Thread: Cooling system service - What is it?

Hi, I'll give you my experience but there are more experienced people here

The big thing to reolise is your temp gauge is not to be trusted too much. On a V8 if it climbs into the red, to which you may not notice, it's probobly too late to negate serious damage.

Your temps if all is well should be between 87-88C to possibly 102C on a hot day in traffic, I get mine from Hawkeye. I think 110C is getting too hot. My max temp in traffic is 94C.

You should ensure your fans (Viscous/Condenser) are healthy and if you are unsure when it was last done flush out the cooling system and replace the 50-50 OAT anti freeze coolant.

Radiators have a track record of leaking as does the Throttle Body gasket so if you are using any coolant, check there first. Also regularly check the condition of your hoses. One oF these goes, your wallet will know about it!

The V8 cooling system is good, as long as it is healthy. Mine operates everyday in high humidity and 34C day in day out with the A/C on all the time. No issues, but I keep a very close eye on my cooling system.

Hope this helps, Jerry

If your V8 is running at 88 then you are better off than the rest of us,, 96 is normal,,
and way too high.
The rest is spot on,,
I am going to try the grey thermostat.


what should you worry about?
all your cooling stuff is now 14 years old!
D2 rads are fairly cheap nowadays,, even from LR--

Hi,

Yes, according to my Hawkeye these are the temps at a steady speed above 70 kph, but rises quite quickly when slowing down but never over 94C.

I have recently put on a new condeser fan and flushed the system. Am also slowly (1 a month) changing the hoses. I would also recommend hose changes to Trippy as well, if they are looking a bit old.

Cheers, Jerry

Well, I have no idea when and if things were replaced. I checked the hoses today and they seem fine to me. The return to expansion box hose has the number 2007 on it. Not sure if this is the manufacture date.

1. Is it ok to buy aftermarket hoses or should I get genuine? They are only hoses after all right?

2. And is there a way to identify how old the radiator is? Do they have manufacture dates printed on them? That way I could work out if it still has the original one or not.

3. I just topped up the coolant today and it needed about 600ml after 3 months of summer heat. Is that bad?

I reckon you have a small leak somewhere. Mine uses no coolant at all unless there is small leak.

Small leaks!

I had one from the hose where it joins the bottom of the expansion tank. So slight that it would evaporate due engine heat, only found by removing the tank and inspecting the area under the tank, found green stains! (Fixed by wrapping some rescue tape around the tank spout and fitting hose over the tape with new clamp.)

Also had a pin hole leak in radiator, picked up during major service at LR specialist.(new radiator)

Check other culprit areas, weep hole in water pump (check for stains) , the small hose tucked behind the turbo,

what gets done in a cooling system service depends on how honest your greaser is and how much your paying but from memory everything up to and including

• cooling system drain, treatment with flushing agent drain flush and refil
• replace thermostat
• replace all the hoses + transfer pipes
• remove, rod, replace/ replace the radiator
• replace the expansion tank
• replace the pressure cap
• replace the welch plugs and core plugs
• remove rod replace / replace the heater matrix
• replace the radiator mounting rubbers
• replace the VC
• replace the fan
• replace the serp belt
• replace the fan bearing
• remove inspect repair/replace the water pump
• Clean the condenser
• repair/replace the shroud
• repair/replace the belt idlers and tensioners
• remove/test/replace the coolant sensor(s)
• replace cooling system component gaskets (but not a vally cover or head gasket)
• replace cooling system threaded barbs/press barbs

Wow Blknight.aus... That sounds like a couple of $K to me!

If you remove the the plastic cover over the radiator the bleed spigot and hose from the reservoir is revealed, on the passenger side.
It is possible to snap the plastic spigot on rads over 5 years old mine was 11yrs old when I leant on it while fitting a low coolant alarm in the top hose
Ollie