.
11. Remove expansion tank filler cap and add coolant until it reaches the 'MAX' mark on the expansion tank.
12. Fit expansion tank filler cap.
13. Start and run engine until normal operating temperature is reached.
CAUTION: The bottom hose must be warm/hot, this will ensure the thermostat is fully open.
14. Ensure warm air is available at vents.
NOTE: If warm air is not available, an air-lock may be present in heater matrix. If necessary, allow engine to cool, remove expansion tank filler cap and repeat bleed operation at heater hose
15. Switch off engine and allow to cool.
16. Check for leaks and top-up coolant to 'MAX' mark on expansion tank
17. Fit underbelly panel.
18. Fit engine acoustic cover.

Click to expand...

Is this still considered the best method to bleed the kv6 engine coolant in a Freelander 1 or are there any additional steps to add to it?

Hippo said:

Is this still considered the best method to bleed the kv6 engine coolant in a Freelander 1 or are there any additional steps to add to it?

Click to expand...

That's pretty close Hippo!!
I use a slightly different method, but you know that already
It's important to fill the tank rite to the top initially.

G'day Gennyman,
can you 100% confirm that the system isn't leaking coolant at any point?
Nobody has used any chemical leak sealers in the cooling system before have they?
I know yours is a V6, I have a 1.8 and a KV6, my 1.8 was doing that about 12 months ago, the coolant in the tank seemed like it wanted to blow out and seemed to want to boil. I had a minute tiny tiny coolant leak (which got bigger over time) which was from the head gasket... so I'd bleed air out, good to go, then due to the leak, air would creep back in to the system and that's the result I had.
Here's the procedure for bleeding coolant on the 1.8 for the benefit of anyone reading and wanting to know the procedure on the 1.8.
1.8 K Freelander Cooling System Bleed - YouTube
Chemical sealants used in the system would plug leaks but also create air spots as the sealant starts to dislodge. I know another case of that having happened where the radiator had failed. Can you confirm that the radiator is working as should be? During the above scenario, are the fans at the front coming on at all? Do the fans automatically come on when you start up the vehicle and stay on at full blast, or do they come on when the temp needle reaches half way, or do they only come on when the needle reaches the top of the class so to speak?

From experience, I can say that when your a/c was on full, the reason it was spot on then and n boil or overheat is that the a/c would force one of the fans at the front to turn on and this would then have provided some cool air to the engine block, which if is the case raises the question, why wouldn't the radiator be doing this, why only the fan with the a/c running?