Hi all,

Ok rad off and flushed. Looked pretty clean tbh, and water flowing well except for overflow. Clamped a hose on that and give it a flush.

Now, all back and filled as suggested. The thing i noticed right away was jet of water coming from rad expansion outlet when revved! As i said this morning, dribbled at best before

Whn i connect it up, i see a constant flow of water into expansion tank, getting stronger as i rev. Again deffo only had a dribble at best before!

So looks like i dd have a rad blockage.

Just let it run, cool right down then topped up.

Thn went for a run for about 10 miles and I noticed coolant has dropped slightly now when hot, it was always much higher than when cold before, causing it to eventually spew. Top hose hard but could squeeze a bit, i think its a little softer than usual after a run, ( i think)

I take it the level dropping slightly when hot is right? Allowing for expansion of pipes etc?

After cooling it seems to have goneto back to about normal level

Have i cause to be optimstic, just for tonight :)
 
Sounds like you found the problem, time will tell if the flush was enough.
Land Rover owners are generally optimists, sort of:)
 
I had a conversation about the top hose being hard with my garage last time it went in there and am now rather confused.

Just how hard should the top hose be when then engine is hot? Should there be any difference with the engine running / not running?

He then proceeded to tell me that once the engine is switched off then there should be nothing more than a slight hiss when the pressure cap is removed, even when it's hot. - This goes against all me experience with cars in the past - take the cap off a hot car and it will spray hot coolant everywhere. Not surprising to me, this is what mine does.
 
kooky_guy said:
I had a conversation about the top hose being hard with my garage last time it went in there and am now rather confused.

Just how hard should the top hose be when then engine is hot? Should there be any difference with the engine running / not running?

He then proceeded to tell me that once the engine is switched off then there should be nothing more than a slight hiss when the pressure cap is removed, even when it's hot. - This goes against all me experience with cars in the past - take the cap off a hot car and it will spray hot coolant everywhere. Not surprising to me, this is what mine does.
Click to expand...

Garage talking crap as usual, the coolant is prevented from boiling by the 14psi of pressure, remove the pressure cap and the sudden drop in pressure will guarantee the coolant boils. Simple physics:)
 
Datatek said:
Garage talking crap as usual, the coolant is prevented from boiling by the 14psi of pressure, remove the pressure cap and the sudden drop in pressure will guarantee the coolant boils. Simple physics:)
Click to expand...

I'm glad you confirmed that for me. I was begining to question everything I ever knew about cars (not that it's very much).

He was absoutely adamant though. I thought I was on another planet.

So what about the top hose hardness?

It only went in to have the clonking fixed and he didn't manage to diagnose it. Grr.
 
kooky_guy said:
I'm glad you confirmed that for me. I was begining to question everything I ever knew about cars (not that it's very much).

He was absoutely adamant though. I thought I was on another planet.

So what about the top hose hardness?

It only went in to have the clonking fixed and he didn't manage to diagnose it. Grr.
Click to expand...

Well with 14 psi in it, it's going to feel quite hard, my mower runs 14 psi in the tyres and they barely deflect.
I should change your garage, the bloke is obviously a ****:)
 
Datatek said:
Well with 14 psi in it, it's going to feel quite hard, my mower runs 14 psi in the tyres and they barely deflect.
I should change your garage, the bloke is obviously a ****:)
Click to expand...

Think you're right. Cheap though!

As for the op's issue, if your rad is now the same temperature all over then you should be alright in terms of blockage. Sounds like the flow is ok now.
 
If you have a look at my posts cracked block diagnosis, photos of cylinders and gaskets you would generally pick it up visually (I could in my case). Mine had similar symptoms as yours. Ran ok but boot it and the combustion gas built up in the top hose when hot, water used to slowly dissapear overnight into the cylinders. Over 2.5k when hot used to blow water out off the expansion tank.

I did the rebuild, what a difference, you could feel air/combustion gas in it previously not any more. And honestly mine never overheated whilst I had it even with the problem.

Put it yours next to another rangie that is known to be ok and compare your top hose and see what difference reving it when hot does. Thats what did it for me in the end.

Good luck, hope you have sorted it.
 
Last edited:
if yove got a push bike (you should have if your a p38 driver for all the times its broke down) inflate the tyers up to 14psi and the top hose should be about that hard
 
Update

Well rad still flowing well and got new cap today (my previous one rattled too by the way)

Been out and about and seems fine so far. Top hose not super hard, i can squeeze it a bit.

No white smoke, performance good

Only thing i noticed last night after a run was coolant had dropped about an inch when i got home. Just left it, and this moRning (cold) it was back to level. I always assumed coolant expanded when hot, but maybe pressure and thermo open means it drops when hot?

I just need to keep hoping and checking for a few days. Tempted with new rad to be safe, but still cautious of block problem as so many keep saying!p
 
When my block was cracked the coolant still had a bit of pressure in the morning and when up to temp it would blow coolant out of the expansion tank if reved for a bit over 3k. Mine also had a uneaven vibration high up the revs like it was missing on a cylinder or something.

Just keep an eye on the coolant and keep topping up if low when cold. Will take a while for it to stop purging air if you have just refilled it. Strange for the level to come back when cold especially after being an inch lower, must be air in the system.
 
You know i am trying to convince myself its not a cracked block or head....

Not sure the mrs will put up with many more 'just a couple bits for the car' :)
 
I have had mine 6 months,

Changed oil filter when I bought it
Changed Coolant after decided there was not enough antifreeze in it (the start of my problems and proably the flush that removed the irontite?)
Matrix seals
New matrix
Overhauled vapourisers
Diff seals, (need flanges at some point)
Flushed diffs (Water ingress, previous to me)
Flushed Transfer box (Water ingress)
Changed Thermostat
Changed expansion tank filler cap (Twice, didn't think the first one was working properly)

Bugger, Heads off, AH! Cracked block.
Rebuilt engine.

Lots of Fun but the wife will be divorcing me soon. Join the the club. P38 or wife?
 
hope u got ur probs sorted m8, its very stressfull owning a p38, there great when they work, which isn't often lol
 
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