Series 3 top rad hose

[Defender=1st]

Gday all...my series 3, petrol 4 cylinder (two and a quarter lt or what ever they are) isn't filling the top radiator hose....you can pull over after a drive and feel/squeeze the top radiator hose and it will be empty ..it never has any pressure..any ideas on what could cause this ? my first thought was the thermostat but it doesn't have any overheating problems...well the standard land rover gauge never goes over normal in the middle of the gauge..but thats probably not saying much
Cheers Adrian

[vnx205]

Does the hose feel hot?

[Blknight.aus]

its dropping the coolant.

the temp gauge doesnt read correctly in air.

get the engine running and with the cap off fill the radiator.

that hose should always have coolant in it even if it comes from the radiator side. If what youve provided is a mis interpretation and you mean its not getting coolant flow as opposed to coolant at all then its a blocked thermostat, pull the thermostat housing off turf the thermostat and retest. if that sorts it then buy a new thermostat and install.

the generic 88 deg ones from supercheap + repco work fine just enlarge the bleed hole a little.