Cooling System Bleed Screw & Travel info.

[Journeytower]

On a 2007 2.7 Diesel Disco 3 the cooling system has a crossover pipe at the rear of the engine with a bleed screw in the centre of the pipe. Does anyone know the dimensions of this bleed screw, that is thread size, diameter,metric or UNF, length is not an issue. Does anyone know where I could get one of these bleed screws only, even second hand as I'd then have a sample.
Also in July we are doing a trip from Urunga, through Broken Hill to Peterborough, up through the Flinders & Oodnadatta Track to Mataranka & across the Savannah Way to Cairns than back some way or other to home.
Any suggestions on repairers along this this route in the very unlikely event we'll need one. It'll probably be due for an oil & filter change by Cairns.
Thanks in advance for any info.

[Dfornow]

I had a failure of that bleeder plug on my MY15. The whole pipe was replaced. There is no spare for the said plug apparently. Noticing a yellowish deposit below the rear of the engine led me to the failure.
cheers, Neil.

[Journeytower]

I had a failure of that bleeder plug on my MY15. The whole pipe was replaced. There is no spare for the said plug apparently. Noticing a yellowish deposit below the rear of the engine led me to the failure.
cheers, Neil.
Yes I discovered that when I looked into it & thought there has to be a better way. I have a contact that is going to get back to me with the size adapter he used instead of replacing the whole pipe. I'll log it on here when I find out.

[loanrangie]

Do the oil and filter before you go or when you get home, a few k's after wont hurt.

[Journeytower]

Yep, done all the oils & filters including Auto, differentials & transfer case. Replaced all disc pads & bled system & replaced both front lower ball joints. Thanks for the input just the same . [smilebigeye]
The bleed screw is just something I've got on the back of my mind & will feel better when I have a backup. Being a retired mechanic those sort of things sit in the back of my mind. Sometimes being a mechanic can be a bit of a curse as you keep thinking of all the possibilities of what can go wrong, meanwhile the backpackers in an old HiAce van with 27 million kilometres on it sail along in complete oblivion with smiles on their faces.

[Ean Austral]

Would something like Devcon liquid steel or similar work in an emergency? I must admit I haven't looked at the part you speak of but I always carry a few small tubes of that plus some aviation super glue. They small and don't take much room but when I was fishing I seen some amazing get home repairs from devcon and a few others like it.

Cheers Ean

[Journeytower]

Thanks Ean, The old Devcon is not a bad thought to stash away in case of emergency. Regards, Wayne

[Journeytower]

I have an alternative to the original coolant system bleed plug & replacing the complete coolant pipe now. It is a 10 x 1mm cap bolt, the rear on the steel cross over pipe is cut down to 11mm long & the front on the rubber hose is 8mm long. Both fitted with new O rings, Using a die grinder I cut a bleed groove in the bolt, although not entirely necessary. You'll need to cut down an 8mm allen key to 20mm long in order to fit it into the rear plug due to height clearance.
I hope this info may be of assistance to people, I at least feel better going off on my trip knowing I'm not going to have plastic items disintegrate, I also have the originals plus additional O rings & the cut down allen key in my spares.

[LRD414]

....It is a 10 x 1mm cap bolt...
Is that a different thread pitch to a standard M10 or just a "normal" M10 bolt ?

Cheers,
Scott

[Journeytower]

The thread pitch is 1mm, diameter 10mm. Similar to a UNF fine thread but different so don't try & put one of them in. I used what they call a Cap Head bolt which is round on the outside with an in hex in the head to engage an allen key instead of a standard six sided head. You could most likely use a standard bolt with the same thread dimensions, if doing so I would use a washer between the head of the bolt & O-ring.

[DiscoJeffster]

M10 x 1mm is considered M10 fine thread and isn’t what one would consider is normal or standard