Souster Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Hi everyone As you may already know - over the last couple of weeks ive thoroughly flushed and replaced the coolant in my 1995 300tdi. Mainly due to having such a poor heater, and getting it ready for the winter (week anti freeze mix). During doing this i noticed that the thermostat in at the time was a 75 degree waxstat. So i ordered a new genuine land rover thermostat and popped it in (err3291). I then took it for a drive, approximately 15 mile round trip. And the land rover felt great, no issues at all and the temperature gauge sat bang on half way regardless of the load on the engine. And best of all the heater was now HOT! As soon as i had returned home and pulled on the drive, my dad happened to pass the front of the vehicle and mentioned how hot the front end felt. Which is very unusual! Like i was blowing hot air out! Anyway, about 10 minutes later after having a look under the bonnet, i noticed the header tank had split around the seam. But there was still enough coolant in there. Before i had replaced the coolant and thermostat, the land rover was perfect, no issues what so ever other than having a luke warm heater. No mayonnaise in filler cap, no oil in coolant. No blowing from filler cap. etc. The temperature gauge sits middle both before and after the coolant change. Its all original inc the Fan.Any help on this would be great. Im abit concerned about driving it now in case i do some damage. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Replace the header tank, their splitting is a well documented problem, and carry on. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 Replace the header tank, their splitting is a well documented problem, and carry on. Mo Ive replaced it now Mo, thanks mate. I just hope its all bled correctly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 Should i bleed the system once the header tank is changed? Im not convinced theres no air in there? Header tank it up to its level now though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I can't see any real reason to if it's running and cooling satisfactrily. Common sense says keep an eye on it though Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 I can't see any real reason to if it's running and cooling satisfactrily. Common sense says keep an eye on it though Mo Thanks Mo. I havent actually used the land rover since changing the header tank. I havent had confidence in it. So was just wondering if i could bleed it, or need to bleed it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 If you really want to check it then I'd take the rad and thermostat plugs out (change for X-Eng metal items in due course if you haven't already) and top up via the header if required. You may need to bleed the heater matrix as thats the highest point but you won't know until you get it warmed up. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 Thanks Mo. Ive just took it out for a spin... And im still convinced its getting too hot. The heater is now the hot. After 15 seconds of putting my hand over the windscreen blower in the cab, it burns my hand. So i inspected under the bonnet. And the top and bottom hose is very hot. Can manage to hold them for about 4 seconds. And the heater hose connected to the rad bottom hose is hotter still. Yet the gauge is reading bang on half way. Am i being stupid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 There was also a squeek/hiss from pressure when i opened the header tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Well Souster, I'm no expert but the water in the hoses is going to be at 88 degrees or there abouts, if not hotter, so they are going to feel really really hot to your hand (I'd be pretty stupid to touch mine after a run). Heater output varies from vehicle to vehicle, some hot, some very warm, some jolly warm, sounds like you've got a good one As for the pressure release, perhaps the engine still had a little heat in it, it is a pressurized system to prevent the water boiling. How long after the run did you open the cap ? Did you need to top up the coolant ? Perhaps tomorrow take it out for a couple more runs and build up your confidence in it. If you want to play it safe then run the heater on hot and full blower. Sitting here, a long way from where you are, with only your description to go on, it doesn't sound to me like there's a lot wrong with your cooling system. I could be wrong of course but the only way you are going to find out is to drive it. Take your worrying head off, go out, drive it and enjoy it. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Did you replace the cap when you replaced the header tank? From my experience, 9 times out of 10, excess pressure in the system is caused by a sticky cap. Just recently my volvo started losing lots of water and pressurising the hoses, stuck a new cap on and it has been perfect ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 It can take time for all the 'trapped wind' to come out - you will probably find that the level in the header-tank drops a bit over the first few miles as the bubbles find their way to the highest point. Just check and top up every 50 miles or so until the level stabilises. You can accelerate this process by giving the engine some work - when warmed up do a few full-throttle acceleration bursts through the gears using the rev-limiter: the mechanical vibrations and lots of fluid-pressure/agitation from the water pump shakes free any remaining bubbles from crevices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Well Souster, I'm no expert but the water in the hoses is going to be at 88 degrees or there abouts, if not hotter, so they are going to feel really really hot to your hand (I'd be pretty stupid to touch mine after a run). Heater output varies from vehicle to vehicle, some hot, some very warm, some jolly warm, sounds like you've got a good one As for the pressure release, perhaps the engine still had a little heat in it, it is a pressurized system to prevent the water boiling. How long after the run did you open the cap ? Did you need to top up the coolant ? Perhaps tomorrow take it out for a couple more runs and build up your confidence in it. If you want to play it safe then run the heater on hot and full blower. Sitting here, a long way from where you are, with only your description to go on, it doesn't sound to me like there's a lot wrong with your cooling system. I could be wrong of course but the only way you are going to find out is to drive it. Take your worrying head off, go out, drive it and enjoy it. Mo Thanks very much Mo. I think i second guess my own work too much. I opened the header tank seconds after i switched off the engine, so by the sounds of it, the hiss and squeal is normal in that short amount of time. The headed tank is fitted with a PRC7925 level sensor cap and the level didnt drop much at all. Other than me being abit concerned its driving spot on. Thanks again Mo. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souster Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Thanks Dave and Tanuki. The cap i have fitted is a level sensor cap PRC7925. Which has only been fitted a couple of months. I'll use your suggestions and try it on a longer run. Through the gears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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