Cooling system problems

Following on from this post, I switched off the engine within a few seconds of seeing the steam the 2nd time and it took about 1.5 litres of coolant to get it back up to the level in the expansion tank, checked the oil level last night and it was slightly higher on the dipstick than the previous night when I did my weekly checks and the rear of the Disco was sprayed with water/coolant.

After speaking to a mate yesterday, he suggested the problem might be a knackered water pump (would explain the small weekly loss of coolant).

So the current plan is to change the thermostat, p gasket and fit a new water pump & bolts, then see if all is well. If she overheats again I presume it'll be time to skim the head and fit a new head gasket.

So question is which water pump should I go for? One made by Airtex or Quinton Hazell (part no.PEB500090G) both are listed has OEM. Have searched on here but can't find a definite answer.

Any help and advice would be appreciated as right now we are at the mercy of public transport which will cause major problems with my wife's work

just to confirm - it is a 300tdi disco?

why water pump .is pulley loose coolant stains,either pump ,you need to remove bungs or at least thermostat housing one to fill ,if top hose gets hot thermostat opens ,is rad hot all over ,p gasket not leaking

jamesmartin said:

why water pump .is pulley loose coolant stains,either pump ,you need to remove bungs or at least thermostat housing one to fill ,if top hose gets hot thermostat opens ,is rad hot all over ,p gasket not leaking

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There has been dried coolant (white flakes) on front of engine and aroung the alternator for a few weeks, and a slight leak from a hose at the top/front of the engine (behind viscous fan). Forgot to mention there was a whooshing/gurgling sound coming from the engine bay yesterday as well.

Sadly I have very limited knowledge about the cooling system aside from what I've read in the workshop manual and on here. Once my hangover recede's I'm going to take a look at where these part's actually are.

do yu definitely have coolant in the sump, coz if so it is unlikely to be the water pump causing that, however a duff pump may have caused an hgf which could allow it. I dont think they are any paths from the pump into the sump that I can think of.

The Mad Hat Man said:

do yu definitely have coolant in the sump, coz if so it is unlikely to be the water pump causing that, however a duff pump may have caused an hgf which could allow it. I dont think they are any paths from the pump into the sump that I can think of.

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Once the Mrs gets back, draining the sump is the 1st job on my list...

I've just fitted a erling head gasket to mine. Just make sure to replace the gasket with the correct notched one. My old head had its balls skimmed off it 1.16mm, and even after a 1.6mm gasket still needed to recess the valve seats alittle.

If your oil level is going up it must be coolant and that is probs the head gasket.

Hi, is your heater getting hot? have you felt the hose running from the thermostat housing to the radiator? you need to check if its hard or squishy (hard would indicate air in the system)

Thought I'd update this thread with the recent progress.

Turns out a heater matrix hose had worn and split thus leading to the over heating and slight warping to the head. Due to circumstances I had to get a local indy to do the work.

So the head was skimmed, new gasket and to be on the safe side a new water pump, p gasket, thermostat and radiator (it had lost a lot of it's fins) were fitted. Picked up car, and not 30 miles later she over-heated again! Spotted the problem immediately, same heater matrix hose had come away from engine block. The duff hose had not been changed as requested, just cut and re-attached:frusty::frusty::frusty:

So 1.5 hours later the recovery mechanic and myself managed to bodge the hose, re-fill and bleed the coolant system so that I could get home. Plastic thermostat plug was stuck solid so took ages to bleed her!. (crawled home at 40mph just in case the hose went again).

Ordered both heater matrix hoses and fitted them when they arrived, removed both plastic plugs (rad & thermostat) and fitted brass ones. Re-filled coolant as per guidance from threads on here, and so far the heaters are lovely and warm & coolant is circulating as it should. Incidentally for any future reader's, it's so much easier to bleed the system with one of these fitted to the thermostat, size 1/2" BSP. (Nice one MHM for that suggestion)


So far no leaks, over-heating or excess pressure ... aiming to check her again later when she's fully cooled and over the next few days just to be sure.

Thank you everyone who posted on this thread, between your suggestion's and info from other coolant issue threads I'm hopefully now back on the road and not on a transporter ...

dewin, just to note re the bleeding at stat, the black pipe that connects housing, rad and header tank is a bleed pipe. needs to be clear, and does have a tendancy to crud up.

Having to drag up a thread for a problem which I'd hoped was sorted.

Anyway after the work the engine was still losing coolant so I had a sniff/pressure test done on the coolant system, came back fine (I was present).

The engine also seemed to be running a lot hotter than usual (temp gauge fine). So I removed the stat to find that the indy had not fitted a genuine LR one as I had requested! So genuine stat fitted, engine is not running hot as it was, great say's I ....

... but she's still losing coolant (even on small 20 mile journey's), is down on power, and at anything over 60mph or the slightest incline there is a burning smell coming from the engine, oh and there is now white smoke from the exhaust

Having searched on here I'm thinking it may be a cracked head .... I'm now at the point where lack of funds is pushing me to cashing in her tax and scrapping her (summat I really don't want to do) .... any tips/pointers as to a possible cause ...

why dont you whip head off and check gasket .black staining around fire ring denotye its leaking usually to a water way

If you reckon it could be the HG then I'll have a word with the indy as he guaranteed his work. Tnx JM

i can only go on your symtoms as given ,hgf is very common,plus with head off flatness can be determined and clean ports etc indicating crack through washing

jamesmartin said:

i can only go on your symtoms as given ,hgf is very common

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A bit too common for my liking , I've called the indy who after being told of the symptoms has agreed (due to his recent work guarantee on it) to check over the Disco next Tuesday.