minidod

Active Member

• Oct 15, 2009

• #1

Hey guys

I'm normally in the Disco section but have a problem with the other halves Aunts Freelander 51 plate 1.8.

It's loosing water and the cooling fans are coming on, I know these engines are bad for head gaskets but don't want to going ripping it apart until I know it's the problem.

There's no water under the car or around the engine and the carpets are dry, the only thing I can think of is would be the bottle. There's a lot of small cracks around the bottle just under the thread for the cap.

Could the water be escaping through the cap or I'm going to spend a weekend elbow deep in a freelander engine.

Cheers for the help

 

Series71

Space man

• Oct 15, 2009

• #2

check for mayonnaise in the oil cap for a start

 

The Mad Hat Man

Well-Known Member

LZIR Despatch Agent

• Oct 15, 2009

• #3

check the cap (or replace it). check the bottle for cracking around the neck. Then get a sniffer test carried out.

 

Northern Irelander

Well-Known Member

• Oct 15, 2009

• #4

As above, but water pump gasket and IRD cooler are also prime suspects.

You must be losing a fair bit for the fans to come on, are you sitting in traffic for long periods

 

freebiker

Well-Known Member

• Oct 16, 2009

• #5

Small cracks around the the top of the bottle can sometimes indicate the gasket going, or overboiling. Mine did the same thing.

 

Darmain

Well-Known Member

• Oct 16, 2009

• #6

Oh, I do feel the opportunity for the removal of the head stands before you.

 

Northern Irelander

Well-Known Member

• Oct 16, 2009

• #7

The tanks can crack and split with age, it's a polymer afterall.

Not always hgf related

 

K

Knobblywobbly

New Member

• Oct 20, 2009

• #8

Had a similar problem with mine, i.e. loosing coolant while running but no puddles etc. when parked up. I suspected the head gasket but a sniffer test sad it wasn't that. Anyway a week or so later, while sitting in a traffic jam, I saw steam coming up from under the bonnet (no overheating though). Pulled onto the verge and popped open the bonnet to see coolant p*ssing out from the radiator (behind one of the cooling fans) and hitting the exhaust which vapourised it. I can only assume that the hole in the radiator only opened up when the coolant was hot, allowing it to escape.

I had a new radiator fitted and I no longer lose any coolant.

 

O

Oscar22

New Member

• Oct 20, 2009

• #9

Had the same thing, on a Td4, and it was the header tank that was leaking at high temp. Hence no water on the ground.

AA couldnb't find it, but LR Stratstone must have put a lot more pressure into it.

Oscar