Diesel P38 overheating when towing

[Thomo]

I've got a 2001 P38 which is a great vehicle other than the fact that it overheats quite seriously after it's been towing the car trailer for about 3 hours. Stop on the side of the road and let it cool down, sometimes it spits out coolant, other times it doesn't. It's fine when it's not towing and the temp gauge sits at just below halfway.

I've had the radiator replaced as that split when the problem first occurred. I've since had the viscous fan replaced as the radiator hoses were pressurising and on a trip to Scotland it has just over heated again. Rescued by the RAC this time and recovered on back of low-loader.

Can anyone help as I'm not sure what next, and don't really want to have to go back to garage as they'll start mumbling about the head......

 

[dogsbody]

I doubt if it's the head, that would show up on 'normal' driving.
Have you got decent airflow through the rad? The air con condensor isn't blocked up is it?
I suppose you could think about a water pump but again if it survives for three hours towing a car trailer . . .

 

[Datatek]

Water pump, or stat have to be the first places to look, also double check the replacement rad is OK, some are not, there should be a baffle in the centre of the header, you can check by seeing if the rad is hot at the bottom or just at the top.
Otherwise it looks like a classic cracked head problem.

 

[Thomo]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll check.

Interesting about the air con condenser, the air con doesn't work properly, and the condenser was diagnosed as the problem. However, the replacement for the Westminster is circa £900 so we've been managing without. Would this cause an issue?

 

[Datatek]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll check.

Interesting about the air con condenser, the air con doesn't work properly, and the condenser was diagnosed as the problem. However, the replacement for the Westminster is circa £900 so we've been managing without. Would this cause an issue?

No, unless the airways are blocked with crud.