streamline Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 For some months I have found I have had to top up header tank, which is unusual. Last Friday I find a large wet patch under the vehicle and on investigation there was water on the front left hand corner at the bottom of the block and lip of the sump. This I found strange as I had replaced the water pump gasket not long since for the second time. (This being a well known fault) Nothing for it, get stuck in, on removing the fan I found water laying in the fan cowling and this had not been there on previos occaisions. A liitle more investigation was indicated. Topping it up and running the engine, water appeared from the plastic plug on top of the thermostat housing. The O ring HOOray. Regettably not. On undoing the plug with a spanner the top of the plug parted company with the bottom and it was obvious that it had been fractured for some time, That will teach me not to over tighten plastic, Remove T/stat to aviod damage-- ream out plastic with fie tang-- cut through plastic with pad saw in 4 places on plug circumference avoiding cutting into threads-- carefully chip out plastic between cuts-- clean up housing threads( a 15mm compression stop end turned out to be the right thread) Insert new plug not overtightening it . Hope some one fins this help ful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Attryde Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum, The plastic plug is also a known weak point as (as you found out) they snap easily. You can get brass ones I believe from a rangerover or Simonr at X-eng does an anodised aluminium one and gives a forum discount as well. search for Simonr on here. The other common leak on the front of the 300TDi is the P-gasket which is behind the waterpump (not the water pump gasket) a search of the tech archive on here will reveal an excellent thread by Les on how to replace it. Pete. editted to add link. P gasket thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 replacement plugs can be had in brass from any decent plumbers merchants for about a pound each.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streamline Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hi Pete and thank you for your welcome.i did not know it was a weak point just thought I was ham fisted. it's been out three time , twice for the P-gasket you mentioned I actually thought it was that again. If it goes again Iwill put in the ally one you mention. I must say that I think the problem with the P-gasket is that the securing bolts for it are not up to the weight of the components on the bracket. Cheers Dave Hello and welcome to the forum, The plastic plug is also a known weak point as (as you found out) they snap easily. You can get brass ones I believe from a rangerover or Simonr at X-eng does an anodised aluminium one and gives a forum discount as well. search for Simonr on here. The other common leak on the front of the 300TDi is the P-gasket which is behind the waterpump (not the water pump gasket) a search of the tech archive on here will reveal an excellent thread by Les on how to replace it. Pete. editted to add link. P gasket thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streamline Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 I did use a stop end to clean upthe thread before I put in the plug, but I dimly recall that some times dissimilar metals may have an adverse effect on one another so I perlaced the plastic one. Thanks any wayreplacement plugs can be had in brass from any decent plumbers merchants for about a pound each.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 First thing we do on any vehicle in the workshop is throw away the plastic plugs. Even V8s have them in the radiator and Disco IIs have them as diff filler plugs. Many of them shear off when we try to remove them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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