Woz
10th June 2024, 04:29 PM
Hi there,
Just wanted to share a story.
A week before our planned trip to take the van to Winton, I decided to change the fuel pump belt.
After losing my 10mm socket with the ¼ ratchet, a bolt, and the clip of the belt cover, I decided to give up. I would not recommend anyone doing this job ($400 quote to do)
To do the job you have to remove the coolant pipe that runs across the top of the engine you have to drain some coolant, so I removed the fitting as per manual, pipe that runs into the transmission cooler, to remove the pipe you pull out a thin stainless-steel clip to release the pipe, the same to reconnect it.
DON’T DO WHAT I DID, when replacing the pipe, the clip was in place, and I just pushed the pipe on thinking the clip will engage with the grooves in the transmission cooler. It did not.
Leaving the Gold Cost on the Toowoomba bypass passing trucks at 80kms, the red-light warning light came on coolant low, and the temperature gauge shot to high, fortunately there was a place to pull over straight away, the road sloped to right and I could see coolant running down the road. Time to call RACQ.
While waiting 2 hours for rescue I decided to check the coolant leak source, removed the front bash plate, and instantly spotted the pipe had come off to the transmission cooler. I secured the pipe on correctly and hoped the RACQ carried water because we had none.
Because we were considered in a dangerous position they sent a rescue unit. Fortunately, the lady had 10 litres of water on board, now that the engine had cooled, I filled it up to the level with the engine running, the red warning light low coolant was still on. We drove to Toowoomba with the warning light on and a close eye on the temperature gauge, stayed on normal.
In Toowoomba we bought more coolant. The next day the level was down so I topped it up with the coolant then checked the warning light, it was out, and I thought all was good until we drove 10 minutes down the road and the warning light came back on. (I read in a post that the float in the expansion tank that triggers the sensor will only float in coolant not in water, makes sense when the thermostat opened mixed the coolant with all the water).
Next day I bought more coolant and did a complete drain and refill in the caravan park, the next day after driving about 240 klm the level had dropped about 30mm, I topped it up again. Thinking there could have been an air lock. Next day after about the same distance the level dropped again so I took it to a radiator place, they did a pressure test and checked for a head leak, all tested good.
We are now on our way back from Winton, the temperature gauge stays on normal, and it uses about 250ml coolant every 250 to 300klms.
Will investigate further when we get back.
Lessons learned have breakdown insurance and carry water.
Woz
Just wanted to share a story.
A week before our planned trip to take the van to Winton, I decided to change the fuel pump belt.
After losing my 10mm socket with the ¼ ratchet, a bolt, and the clip of the belt cover, I decided to give up. I would not recommend anyone doing this job ($400 quote to do)
To do the job you have to remove the coolant pipe that runs across the top of the engine you have to drain some coolant, so I removed the fitting as per manual, pipe that runs into the transmission cooler, to remove the pipe you pull out a thin stainless-steel clip to release the pipe, the same to reconnect it.
DON’T DO WHAT I DID, when replacing the pipe, the clip was in place, and I just pushed the pipe on thinking the clip will engage with the grooves in the transmission cooler. It did not.
Leaving the Gold Cost on the Toowoomba bypass passing trucks at 80kms, the red-light warning light came on coolant low, and the temperature gauge shot to high, fortunately there was a place to pull over straight away, the road sloped to right and I could see coolant running down the road. Time to call RACQ.
While waiting 2 hours for rescue I decided to check the coolant leak source, removed the front bash plate, and instantly spotted the pipe had come off to the transmission cooler. I secured the pipe on correctly and hoped the RACQ carried water because we had none.
Because we were considered in a dangerous position they sent a rescue unit. Fortunately, the lady had 10 litres of water on board, now that the engine had cooled, I filled it up to the level with the engine running, the red warning light low coolant was still on. We drove to Toowoomba with the warning light on and a close eye on the temperature gauge, stayed on normal.
In Toowoomba we bought more coolant. The next day the level was down so I topped it up with the coolant then checked the warning light, it was out, and I thought all was good until we drove 10 minutes down the road and the warning light came back on. (I read in a post that the float in the expansion tank that triggers the sensor will only float in coolant not in water, makes sense when the thermostat opened mixed the coolant with all the water).
Next day I bought more coolant and did a complete drain and refill in the caravan park, the next day after driving about 240 klm the level had dropped about 30mm, I topped it up again. Thinking there could have been an air lock. Next day after about the same distance the level dropped again so I took it to a radiator place, they did a pressure test and checked for a head leak, all tested good.
We are now on our way back from Winton, the temperature gauge stays on normal, and it uses about 250ml coolant every 250 to 300klms.
Will investigate further when we get back.
Lessons learned have breakdown insurance and carry water.
Woz