mattmason1
20th February 2008, 07:57 PM
Just wanted to know whether anyone has had a similar incident with the cap on the Defender expansion tank cap? On Sunday we went down to Margaret River for a few day's break. I checked the car over before we went, including the coolant level. It needed topping up, but put the cap on and off we went.
Drove all the way to MR that afternoon and the following day had a run out of town for the morning. Was about 10kms south of MR when the the temp guage went crazy and a plume of steam erupted from under the bonnet. After investigation, found that the cap to the expansion tank was missing. Got towed back into MR by the RAC, and left the car at a service station while I dashed up town to Auto One to try and get a replacement cap. They ordered one in for me which, thankfully, arrived the next day so we could head back to Perth. In the mean I got back to the car with 10 litres of De-mineralised water and filled the cooling system up, with an emergency fuel cap to close the tank and screwdriver to bleed the system. Managed to get back to where we were staying without a hitch, the Landy ran without hitch back to the house and into town the next day.
Upon getting the cap, I screwed it on TIGHT, and after a few checks headed back to Perth. Again the car ran well, but I stopped at a service station in Bunbury just to be cautious and check the levels - the water temp didn't flinch once after leaving MR and getting home in Perth, but checking the cap in Bunbury, found it was loose again!
Is this a common problem, or am I just plain lucky?
Drove all the way to MR that afternoon and the following day had a run out of town for the morning. Was about 10kms south of MR when the the temp guage went crazy and a plume of steam erupted from under the bonnet. After investigation, found that the cap to the expansion tank was missing. Got towed back into MR by the RAC, and left the car at a service station while I dashed up town to Auto One to try and get a replacement cap. They ordered one in for me which, thankfully, arrived the next day so we could head back to Perth. In the mean I got back to the car with 10 litres of De-mineralised water and filled the cooling system up, with an emergency fuel cap to close the tank and screwdriver to bleed the system. Managed to get back to where we were staying without a hitch, the Landy ran without hitch back to the house and into town the next day.
Upon getting the cap, I screwed it on TIGHT, and after a few checks headed back to Perth. Again the car ran well, but I stopped at a service station in Bunbury just to be cautious and check the levels - the water temp didn't flinch once after leaving MR and getting home in Perth, but checking the cap in Bunbury, found it was loose again!
Is this a common problem, or am I just plain lucky?