Help My Disco overheated

Hi all,

Well a week ago I drained the radiator, flushed it and refilled it with new
fluid. No problems all week, Then today I got it on the A19 (road in North
East UK) and I could hear a squeak. No worries I thought - fan belt needs
changing. Anyway suddenly the temp gauge shot up - steam came out from under
the bonnet. I immediately got the car off the road, killed the engine and
called Green Flag.

After cooling for 15 mins I popped the bonnet to find that the top of the
radiator plug (plastic thing) had come off and all the fluid had escaped
through the top of the radiator. So I am left with half a radiator plug that
I will have to get out.

Green Flag (Breakdown guy) reckons I overtightened it and he doesn't think
there is anything else wrong with the engine. Although, the plastic plug
almost looks a little melted. Checked for mayonnaise on the oil filler cap
and any oily smell in the radiator and nothing, no increase in dipstick oil
either - so I don't think the head gasket has gone.

Any thoughts people? In the brief time I ran the engine an hour later it
sounded fine. I drove it into my garage after filling the radiator up.

It is Land Rover Discovery 2.5TDI XS AUTO 1996 English P Reg. 7 seater.
Japanese import. Only done 60,000 miles

Yours

Andy

"Andrew Renshaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> Well a week ago I drained the radiator, flushed it and refilled it with
> new fluid. No problems all week, Then today I got it on the A19 (road in
> North East UK) and I could hear a squeak. No worries I thought - fan belt
> needs changing. Anyway suddenly the temp gauge shot up - steam came out
> from under the bonnet. I immediately got the car off the road, killed the
> engine and called Green Flag.
>
> After cooling for 15 mins I popped the bonnet to find that the top of the
> radiator plug (plastic thing) had come off and all the fluid had escaped
> through the top of the radiator. So I am left with half a radiator plug
> that I will have to get out.
>
> Green Flag (Breakdown guy) reckons I overtightened it and he doesn't think
> there is anything else wrong with the engine. Although, the plastic plug
> almost looks a little melted. Checked for mayonnaise on the oil filler cap
> and any oily smell in the radiator and nothing, no increase in dipstick
> oil either - so I don't think the head gasket has gone.
>
> Any thoughts people? In the brief time I ran the engine an hour later it
> sounded fine. I drove it into my garage after filling the radiator up.
>
> It is Land Rover Discovery 2.5TDI XS AUTO 1996 English P Reg. 7 seater.
> Japanese import. Only done 60,000 miles
>
> Yours
>
> Andy
Unless my mind is playing tricks on the rangie I think I replaced the nasty
allegro type radiator plug with a nice brass one from the local plumbers
merchants because it was getting keggley.
Derek
what shall I bleed next ?

"Andrew Renshaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> Well a week ago I drained the radiator, flushed it and refilled it with
> new fluid. No problems all week, Then today I got it on the A19 (road in
> North East UK) and I could hear a squeak. No worries I thought - fan belt
> needs changing. Anyway suddenly the temp gauge shot up - steam came out
> from under the bonnet. I immediately got the car off the road, killed the
> engine and called Green Flag.
>
> After cooling for 15 mins I popped the bonnet to find that the top of the
> radiator plug (plastic thing) had come off and all the fluid had escaped
> through the top of the radiator. So I am left with half a radiator plug
> that I will have to get out.
>
> Green Flag (Breakdown guy) reckons I overtightened it and he doesn't think
> there is anything else wrong with the engine. Although, the plastic plug
> almost looks a little melted. Checked for mayonnaise on the oil filler cap
> and any oily smell in the radiator and nothing, no increase in dipstick
> oil either - so I don't think the head gasket has gone.
>
> Any thoughts people? In the brief time I ran the engine an hour later it
> sounded fine. I drove it into my garage after filling the radiator up.
>
> It is Land Rover Discovery 2.5TDI XS AUTO 1996 English P Reg. 7 seater.
> Japanese import. Only done 60,000 miles
>
> Yours
>
> Andy

Andy:

Rest assured you are not the first person this has happened too. The plastic
bungs can easily fail. I recommend (I've done it myself) and replaced the
plastic bung caps with the metal ones that go on a RR 3.9 heater pipe. Good
luck.

Jack

On or around Fri, 02 Jun 2006 23:20:40 GMT, "Derek"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>>
>> Andy
>Unless my mind is playing tricks on the rangie I think I replaced the nasty
>allegro type radiator plug with a nice brass one from the local plumbers
>merchants because it was getting keggley.

older rangies had nice brass plugs instead of the orrible plastic ones that
do, indeed, shear off, leaving an irritating hole. and yes, they're
interchangeable.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"There is plenty of time to win this game, and to thrash the Spaniards
too" Sir Francis Drake (1540? - 1596) Attr. saying when the Armarda was
sighted, 20th July 1588

Blow me down if the same thing hasn't just happened to me!
Picked up the "new" P reg Tdis Disco ES on Thursday, it has a full service
history from new, and set off for me Mum's in Kent today. Just on the A 11
when I noticed the temp gauge on red, pulled over immediately and suffered
clouds of steam from under the bonnet.

On inspection it's the little rubber plug on top of a small silver box on
the engine. Split.

Green Flagged home, just arrived. Question is, how does the old plug come
out?
It's pretty shagged and I've tried tapping it out with a screwdriver and
hammer but it won't turn and I'm starting to b****r it up. Should it unscrew
or is it best just to chip away at it and possibly lose bits into the
cooling system?

Thanks for any advice

TonyB

( Thank God I kept the 200Tdi!)

An update:-

Got it to the Land Rover dealer and he replaced the said plastic plug in the
top of the radiator and car is now running fine. I have ordered two brass
plugs off e-bay.

He tested the engine and head gasket, pressure tested and everything is
perfect. He reckoned that stopping it straight away when it got hot was what
saved it.

Yours

Andy

"TonyB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Blow me down if the same thing hasn't just happened to me!
> Picked up the "new" P reg Tdis Disco ES on Thursday, it has a full service
> history from new, and set off for me Mum's in Kent today. Just on the A 11
> when I noticed the temp gauge on red, pulled over immediately and suffered
> clouds of steam from under the bonnet.
>
> On inspection it's the little rubber plug on top of a small silver box on
> the engine. Split.
>
> Green Flagged home, just arrived. Question is, how does the old plug come
> out?
> It's pretty shagged and I've tried tapping it out with a screwdriver and
> hammer but it won't turn and I'm starting to b****r it up. Should it
> unscrew
> or is it best just to chip away at it and possibly lose bits into the
> cooling system?
>
> Thanks for any advice
>
> TonyB
>
> ( Thank God I kept the 200Tdi!)
>
>

"Andrew Renshaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> An update:-
>
> Got it to the Land Rover dealer and he replaced the said plastic plug in
the
> top of the radiator and car is now running fine. I have ordered two brass
> plugs off e-bay.
>
> He tested the engine and head gasket, pressure tested and everything is
> perfect. He reckoned that stopping it straight away when it got hot was
what
> saved it.

Phew.
Mine started OK later too so I'm hoping no damage.
See the reply in the earlier thread to Pantelis.
Regards
TonyB

> See the reply in the earlier thread to Pantelis.
Sorry, that should have said in "The Last Landrover for Mere Mortals"
TonyB