Gurgling Water Tank

meanca · May 31, 2010

Hey guys

I've had my P reg disco for 2 weeks now. Bought it from a 4x4 mechanic who gave me some advice. "Top up the water levels every 2-3 days via the brass nuts in the engine." Sounded suspicious to me, but aanyway I haven't.

Last night I was driving home and after around 10 miles the temp guage rocketed and the heater was blowing cold air. When I pulled over, there was a gurgling noise from the water tank, but opening it released the pressure, rust coloured water poured everywhere but then after a minute or 2 the tank was empty. I waited for it to cool down and filled the tank to the line and noticed the gurgling noise present after driving the remaining 10 miles home.

I've driven another 20 mile round journey this morning and the tank hasn't gurgled once, but it has hissed when the engine was stopped. There has been a new water pump fitted recently and no signs of head gasket problems as such. No smelly oil, no mayonnaise, no smoke from the exhaust etc...

I'm completely new to engines, but have my haynes manual at the ready if anyone can give me ant advice...

Thanks

robint · May 31, 2010

if its rusty colour , get it changed quickly as it shows its been in there for sometime , and while ya there get the oil and filters changed aswell sounds to me to be a typical mechanics car

meanca · May 31, 2010

cheers robint. Does it sound like it's anything sinister to you?

David Pye · May 31, 2010

Why not go back and clarify with the guy (not necessarily in a hostile manner - yet..) why he said the water level needs topping up every couple of days.

It's not an unreasonable question to ask.

David

robint · May 31, 2010

could be a mulitude of fings i would hazzard a guess a air in the system any water leaks visable ??
ya dont need to open those valves up to top up the water just use the filler bottle

meanca · May 31, 2010

cheers guys, I'll ask him, but he saod it's common with disco's to need topping up from there every few days.

David Pye · May 31, 2010

meanca said:
cheers guys, I'll ask him, but he saod it's common with disco's to need topping up from there every few days.

Yeah, that's bull. And I bet he knows it. Ask him where the water is going then.

David

meanca · May 31, 2010

David Pye said:
Yeah, that's bull. And I bet he knows it. Ask him where the water is going then.

David

I thought that. He's taken the **** cos I'm female and I've had to look at a few little things likt no hazard warning lights, horn, rear wiper, rear demister etc. He'd removed some fuses and disconnected the glow coil light relay.

robint · May 31, 2010

meanca said:
I thought that. He's taken the **** cos I'm female and I've had to look at a few little things likt no hazard warning lights, horn, rear wiper, rear demister etc. He'd removed some fuses and disconnected the glow coil light relay.

ahhhh now you,ve said all this it does look suspicious to me

sierrafery · May 31, 2010

meanca said:
Hey guys

"Top up the water levels every 2-3 days via the brass nuts in the engine."

It could be cause he knew that the whole cooling circuit is full of crap but didnt bother to clean it..........the rust and deposits from it could clog the colling fluid's circuit and make u trouble........i'd say u better give it a clean to be sure.......at least U'll know where from is the wastage of fluid. The rusty colour could mean a rusted/leaking radiator and a sluggy mechanic's first action coulda' been to fill it with some leak stopper. ..... also the thermostat might be blocked

nicedayforit · May 31, 2010

meanca said:
cheers guys, I'll ask him, but he saod it's common with disco's to need topping up from there every few days.

I haven't topped up the water on my 94 300tdi for the last 5 years and possibly more and yes it's still up to the mark.
If you are having to top up every few days you've got a leak, simples.
Hopefully not too much of a problem, sounds a bit neglected to me.

meanca · May 31, 2010

I forgot to mention that there seems to be an oil leak to the right hand side of the head gasket that starts quite high up. I've used an engine degreaser to claen the area and have found that it seems to be coming from where the engine breather filter attaches to the head. Is this a case of just gettiung a new filter?

bustersbus · May 31, 2010

nicedayforit said:
I haven't topped up the water on my 94 300tdi for the last 5 years and possibly more and yes it's still up to the mark.
If you are having to top up every few days you've got a leak, simples.
Hopefully not too much of a problem, sounds a bit neglected to me.

5 years? Ah thought ye should be changin' yer coolant every 2 years!

nicedayforit · May 31, 2010

bustersbus said:
5 years? Ah thought ye should be changin' yer coolant every 2 years!

I like to get my monies worth

Funny thing is never had any bother up to date.

bustersbus · May 31, 2010

nicedayforit said:
I like to get my monies worth
Funny thing is never had any bother up to date.

HEHEHEHEE! Don't we all

meanca · May 31, 2010

meanca said:
I forgot to mention that there seems to be an oil leak to the right hand side of the head gasket that starts quite high up. I've used an engine degreaser to claen the area and have found that it seems to be coming from where the engine breather filter attaches to the head. Is this a case of just gettiung a new filter?

cheeky bump...

ratty · May 31, 2010

meanca said:
cheeky bump...

Sounds to me like the head gasket has gone.

nicedayforit · Jun 1, 2010

meanca said:
cheeky bump...

Just remove the engine breather and clean out with petrol.
The oil leak is probably the O ring round the pipe off the engine breather needing replaced. Nothing serious.

sierrafery · Jun 1, 2010

ratty said:
Sounds to me like the head gasket has gone.

let's pray he's not right cause he's got a point here..........as always

meanca · Jun 1, 2010

sierrafery said:
let's pray he's not right cause he's got a point here..........as always

I'm keeping my fingers crossed too. I don't have any other symptoms of a head problem, but I guess that means nothing. I'll replace the breather and see how that helps. It's only £9 +VAT at a local motorfactors.

Fingers crossed.....

Gurgling Water Tank

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