Freelander coolant bleeder

Evening all, having spent yesterday as a 'getting to know you day' with my new (to me) 2006 TD4 Sport Auto
I have decided to completely flush the coolant system, I managed an oil, turbo breather crank case breather and air filter change yesterday having watched a Youtube video, so have today decided for the coolant flush, the current system hasn't been changed in a while so its desperate to be done. So, if at all possible I'd like a little advice, now this may be the simplest question to answer (but if a person doesn't know the answer then its a difficult question, right?), anyway, the bleed screw thing on the hose, its plastic with a shallow knobby thing with a cross head on. Is this my bleed screw? do I use a screw driver or hand?
Any unforeseen issues with doing this job myself anyone?

Thanks

Jon

Yes use your fingers, certainly for doing it up, anything more and you can shear the head off, remember to put the heater temp contro to max!

Thank you for that

undo it with a penny

Is there a thread on the best way to ensure a good flush and clean of the TD4 cooling system?
I suspect mine has not been done ever as it takes me around 15 miles or so to start getting a decent amount of heat suitable for a very cold winter morning.

You could try just bleeding the system using that bleed screw talked about above (its on the hose by the bulkhead (on my L Series)). Air can collect there as its a high point on the system and stop flow thru the heater matrix.

I think I did try that once and only coolant came out, no air.

I will try again though in case I am wrong.

dog-man said:

I think I did try that once and only coolant came out, no air.

I will try again though in case I am wrong.

Click to expand...

I did that when my top hose let go and dumped all my coolant, refilled and left the coolant filler cap off and ran it for a few mins, you can see air rising from it, then replaced the cap and then unscrewed the bleed nipple and only water came out so it was okay, if it doesn't bubble with air popping should be okay, I haven't had any issues since.

I managed mine successfully! Got to remember to have heater switch inside cab to hot position when bleeding! And don't take off the bottom hose off the radiator itself, look across there is a junction which is easier to work on for dumping the old liquid!

if it is taking that long to get your engine hot then I would suspect faulty thermostat mine td4 auto is hot within about 3/4 miles

Takes me around 15 miles or so before I get what I would call proper heat.
My thermostat hovers around the 1/2 way mark or just below during winter.

I managed mine successfully! Got to remember to have heater switch inside cab to hot position when bleeding! And don't take off the bottom hose off the radiator it

So, if it takes my TD4 around 15 miles to get what I would call hot air and my temp guage hovers around the 1/2 way mark or just under when the weather is cold, does that mean I have a thermostat issue?

I keep meaning to flush the system but something always crops us to stop me. Will I be wasting my time by flushing it?

Nothing service wise is a waste of time, and it's only a half hr job, the longest part is taking the guard off underneath

Why would I need to take off the engine guard when just flushing the cooling system?