[CSAGQ]

hey guys,
well i pulled into the driveway with temp on HOT, steam pissing out everywhere.. me going oh ****

anyways, after looking and putting more coolant in, it was literally running dry (no wonder it was so freakin hot.

well only january i changed the coolant (full fill) and i had been noticing the overflow bottle filling up a lot, and i had drained it and put the coolant back into the radiator..
but now i have no freakin idea where all of the coolant had gone??
i put 10 litres in tonight!

there is no leak visible
please nobody tell me ive done something and somehow the coolant is draining through exhaust somehow..

please help me diagnose this problem

first thing tomorrow after work, its new rad overflow bottle and cap, new rad cap, more coolant and ill see how it goes from there.. but hoping to get some advice tonight

cheers

 

[dazza67]

Cracked head

 

[CSAGQ]

where would the coolant be going?

 

[knightedss]

is ur oil milky

 

[CSAGQ]

no
but there was this very thick glunky **** being spat out that completely blew the rad overflow bottle

 

[FAARRK]

Mine was losing coolant very slowly, ended up being the therostat housing leaking.
The only way i found it was with a pressure test. I could never find where the leak was even when the engine was up to temp/pressure because the coolant would evaporate before it would leak enough to see it.
I suggest you get your cooling system pressure tested, this will tell you if its holding pressure and you might be able to find the leak if its not a head gasket.

 

[Aussie in training]

Mine was leakimg through heater core under dash, are your carpets wet? Busy changing mine at the moment, GU 2004 3.0 diesel wagon, huge job.

Sorry just seen date of post, will leave it may help someone.

 

[CSAGQ]

when i was looking just before i saw some coolant just sitting at the back of the block just behind the rocker cover but down lower where it starts to go down through the firewall..
it was much but could be a lead?

 

[CSAGQ]

did you find where it was leaking?
sounds like a similar problem, because i know for sure my rad cap isnt sealing properly, and now the overflow cap is completely blown

 

[GQSWB4.2]

Mine was a leaking head gasket, coolant would slowly leak into the chambers

 

[FAARRK]

If your radiator cap isn't sealing that could be the main problem, because your coolant will boil earlier cause its not under pressure. And it won't drain back from the overflow either.

If there is coolant at the back of the block it could be the head gasket or possibly getting blown back there by the fan but I'd say thats unlikely.
Again your best option is to get it pressure tested after you replace the rad cap etc.
This should tell you whats wrong with it.

 

[davess]

4.2 Petrol on gas?? The book says 13lt for the cooling system, so adding 10lt is bad but not completely dry. If you are getting think sludgy gunk in the overflow bottle it could be a couple of things, it could be accumulated build up from the last few years of driving. The system got low it could have leeched up sludge like sediment from the cooling system like the fins in the radiator or the water jacket. You could have a leak, on my Maverick I had to replace all the metal cooling system fittings on the head and manifold they all leaked and the hoses were perished mostly due to age and running on gas all the time. Might be a head gasket, leaking between the water jacket and the combustion chamber, you'd never notice it apart from the odd hard start and it could stay minor for ages. Nastiest thing it could be is the head itself, mine eventually cracked between 3 and 4 cylinder.

Just a few ideas for you.

 

[CSAGQ]

Cheers everyone
It's td42 btw

 

[Blake4x4]

good luck mate , just hope its not a craked head

 

[marin]

Aren't there some welsh plugs at the back that rust/corrode out as well?

 

[nethergate]

you said your coolant is a cacky colour, Every time ive had a head gasket go this has happened. The overflow bottle was filling up too, this is due to pressure from the cylinder is pushing through the gasket into the water jacket and pressurising the system and the spring in the radiator cap pushes back and lets the coolant back into the overflow.

With mine the thing that confirmed it for me was in the morning when the engine is dead cold take her for a quick spin, 3-4 minutes. Then turn it off and let it sit for a a minute and then pull the radiator cap off, if there is a **** load of pressure then thats exactly whats happening

your oil doesnt always go milky when your head gasket is gone.

 

[MQ MAD]

Id get a new rad cap, and even the rad rodded out
My GQ did they same,bitta boiling and bubbling into over flow bottle
(Pulling 2.5 Tonne up hills on hot days will try any cooling system out)
New cap,rad rodded all good
How its goin thru fluid (invisible)
Is its that hot goin into over flow bottle thats its bubbling
When water boils and bubbles its volume decreases
Theres the loss
Get it looked at rather quickly DONT get the alloy head to hot
Youll do a head gasket or crack the head very quickly

 

[CSAGQ]

That's a bit hard not to overheat it because I need to go to work everyday
First thing tonight is rad cap and wreckers to see if I can get a overflow bottle
Anyone know where I can get a new bottle like right now? Otherwise a second handy will do for now

 

[MQ MAD]

Can get the overflow bottles on evilbay coupla days
Try NIZZBITS maybe quicker ???
Look in the classifieds theres plenty wreckin these

 

[CSAGQ]

Well I got a new cap but no overflow bottle
Is there a bush mechanics way of pressurizing the radiator overflow for the meantime till I can get a new one?

Further info to see if it could be a cracked head/gasket
No power loss
No trouble starting
I do currently have the rocker cover breather catched in a coke can which does let out quite a lot of white smoke/steam and stinks like oil burning


Cheers