D3 V8 Head Gasket

[gossamer]

What is the correct procedure for refilling the radiator D3 V8? its got one of those expansion bottles off to the side (no access directly to the radiator) and when you tip coolant in all it does is fill the bottle??? Open the bleeder on the engine and it doesn't really do anything until you start the engine. I was wonder if it can be done without starting the engine given its already empty?

I was leaving Cobar early sat morning to get back to melb when the engine lost power their was talk of dodgy fuel in town so i put it down to that, it picked up again and then lost power again so i pulled up, as i came to a stop i noticed steam. The little T piece bleeder on the V8 had broken and it has dumped all its water (no warning lights or temp rise????) Nrma towed it back to Cobar and we (i'm sure the guy who picked me up is just the driver not a mechanic) fitted a new brass T piece, bled the system and thought it was ok, i drove around the corner and parked to text and the temp guage shot up. I spent 5 min trying to bleed it again but now it keeps blowing bubbles so the tow truck driver thinks its done a head gasket. i wont get it back until next week when i can have another look but its not looking good.

[Epic pooh]

That's correct, roughly it is: pour it in, run engine until thermostat opens, bleed, add, bleed, add until full ... Takes about half an hour. Possible but unlikely to be blown head gasket - more likely is that it is not full (can't be full unless engine was run until thermostat opened) or possibly other leaks in the system or that the replacement t-piece is not correct. You can only buy the genuine t-piece as part of a hose set (I have done this recently as mine was weeping badly and at the same time I changed the thermostat housing/ sensor and other plastic bits and renewed the coolant). Hope they used the correct spec coolant.

This thread has an extract from the manual (read down for the v8 version) http://m.landroverforums.com/forum/s...3525&styleid=5

[gossamer]

This is why i asked in the hope that it just needed bleeding properly, fingers crossed its the case.
The guilty party

This is what Defender driving mates do, they hang around to get in the photo's and poke fun

[Epic pooh]

Yep that's the offending bit of crap that failed in mine (and many other V8's) - mine started to weep around the thread where the nut goes on and I changed it and other stuff as I was aware of the risk. Good luck hope it's sorted easily !

That defender driver is ripe pickings for some humorous captioning ... "Even the tow truck is more comfortable than my ride" ...

[gossamer]

The instruction added here doesn't mention the bleed screw up top??? how do you bleed with this one?

[Marmoset]

Where did you guys get the brass T piece from? My plastic T looks okay with no sign of stress but you never can tell. I'll replace it before it goes this far I think.

The engine cutting it's own power will hopefully have prevented a head gasket going and it just needs a little more time to get the bleed right.

[gossamer]

i got the T piece from auto pro but have since brought the proper bleeder but i think its a waste of money
Ive now spent a couple of hours trying to bleed the system but i dont seem to be getting anywhere???? i cant seem to get water to flow out the top bleeder all i get is steam and if i hold the revs up i get water with splattering of air. The heater is cold unless i hold the revs up but then it goes cold again at idle. Time to send it away

[Epic pooh]

Use the bleeder on the t-piece to vent air in the system as you go through the bleed full process only need to do it once or twice IIRC. Is your thermostat working ? If it doesn't open it will not fill the motor - no need to rev the v8 just let it warm up gently (all alloy motor).

Marmoset - I got the OEM component which is part of a larger set of hoses, was not expensive. If you are due a coolant change I would do that hose set, the thermostat & housing (which is a large piece including temp sensor). This approach requires you to loosen and lift the throttle body etc to get access (quite a job) but mine is now running significantly cooler and using less fuel. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1401940773.505853.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1401940808.322645.jpg

[gossamer]

What would a D3 V8 SE that possibly needs a head gasket be worth to sell?? (235,000 k's)

[Epic pooh]

No idea, but ... I'm know the feeling of frustration that comes from non-cooperating D3's. Have it checked out by a pro and take it from there is my suggestion. Good luck !