Thread: I cant take a trick.

Thermostat is a good place to look first, how long since the hoses were all changed, I had a overheating problem in my AU, it was consuming water and we couldnt find out from where, I natrually condemned the resevoir bottle but it didnt fix the problem, I was fixing a power steer leak and brushed the radiator hose with my hand and it spray water out, found the little bludger!, funny thing my mums EB2 developed the same problem and it was the same hose in the same spot, do you have an electric thermo fan? check it if so, if it has the Viscous clutch hub check it hasnt siezed too.

where was the water?

if you put the cap on, drive it till it shows hot, get out and try the top radiator hose, if you cant squeeze it at all then you got problems, it should be firm but a bit pliable.

Out of curiosity are you sure its overheating and not electrical? Easily checked by turning everything on, ac blowers full, all demisters, headlights on highbeam, and see if the temp gauge moves at all when things are turned on/off, or also by measuring the voltage between the negative terminal of the battery and the engine block when the car is running with lots of things turned on. I had electrical issues, and the car spat water out as I put in too much thinking it was low.

Had the radiator done recently? Mine seems to use a radiator about every 40,000 K's, I have two, I just get them rodded and swap them out.

just idea's.

sounds to me the problem may be the cap is faulty.......


see if ron wants to buy it........

Originally Posted by jsp

....if you put the cap on, drive it till it shows hot, get out and try the top radiator hose, if you cant squeeze it at all then you got problems, it should be firm but a bit pliable.....

G'day jsp

Tell me more about squeezing the top hose, please, though I've got a feeling I mightn't want to know ...

Ta

Grant

Originally Posted by 95 Disco

G'day jsp

Tell me more about squeezing the top hose, please, though I've got a feeling I mightn't want to know ...

Ta

Grant

Not sure if I am being set up here Its the top radiator hose on a GEMS P38 I was referring to squeezing I think its a different setup on the BOSCH P38, but the original post was for a 95 which is GEMS.

The top radiator hose, when the cars hot and at running temp, should be firm, but still slightly squeezable, the term I have heard is "like a babies arm" but I guess that depends on how many cheeseburgers the babies been fed but then again that reminds me of the twelfth man's comment about a babies arm holding an apple....wont go there

The point being if the hose is rock hard and has no bounce in it then your system is pressurised and it can be many things, usually a head gasket.

See if Ron picks up tis thread, he will have better idea's - I am no expert at all, just had my fair share of cooling issues with the P38.

Originally Posted by jsp

Not sure if I am being set up here

... would I

Thanks, definitely not pressurised; so I'll breathe out.

Grant

Originally Posted by muddydigger

Today I took my Rangie over too Marooka to get new tyres. on my way home I helped some lady on the side of the road by towing her to the servo up the road. Then on my way, home the temp guage suddenly went up to the red. I pulled the car over straightaway. I let it cool down and tryed again, only to get 150 meter or so up the road and up it went again, I waited again and toped the water. I goot another 4 klms before the temp was nudging the red again, water was every where, but no holes in the hoses are evident. I topped it up again and this time didnt put the cap on and got it home with out boiling.
So Ideas, Im thinking thermostat as ther is no water in the top hoses. any other ideas?
It a 95 P38 Rangie 4.6

The thermostat on a P38A is in the bottom hose. It's the multi-branched housing with all the hoses on it. They are fairly reliable.

It's imperative with a P38A that you bleed it correctly when filling them. Remove the bleed hose from the spigot on the top of the radiator - don't break the spigot, it's plastic and doing so will cost you a new radiator. Blow through the line to clear all the coolant out. Note that the line at the reservoir may be blocked and will need drilling out - ask me how I know. Fill the reservoir until coolant flows out of the spigot. Refit the hose and continue filling.

It is also imperative that you never - ever - overheat a 4.0/4.6 litre engine.

When was the radiator last cleaned (rodded out). I recommend any purchaser of a second hand P38A have the radiator serviced or replaced immediately upon purchase. Ask me why I say this. See the line above about overheating the engine. If you do, you will (not might) suffer slipped liners and/or a cracked block.

As you know Ron I baught it about 6 mnths ago, so I have never done anything to it scinceI have had it, and dont know when it last had its radiator done.
I was thinking last night in bed, I dont think it would be the thermostat. I drove the car for an hour in traffic to Marooka, and it was fine, had the tyres fitted then drove home and it was fine untill I stopped to help that lady out. Thinking back on it whilst it was sitting,running the temp did go up abit, but not to the red. I towed the car to the garage which was no mean feet as she had her foot onthe brake the whole way. I stopped at the servo about a KLM away, then turned the car off and filled it up with fuel. and off I went, fro about 5 Klms when I noticed the red light come on and pulled over immediatley.
So do think Ive done the liners?
When the caps off I can here gurgling anf funny noises comming from the ex[ansion tank. The water is beeing forced out of the over flow pipe!