Thread: Coolant loss options on TDV8 3.6

I would keep a check for a few days, just in case it wasn't bled properly ! The plastic coolant tank is known to develop a small crack and leak under pressure. The plastic thermostat housing can split, Just check your hoses etc those cheap endoscopes off Ebay, really pay for themselves in this situation.

Laurie

My thermostat housing was replaced twice on my previous 2008 3.6. Once by prev owner and last year by me. The housing sits in the valley, is plastic, and will crack eventually from cold/hot /cold cycle.

Originally Posted by rar110

My thermostat housing was replaced twice on my previous 2008 3.6. Once by prev owner and last year by me. The housing sits in the valley, is plastic, and will crack eventually from cold/hot /cold cycle.

Coolant saga (and a few other things) on 08 L322 3.6.
First got message "low coolant", but level seemed about right, so figured expansion bottle or sender thingy inside it or under it.
Put it on backburner until I can get to the city (3300k's away) and get it checked out and sorted.
Then all dash lights come on, car won't start, no ignition, all sorts of messages.
In previous week there had been a couple of odd dash messages about lights, door locking failing, then coming good, some odd chimes, but no messages.
Suggestion was "alternator may have failed", so I order new alternator and installed that myself as local mechanics will only touch Toyotas. What a pig to install!!
Charged up battery, installed and fired it up.
No dash lights, runs sweet for 1 minute then stops and all dash lights come on. Then nothing at all on the dash, dead as.
Off to city as a backload ($1500, bargain!!) They want $2800 to bring it back.

Goes to excellent Perth LR workshop with lots of skill, just cannot get it to even light up, nor can their scanners even "talk" to the car.
Local LR tech wizz has Covid by this stage and also having a meltdown with the number of Land Rovers he cannot get chips to repair them with, so not able to help.
Thinking it might be BCM unit, start asking LR Aust and UK about availability.
LR Australia advises that BCM modules no longer manufactured for L322 and saying that they cannot be "reborn' from wrecked land Rovers either.
Message was that if the BCM dies, your car is finished.
By chnace another UK LR trained tech wizz brings his kit and gets the car talking. (He could also have "rebirthed" a used BCU if needed.)
Seems lighting module has shut down, due to ignition module burning out as a result of a spot light, and tow controller wiring install by "expert"country sparkie, which slowly overwhelmed the system. That sparkie is now 2000 k's from here, so unlikely to get comeback for that.
So, 1 new ignition module, light unit recovered, and old school sparkie with LR experience does the rewire on the spotties and the tow controller...and new battery after the 12 months old other battery died with all the electrical issues.
Good to go, but wait there is more...
Seems one of the front suspension legs has developed a small/slow leak, so 2 new front suspension legs, and I have asked the guys to fit an idler pulley and change out the coolant bottle (sort the "low coolant" message).
They did the idler, reported that bottle appeared to be all working and vehicle goes to mate to hold in his workshop and test drive until I can fly down and drive it back.
After 3 days, mate reports that he is getting "low coolant" message, and best guess is from side of water pump.
Back to workshop where they can see coolant leaking all about the WP. Seems "O" ring failed. Coolant everywhere, so WP seems to be culprit.
There was new Water pump in box in car, get that fitted, top up coolant, all good to go.
Car back to mate.
3 days later mate calls again, reporting getting "low coolant" message, so he runs car and observes. Seems steady loss of coolant coming down front of engine from possibly valley area.
Car back to workshop and waiting while they change out every plastic module and hose in that valley area. EGR's already blanked when it was re-mapped.
The hope is that and it is at last sorted, as I am booked to fly down in a week, that all messages will be gone and car will be happy to leave.
That is where we are at thus far in about a $10k exercise.
What else could go wrong? (That is a rhetorical question, I do not want to imagine, as I have to drive it 3300 k's back when I pick it up.)
The car is SWMBO's, but happy wife , happy life. I am happy with my D2a,

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I hope it is all fixed now ! I would be definitely having a word with your sparky !!! It was good to hear that a BCM can be rebirthed, a load off many minds.
I have run into the Toyota bias at some 4wd shops. Mechanical repairs are very similar, so I don't know what their problem is ? Also these days workshop manuals and how to videos are easily available ! Electronics well that's a different thing altogether, and a lot of Toyota workshops and mechanics are now faced with a dilemma, as the new 300 etc have even more electronic modules than our L322's and the Toyota diagnostic machines are very expensive. I would not be surprised to see many be redirected to the bigger Toyota dealers.

Laurie

Originally Posted by Laurie

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I hope it is all fixed now ! I would be definitely having a word with your sparky !!! It was good to hear that a BCM can be rebirthed, a load off many minds.
I have run into the Toyota bias at some 4wd shops. Mechanical repairs are very similar, so I don't know what their problem is ? Also these days workshop manuals and how to videos are easily available ! Electronics well that's a different thing altogether, and a lot of Toyota workshops and mechanics are now faced with a dilemma, as the new 300 etc have even more electronic modules than our L322's and the Toyota diagnostic machines are very expensive. I would not be surprised to see many be redirected to the bigger Toyota dealers.

Laurie

I should have waited until I was in the city and could get the usual LR electrics guy, before I let a "sparky" near the wiring.
Pretty much ALL Toyota's up Kimberley's, because so little mechanical support, even if you have a Toyota.
At least with the D2a I can just about fix anything to keep it going.
Solution is to get wife to transfer back to city, then car issues are an easy fix.

I agree with what you said about the D2a, I'd buy another tomorrow for remote travel if I could just get a engine conversion. Just a bit slow with a caravan

Laurie

I agree with what you said about the D2a, I'd buy another tomorrow for remote travel if I could just get a engine conversion. Just a bit slow with a caravan

Laurie

only up big hills!
I don't know what you call a caravan. It may be a 3500Kg monster, but mine is pretty good on the highway towing my 1800Kg Coromal 505 Pioneer XC. I can cruise at 110Kmh but prefer slower both from safety and fuel economy point of view.
Looking at the complexity and reliability of later models I could not consider one. I would love a RRS 3.6 V8 diesel if only because I am so afraid of a 2.7 or 3L. But OPs experience I am afraid is just another nail in the later Land Rover coffin for me.
Regards PhilipA

Phillip there is a mob in the UK putting refurbished 3.6 TdV8's in D D3's ! Something LR Australia should have asked for, given the amount trailer,van sales here. Also there is late model BMW M57 option for D3's & D2's either one I would seriously consider if available here

https://www.google.com/url'sa=t&sour...5UJ-w95NGMBCE1


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Laurie