Thread: cooling issues.....again

If it is the head gasket, what potential damage am I doing running the engine up to temp to test these things? Granted, in hind site I should not have continued on this morning, but alas.........

I put the thermostat back in. Removed the t/stat housing plug and the radiator plug. Put back in what I drained out of the expansion tank. (I had only syphoned out what I could in the expansion tank prior to removing the t/stat). This was not enough to bring back to correct level, which I expected as I had lost some yesterday from removing the cap, whislt hot, to check tank. I then mixed up some more coolant and topped the expansion tank up until the radiator was full and replaced its plug. Then I started the engine and coolant immediately came out the t/stat housing plug hole, so I inserted plug. I placed a blanket over the grill and let it get some temp into it. watching the coolant inside the expansion tank I could see movement but hard to tell if it was flow or bubbles as the return is in the corner and your not looking directly at it. At about 70c I did the inverted bottle trick (I figured it couldnt hurt). I half filled a 3l container with coolant mix and placed it in the expansion tank. Give the engine some revs I could see movement inside the bottle and every few seconds an air bubble coming up. After a while I figured that was all That I could do and removed the bottle with approx the same amount as I put in. The tank was now full to the top and when given some revs would produce a large single bubble every few seconds. couldnt do this too long as the coolant was now also spilling out. I capped that tank and went for a drive.

rick130 I didnt remove the heater hose because when I grabbed it it was hot and firm (prior to going fot the drive) I know its not a good excuse, but looking at it I didnt want to have loads of coolant going everywhere with this hose off. Again, in the back of my mind Im thinking why would it develop an air lock now after 10k since the cooling system was touched...

The engine now sitting on 80c when I left. Driving around for 5-10mins it was sitting on about 86c. I pulled over and checked everything and all seemed ok and a little coolant had come out the pressure cap which I figured would happed as it had been over filled. I had a quick bite to eat and headed off again (20min stop) leaving the carpark it was 80c again, and very quickly went to 85c, then 90c...im talking within 100m while I was waiting to exit and turn. I pulled into another carpark and coasted down the hill as it was now at 94c. I headed for home but was sitting at lights very and hoping it wouldnt get worse. Then all of a sudden the gauge started to dive quick! instant thought was a huge coolant dump, maybe expansion tank had split under pressure....but it stopped dropping at 81c. I had pulled over and opened bonnet, again everything appears fine. All hoses are hot and feel firm.

I drove around some more finding little hills to work it somewhat and it seemed to sit between 85-88c for the next 15mins. I came home and then had to go back out for something I lost, another 10mins driving around and still the same. Home again and all looks ok, with the expansion tank cap leaking a little (again I think it has to balance out the excess coolant). Im now waiting for the engine to cool to check the coolant level.

So if it is a head gasket, what is the method/s to determine it?

My thoughts: I do not think it is fixed. I dont think it could be just a random air lock. I do think the system had air in it and this caused it to loose some coolant and then get a air lock. I have no idea why.

Coolant tastes horrible

I lost my SOG muiltitool/pliers which I need to carry to open my bonnet because of LR fantastic ****ty cable and pull handle.

I am not happy