Discovery TD5 Cooling System Problem

Hi,

Can anyone offer me some advice please?

I have a 2000 Discovery TD5. It has done around 53K miles.

When accelerating air can be heard travelling through the heater matrix
behind the dashboard.

The expansion tank was nearly empty and I filled it up about two weeks ago.
Today it was empty again, so I topped it up and started the engine, all the
coolant I added immediately disappeared into the system, so I topped up the
expansion tank again, this did not disappear. I bled the system via the
bleed screw in the top hose. I then road tested and have allowed it to cool
completely. The level in the expansion tank has dropped slightly, but I
think this is normal expansion/contraction.

I have only had the car since May this year, and found that one of the bolts
securing the radiator was almost falling out, I have re-tightened this, but
now suspect that someone has been here before me! The oil is in great
condition, with no evidence on the stick of emulsification. The engine runs
fine. There is no water on the floor when it's parked. Is it possible that a
new radiator was fitted and not bled very well? The radiator looks to be
much cleaner than the A/C unit, so I am wondering if it was replaced.

Any clues as to where about two litres of coolant may have gone?


Regards.
Paul.

In message <[email protected]>, Paul
Frost <[email protected]> writes
>Hi,
>
>Can anyone offer me some advice please?
>
>I have a 2000 Discovery TD5. It has done around 53K miles.
>
>When accelerating air can be heard travelling through the heater matrix
>behind the dashboard.
>
>The expansion tank was nearly empty and I filled it up about two weeks ago.
>Today it was empty again, so I topped it up and started the engine, all the
>coolant I added immediately disappeared into the system, so I topped up the
>expansion tank again, this did not disappear. I bled the system via the
>bleed screw in the top hose. I then road tested and have allowed it to cool
>completely. The level in the expansion tank has dropped slightly, but I
>think this is normal expansion/contraction.
>
>I have only had the car since May this year, and found that one of the bolts
>securing the radiator was almost falling out, I have re-tightened this, but
>now suspect that someone has been here before me! The oil is in great
>condition, with no evidence on the stick of emulsification. The engine runs
>fine. There is no water on the floor when it's parked. Is it possible that a
>new radiator was fitted and not bled very well? The radiator looks to be
>much cleaner than the A/C unit, so I am wondering if it was replaced.
>
>Any clues as to where about two litres of coolant may have gone?

I remember the service manager at my local LR main dealer telling me
that the Discovery Td5 cooling system can be difficult to bleed. I
don't recall the details but maybe an expert will soon be along here
with advice.

I would also mention that I had a Discovery Td5, from new in March 2000,
and twice experienced loss of coolant, to the extent that the expansion
tank needed about a pint every 500 miles or so.

The first occurrence was during its fourth year, and was cured by a new
radiator, supplied and fitted 'free', under the LR 4th-year Approved
Warranty I had bought at great expense.

Then, when it was just short of 5 years old and had covered about 56,000
miles, the level in the expansion tank again started dropping slowly.
It turned out to be a seeping core plug and was fixed under the LR 5th
year Approved Warranty but my dealer had to get the OK from the warranty
company's engineer. The mechanic who did the work told me that it would
involve removing a manifold and it was possible that bolts/studs would
break. My dealer therefore delayed taking my Discovery in until they
had got replacement bolts/studs in stock and someone lined up to drill
out any broken ones. In the event, the job went smoothly.
--
Peter

Peter,

Thanks for the info. All sounds very expensive to me. I had a Shogun before
the Disco, as such I am not accustomed to failures, just twice yearly
services... Oh well I was warned be a friend that Disco's have their own
"character".

Thanks again.
Regards
Paul.

"Peter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>, Paul
> Frost <[email protected]> writes
> >Hi,
> >
> >Can anyone offer me some advice please?
> >
> >I have a 2000 Discovery TD5. It has done around 53K miles.
> >
> >When accelerating air can be heard travelling through the heater matrix
> >behind the dashboard.
> >
> >The expansion tank was nearly empty and I filled it up about two weeks
ago.
> >Today it was empty again, so I topped it up and started the engine, all
the
> >coolant I added immediately disappeared into the system, so I topped up
the
> >expansion tank again, this did not disappear. I bled the system via the
> >bleed screw in the top hose. I then road tested and have allowed it to
cool
> >completely. The level in the expansion tank has dropped slightly, but I
> >think this is normal expansion/contraction.
> >
> >I have only had the car since May this year, and found that one of the
bolts
> >securing the radiator was almost falling out, I have re-tightened this,
but
> >now suspect that someone has been here before me! The oil is in great
> >condition, with no evidence on the stick of emulsification. The engine
runs
> >fine. There is no water on the floor when it's parked. Is it possible
that a
> >new radiator was fitted and not bled very well? The radiator looks to be
> >much cleaner than the A/C unit, so I am wondering if it was replaced.
> >
> >Any clues as to where about two litres of coolant may have gone?
>
> I remember the service manager at my local LR main dealer telling me
> that the Discovery Td5 cooling system can be difficult to bleed. I
> don't recall the details but maybe an expert will soon be along here
> with advice.
>
> I would also mention that I had a Discovery Td5, from new in March 2000,
> and twice experienced loss of coolant, to the extent that the expansion
> tank needed about a pint every 500 miles or so.
>
> The first occurrence was during its fourth year, and was cured by a new
> radiator, supplied and fitted 'free', under the LR 4th-year Approved
> Warranty I had bought at great expense.
>
> Then, when it was just short of 5 years old and had covered about 56,000
> miles, the level in the expansion tank again started dropping slowly.
> It turned out to be a seeping core plug and was fixed under the LR 5th
> year Approved Warranty but my dealer had to get the OK from the warranty
> company's engineer. The mechanic who did the work told me that it would
> involve removing a manifold and it was possible that bolts/studs would
> break. My dealer therefore delayed taking my Discovery in until they
> had got replacement bolts/studs in stock and someone lined up to drill
> out any broken ones. In the event, the job went smoothly.
> --
> Peter
>

In message <[email protected]>, Paul
Frost <[email protected]> writes
>Peter,
>
>Thanks for the info. All sounds very expensive to me. I had a Shogun before
>the Disco, as such I am not accustomed to failures, just twice yearly
>services... Oh well I was warned be a friend that Disco's have their own
>"character".

It's easy to become addicted to Land Rovers. Despite the coolant
problems with our 2000 Discovery Td5, we traded it in last March for a
6-months old DiscoveryTd5 ES Premium, the eighth Land Rover my wife and
I have owned over the past 30+ years - and every one was bought with her
enthusiastic approval. Maybe we are both nuts!

I hope your problem turns out to be no more than an airlock in the
system
--
Peter