DSE Overheating....

I've had my '98 DSE for a couple of very expensive years. Love the car, wish it went quicker....

I live in Bulgaria where the temperature ranges form -20ºC to 40ºC. My car is by far and away the best 4x4 in the snow - it's a dream. In the summer, though, I have the usual constant overheating problems.

I have recently changed both the radiator and viscous fan, which has helped marginally. I live up a hill and by the time I get home the red light is often on! There is no cooling fluid leak, so I know the head gasket is fine.

I am considering fitting a high volume electric fan to replace the viscous fan, also one for the gearbox fluid cooler.

Any suggestions, comments, pearls of wisom out there????

Hello TEC,
All I can offer is sympathy.
I am also looking for advice.
I run a 1997 DSE that overheats.
Intermittently, unpredictably and always inappropriately.
I want to know why this happens.
This problem cannot be ours alone.
Do you have any more information?
If I come across anything of relevance then I shall forward it to you.
Regards,
Jim Trodden
Scotland

Very sorry to hear you have the same problem. It's an expensive fix if it is what I think it is! If your DSE overheats particularly badly when under load or up hill, then it's either the head gasket (if you are lucky) or a cracked head!

Mine was a cracked head, so I basically had a top end overhaul and now it's perfect. None of the mechanics in Bulgaria could work out the problem, and when I was in the UK last summer I dropped into Land Rover Exeter and the head mechanic, after asking me a couple of questions gave me his prognosis. Even though I had a compression test which suggested that the gasket was ok and head not cracked, this was the problem. He said he has seen this many times and not to trust a compression test.

Hope this helps.

yes its a well known problem with this model. a compression test does not show it up but the gasket has gone, or the head cracked or even a valve prob.
a strip down and an inspection is the only solution im afraid.

Also worth checking the plastic impeller on the water pump isn't slipping. It'll take a couple of hours to get it out to check it though.