Thread: Coolant level/pressure

it should be and my next step would be to run it without the cap on from cold to watch whats going on with the system...

assuming hes bled it up right (which can take a bit of doing if your heater is still plumbed in) then the coolant tank should be a bit over halfway when hot and when normal there is a little tab that pokes up from the bottom of the expansion tank that should be just below the level of the coolant and indicates the correct level..

thats assuming you have the black coolant tank made of plastic.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

thats assuming you have the black coolant tank made of plastic.

No, it's the whitish translucent type bottle with the pre-formed level gauge on the outside, engine side.

Cheers for the response.....

..:: KIEREN ::..
2000 Disco II Auto V8
(CDL stick on its way! )

Last time changed the coolant, after refill it was full. I followed all instructions for bleeding etc. Went for a drive came back and it was empty, so must have bled a heap of air out during the drive.

Watch your coolant level, and see what the garage says next week.

I'm going to be optimistic and not suggest anything

Good Luck - Happy Thoughts

Stu

Maybe since you had a problem with the aircon/heater, there is now air trapped in the system.

I'd try what Blknight suggested: take the coolant cap off and start the engine, let the engine warm up and watch the coolant to see if it drains into the system. With the cap off there will be no pressure in the system and a larger opening for excess air to excape from. Also run the heater as well whilst the car is warming up.

Once the car is warm, add some warm coolant to the system, hopefully this extra coolant will force any excess air out (if this is the problem). If there is air trapped in the system you may be able to add as much as a couple of litres of extra coolant to force out the air. It doesn't matter if there is excess coolant in the system as the car will spit it out anyway.

This is by no means the solution and I am certainly not claiming to be a mechanic. Just worth a try yourself before you fork out the dosh.

on the front of your radiator there should be a plug on the drivers side...

take that out while you have the cap off of the expansion tank...

start the engine and then add coolant till it starts to come out of the radiator plug hole...

once it starts to come out run the thing up to 1500 RMPish and hold it there with the heater on flat out bubbles that keep going for more than a minute or so are bad news, the coolant level should drop after a while as it purges the heater matrix, thermostat and back of the heads... keep it at high idle till it gets to normal operating temperature

once the level has stablised and is flowing constantly at high revs back it off to idle and it should spill fluid out, dont panic thats normal...

add more coolant till it just sits at the bottom of the plug hole, eye it for bubbles and if theres isnt any screw the cap back in and then add coolant to the correct level in the header tank.

IF that doest bleed it up properly do it again but park on a 45 degree uphill slope.

This weekend I'm looking at doing what blknight.aus has suggested in his last post, but can anyone tell me how much coolant I am likely to need for this excercise? And if I can use an "off the shelf" coolant, from somewhere like SuperCheap, Auto1, etc.
If so, what grade/type should I be looking to buy?

Lots of questions I know, but you guys are just so awesome I thought I'd ask!!



..:: KIEREN ::..
2000 Disco II Auto V8

It needs to be a specific coolant, OAT (ORGANIC ACID TECHNOLOGY) is the type. I got mine from my local LR dealer.

Available from others like CAltex, Havoline, etc

Rgds
Peter

Kieren, if you want to buy a reasonable quantity of coolant and have any access to Westrac - it's the red coolant as used in Cat engines.

Much cheaper by the 20 litre drum from Westrac.