Water loss

Hi folks, TD5 diso 2001 auto, keep having to top water up every 6 weeks by about a pint, 2 or three if done long run. Head gasket done 18 months ago (14000 miles ago) car has done 67k, no white smoke, no visible signs of leak, no change in temp gauge as so far have noticed fans on when i switch off and than find water overflow tank is blowin steam through its overflow pipe, any ideas? mate has Shogun (i know its not a landie) but he had same problem he changed water pump, is it pump is this easy to change yourself, is rad easy to change/clean as have read on hear mucky rads don`t help. Hope you can help.

ttam lleb said:

Hi folks, TD5 diso 2001 auto, keep having to top water up every 6 weeks by about a pint, 2 or three if done long run. Head gasket done 18 months ago (14000 miles ago) car has done 67k, no white smoke, no visible signs of leak, no change in temp gauge as so far have noticed fans on when i switch off and than find water overflow tank is blowin steam through its overflow pipe, any ideas? mate has Shogun (i know its not a landie) but he had same problem he changed water pump, is it pump is this easy to change yourself, is rad easy to change/clean as have read on hear mucky rads don`t help. Hope you can help.

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The first thing I would do is to back-flush the radiator.

Take off the top & bottom hoses, stick a hosepipe in the bottom and turn on the water. Leave it running until only clean water comes out, then repeat at the top of the rad.

Let us know how you get on would you?

Cheers
Dave

cheers for this, is this a rad out job? is it easy?, will be doing it on Sat a.m., will keep all posted

ttam lleb said:

cheers for this, is this a rad out job? is it easy?, will be doing it on Sat a.m., will keep all posted

Click to expand...

No it's not a rad out job - should 1 hr max.

Literally all you need to do is, undo the clips on the top & bottom hoses, have something ready underneath to catch the spilt coolant, pull off the bottom hose, coolant will now gush out, pull off the top hose, wait till the rad is empty then flush.

Then once the flush is complete, refit the hoses, top up the coolant, I normally do it with the engine running and Bob is your mothers live-in 'friend'

Hi did this tonight, real pig to get to bottom clip, now worried that when top right hand hose was pulled off bright green water (coolant) came out. Overflow bottle has clearish water in it not green at all. Took bottom hose off and pushed hose pipe in both ends of rad, no gunk or crap ran clear in a few seconds.

Now need to fill her up again, i would imagine through overflow get warm and then undo breather thumb screw on top hose. will do tomorrow.

Is my next step to get her hot again and watch for leaks, and gauge, although gauge has been fine during all this, its just losing water with nosmoke or visible dripping.
Any more advice welcome.....

TD5 coolant should be the red OAT stuff .

Ciaran

Look for signs of coolant leaking down the edges of the radiator, common to leak here, also look at the joint to the head from the top hose, just an 'o' ring seals here.

Failing that, it's a pressure test mate.

Rob