New radiator

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welshspringer

Active Member
Posts
126
Location
Merthyr Tydfil
My radiator blew last Sunday, stopped engine within 200yards (on a very busy-fast road) after seeing the guage shoot to the red. Fitted new rad yesterday, since fitting having periods of high temps and back pressure in header tank after travelling at normal temps for some 5 - 6 miles, pretty sure I have airlocks. Does anyone have a remedy to rid the system of air locks?
 
I open both the thermostat and radiator caps, and fill the system with the engine ticking over. Always seemed to work so far .. :)
 
yes undo the header tank and lift it as high as you can and fix it as best you can you want the full level higher than any other part of the cooling system.
Then run it up and bleed as normal it usually works for me.
 
Hi

Have tried eveything mentioned still a problem, there are bubbles out of the thermostat plug when engine is running. Thought at one stage it was cured, took car for a local try,all well until climb a rather long hill. By the time reached the top guage registering to the top of the normal range. Header tank was venting and the coolant was "cold" Taking car home and the guage stayed at normal. Have the feeling that the head gasket has blown. Your views would be appreciated.
Run car on blocks this morning for approx 30 mins, flow thro header tank NO bubbles, hadn't quite reached normal temp.
 
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When I take the thermostat plug off it isn't just bubbles, it becomes a proper flow of water ..

OK, so the way I refilled mine a few weeks ago after changing the water pump and draining/flushing the radiator/engine block.

Remove thermostat plug, remove radiator plug, remove reservoir cap. Fill to the brim and over with water/coolant through thermostat, fill, again to the brim and over, through radiator, turn engine on and run at tickover while filling the reservoir, overfill at this point, and coolant should be flowing out the thermostat, so fit the plug/cap, then the radiator, fit the cap while coolant is flowing. Check level in the reservoir and adjust, before refitting cap.
 
i had this problem with a bmw - i found the only thing that worked was to switch on the ignition with heater set to hot ( without the engine running ) - i then filled the system with the top rad hose disconnected from the rad until water came out of the disconnected hose - refit hose, start engine & with the cap off squeeze all hoses & you will see any remaining air bubbling up in to the header tank - this process has always worked for me ! i think where ppl go wrong is to put the cap on whilst there is still air present causing over pressurisation - another tip is to get the front end up in the air when bleeding, may also help - good luck
 
Sorry but it really does sound like the head gasket has gone had this on a mk3 golf first burst a hose then radiator went fix that 50 miles later the heater matrix blew while doing 70 mph filling the inside of the car with steam it was like a James bond film in there "time to die Mr bond"
 
mr glee said:
Sorry but it really does sound like the head gasket has gone had this on a mk3 golf first burst a hose then radiator went fix that 50 miles later the heater matrix blew while doing 70 mph filling the inside of the car with steam it was like a James bond film in there "time to die Mr bond"
Click to expand...
I was doing 50mph uphill, I had been checking the temp about rvery mile or so, from the last time I checked the car had traveled about 400 yds when the needle shot into red, switched off engine coasted onto verge, radiator was ;like Niagra. No steam in fact only exterior visual was the water flowing out of the rad. If it is the hd gasket I just hope that the head has not cracked, only 2 yrs old with 9k travelled. Heres hoping, it is being tested this morning, it is like being in the dentist.

Deffinitely a head gasket, will not know about head until Monday, fingers crossed.
 
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Have come home after 1 week away (touch of pneumonia) and no movement on my Disco. Still had no prognosis of actual problem.
Anyone have an idea how long it takes to take off an refit the cylinder dead. In years gone by could have done the job myself, afraid well past that stage.
Is it correct that Land Rover do not recommend skimming a TDI head and if there is more than a very small warping, head should be discarded?
Can purchase a new head complete and all gaskets for £350
 
From what I have experienced, any head warpage more than .004 thou, you can scrap the old head, the joint surface is treated or hardened somehow, any excessive machining will leave soft spots that will cause the next HG failure in a short time. Better to only have to do the job once, also use a new set of head bolts, as the bolts are TTY and the old ones will just stretch if used again.
 
Gazbo said:
From what I have experienced, any head warpage more than .004 thou, you can scrap the old head, the joint surface is treated or hardened somehow, any excessive machining will leave soft spots that will cause the next HG failure in a short time. Better to only have to do the job once, also use a new set of head bolts, as the bolts are TTY and the old ones will just stretch if used again.
Click to expand...

+1 on the new bolts - they can be re-used - but, IMHO, it aint worth it. £20 buys new bolts - £40 new bolts and all the gaskets....
 
Before you spend any more money, change the expansion tank cap for an OEM item. Daisy's radiator blew out 3 years ago. She was one of those Discos that would drop her coolant 1/2 inch below level and then stay there. A week after changing the rad the top hose blew off. I may have failed to connect it correctly but if I had why did it last for a week? After many dire warnings about blown cylinder head gaskets I got the advice I am repeating here. I changed the cap for a deal part and since then Daisy has not lost ANY coolant in 18 months. I think a jammed cap was the root cause of the blown rad and top hose.
 
DaisyDriver said:
Before you spend any more money, change the expansion tank cap for an OEM item. Daisy's radiator blew out 3 years ago. She was one of those Discos that would drop her coolant 1/2 inch below level and then stay there. A week after changing the rad the top hose blew off. I may have failed to connect it correctly but if I had why did it last for a week? After many dire warnings about blown cylinder head gaskets I got the advice I am repeating here. I changed the cap for a deal part and since then Daisy has not lost ANY coolant in 18 months. I think a jammed cap was the root cause of the blown rad and top hose.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, will get a new cap tomorrow.
 
welshspringer said:
Thanks for the tip, will get a new cap tomorrow.
Click to expand...
HELP HELP HELP
As mentioned disco has been three weeks with the battery disconnected. Managed to get ignition but NO power to lights,windows, dashboard, central locking.
All help required please, have not got a clue to the problem except for the thought that due to time disconnected a VCU has
stopped working
 
welshspringer said:
HELP HELP HELP
As mentioned disco has been three weeks with the battery disconnected. Managed to get ignition but NO power to lights,windows, dashboard, central locking.
All help required please, have not got a clue to the problem except for the thought that due to time disconnected a VCU has
stopped working
Click to expand...
Found the problem, 100amp fuse. Tried to find anything relating to 100amp fuse in Haynes, not mentioned.
 
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