Hi
My Defender 1999 TD5 has just developed a cooling problem. It is overheating. I fitted a new water pump about 6 months ago, so it shouldn't be that. This morning, I noticed there wasn't any interior heating when on full heat.
Any suggestions???

Thanks.

Air lock.

Shifty1962 said:

Air lock.

Click to expand...

Thanks Shifty

This is exactly what it feels like to me.
How can I sort this out???

Cheers

Uphillphil said:

Thanks Shifty

This is exactly what it feels like to me.
How can I sort this out???

Cheers

Click to expand...

There is a bleed screw on the top rad hose (on the right of the engine as you face it) take it off and run the engine, coolent should shoot about 18" in the air . If it dont just keep adding coolent in the filler cap until it dose.

With the engine cold take the cap off the coolant reservoir. Loosen the bleed screw on the top hose and run the engine. Once the bubbles stop coming from the bleed screw close it off and run the engine at fast idle until warm with the coolant cap off. Keep topping up the reservoir as necessary until the levels remain constant. Fit the cap and let things cool down before checking the levels again. Feel the heater hoses to see if you have any flow through the heater matrix. They should both be quite hot to the touch. If you are still having problems with the heater then the matrix may need flushing in both directions with a garden hose until the water runs clear.

Thanks for the help.

I tried to unscrew the bleed screw on the left hand side hose, and the whole thing disappeared into the pipe work!!!
I took the right hand hose off to recover the screw, and the bleed screw turns out to be just a metal bolt/screw with a flanged type nut. It looks Mickey Mouse to say the least! I can't imagine this being the OEM part?

I have now nicked the hose and coolant is pis*ing out. I will have to get a new one this afternoon.

I have sealed the crack up temporarily, and the heater is now working. Shifty's assumption that there was an air lock seems to be right.

I have a question (from an idiot: me) re. the cooling system.

The top coolant hose on the left hand side of the engine........... Should this be hot as well, as it isn't at present????

Thanks for all your input.

Left hand side from the front of the engine or from behind the steering wheel?