Thread: 3.9 v8 cooling issues

I doubt it is the thermostat because it spews coolant even when it is cold and hasn't ever run hot since i bought it. Ill rip it off on monday and check it it cant hurt, and ill go from there

Anyone else with the same issues in perth? im sure two of everything will give us a bit of discount, we can save some money for next time it craps itself

Spend a few bucks to have a mechanic test your radiator for Carbon Monoxide, if it is present, then there are a number of causes, one of them being a failed head gasket.

Regards
Maggsie

[quote=whitakerb;888300]
i will do a compression test on monday

unfortuanatly the other heads are of a carby 3.5 so that plan is out the window.

G`day ,
after you`ve do the comp test , if that`s the problem the cold coolant spitting will be obvious .

If the comp test looks ok there are other things to check for cold spitting .

You may need to look at why the heater is disconnected and the routing of the pipe/s for the converter .

The 3.5 heads , if they have the right numbers on them can be used on any capacity with very little help .

If they`re the wrong numbers they can still be fitted but they`ll have smaller valves and ports etc .

Although unless you 3.9 heads are worn as in seats and guides they are unlikley to need replacing .

Cheers

first of all i want to thank everyone who has tried to help me out so far, if it wasnt for you guys i would have stumbled around trying to fix it or worse still, taken it to a mechanic.

Took it for a drive today,25 kms to dads workshop and it didnt lose a drop. We talked about the problem and then argued whos rangerover was better (he won: bob tailed ute with 35's). When i reversed it out so we could lock up. It ran for 20 seconds, I turned it off and it ****ed coolant everywhere.

Tomorrow were gonna eliminate the thermostat, the lpg warmer, and hoses (a bit tatty) and drain and fill the coolant and try again. i'm going away from the headgasket fault as it just drove 25 kms and ddnt lose a drop and doesnt run hot either. im pretty sure the rad isnt bloked it flows ok. so what else can be causing a problem?

my thoery is that the rover is testing my commitment to the marque and as soon as i prove my self it will never cause hassles again. at least we can dream...
Cheers

My 93 discovery 3.9L V8 did the exact same thing water out of the expansion tank even when on short trips barely warm. I spent a small fortune fixing it. The problems were caused by the radiator being blocked; well so I'm told.
The mechanic never rodded it (or suggested it be done) until after the heads went. I've replaced basically everything water pump thermostat hoses etc. So far it is okay no more overheating.
My only advice would be don't drive it until you fix it that makes things a lot worse.

Originally Posted by whitakerb

first of all i want to thank everyone who has tried to help me out so far, if it wasnt for you guys i would have stumbled around trying to fix it or worse still, taken it to a mechanic.

Took it for a drive today,25 kms to dads workshop and it didnt lose a drop. We talked about the problem and then argued whos rangerover was better (he won: bob tailed ute with 35's). When i reversed it out so we could lock up. It ran for 20 seconds, I turned it off and it ****ed coolant everywhere.

Tomorrow were gonna eliminate the thermostat, the lpg warmer, and hoses (a bit tatty) and drain and fill the coolant and try again. i'm going away from the headgasket fault as it just drove 25 kms and ddnt lose a drop and doesnt run hot either. im pretty sure the rad isnt bloked it flows ok. so what else can be causing a problem?

my thoery is that the rover is testing my commitment to the marque and as soon as i prove my self it will never cause hassles again. at least we can dream...
Cheers

Thermostat. Pat

Pat no one seems to be listening to you. FWIW I agree thermo should be first port of call. After 5 minutes running even though you think your still running cool if the thermo's not opening .....in a pressurised system.....it comes out the reservoir

Second I'd be quessing blocked radiator core. My reasoning is that if it was a headgasket the coolant would be leaking out at the gasket not the reservoir.....I did one about 3 months ago...

pat, im sorry if it appears i havent listened to you. Today i changed the thermostat. It was a good thing we did too it wasnt in the best nick. However it was still working. we changed the coolant and disconnected the lpg warmer and the problem is gone (we think). it appears that the lpg warmer is leaking lpg into the cooling system.. i have isolated the tank and tomorrow we will test the warmer properly to prove our theory. It also explaing why i am using so much gas. Has this happened to anyone before?

Again i want to thank everyone for steering in me in the right direction

Regards