Radiator/cooling system problem

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85Santana3

85Santana3

Active Member
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Canada
Yesterday I drove around 80 km in very hot temperature and when I stopped and car was idling in the driveway suddenly a lot of coolant poured to the floor right under the radiator. I thought something had punctured the radiator. I let it sit to dry t check later. This morning I refilled the radiator and waited to find the source of leak and there was no leak at all!!

where did all this coolant come from? and how?
Why only when it idled and not when it was running hot?

A bit of info to help diagnose:
1. 3 days earlier we changed the clutch disk and worked on steering system so radiator was taken off and put back.
2. I have a suspicion that the radiator cap is not very tight although I am not sure if this is how it should be.
3. the fan hood was removed from the radiator to be replaced later.

thanks in advance
 
Could be a dodgy radiator cap. I had a similar issue last year. Hot engine, stopped for fuel, paid and say water running from underneath. The stat on the cap opens and closes to allow water to and from the expansion tank. Mine had a dodgy seal where the cap seal meets the outer edge of the neck of the radiator so leaked periodically.
 
I am surprised that a simple problem like this can not even get 2 answers! I guess this only happens to my landy.
 
85Santana3 said:
1. how would you know if the first answer is the correct one (although highly appreciated) ?
2. there are other questions such as "why this happens when truck is idling?" etc. etc.
Click to expand...

Don't ignore your cooling fan. The cooling effect of air as you drove could have been enough to keep the temperature down but once you were stationary you needed the fan.
 
An update in case anybody else in future had the same problem:

I changed the cap and still the problem continued. So I checked under the truck more carefully (which I should have done in the first place). There is a little metal drain valve under the radiator which when is lose causes this problem. Mine was not tightened properly when radiator was removed to changed the clutch disk last week. It did not leak regularly until pressure was build up due to excessive heat. Tightening it and wrapping some cord around the valve took a minute and solved the problem. So check that thingy before going to bigger expenses.
 
Last edited:
Glad you got it sorted! Is this only on santana rads though? My series hasnt got a tap on the rad, to drain it I have to take off the bottom hose (unless Im just blind nad havent noticed it of course :D )
 
my s1 has but the rad is not original, mine seems to have a locking pin so you can't turn it by accident or it can't be knocked open which is quite sensible,

the tap is a good idea imho
 
Santana S3 are a bit different even in interior trim, but over the years so much change has been made to this one which I can't really say it is because its a Santana. Another odd thing is that I have looked for an auxiliary reservoir for radiator and unless it is really hidden I can't find one!
 
Re: Expansion tank:

If the end of the hose just ends at the radiator I'd say you don't have one... :)

Older Land-Rovers did not - my IIA didn't nor my S.I. Not sure when they came into being on Series trucks.

If you want one (and I consider them a good idea just to keep coolant loss down and keep it away from animals) then either pick one up in a scrapyard or buy one for a later LR and fit it.

ajr
 
my s1 doesn't have one but my 72 s3 has (I suppose it could have been added later), bought an s3 one on ebay for £20 to put on the s1 - although as usual I haven't actually got round to doing it - iirc new tanks from craddocks are around £40 and the frame/holder is surprisingly £40 too and the pipes are extra, so I would buy used. plenty of preowned disco and rr ones on the bay too I am sure they could be fitted.
 
honolulujoe said:
. plenty of preowned disco and rr ones on the bay too I am sure they could be fitted.
Click to expand...

Not too sure about the RRC/D1 ones. With a Series truck there's no pressure at the tank as it's just a catch and retun container - with the tanks on RRC/D1 the tank is an integral part of the pressurized bit of the cooling system and has the pressure cap on it.

I got mine (all-plastic) off the remains of a Toyota along ith the screenwash reservoir and pump. The screenwash part is long gone (fitted a Tudor pump and reservoir - manual squirters!) but the reservoir is still working fine.

ajr
 
spookily my s1 started spouting water from the rad pipe the other day, stuck a new cap on and that seems to have done the trick.

the old cap was all metal and looks like the sealing bit has become deformed.
 
pic of the old cap, pretty prehistoric imho
 

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