Oh NO another P38 overheat.

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Darth Vader

New Member
Posts
7
Location
Birmingham
Good evening gentlmen
New member here, So please let me begin. After many years of driving a reliable 300 TDI I had a desire to give a Range Rover a go, I managed to pick up a 2000 Range Rover P38 DSE and a nice motor she is.
Well moving on, after 18 months of trouble free driving apart from the usual P38 hickups such as air suspension hot starting and a set of heater plugs,earlier in may we took her for a drive dowm south 198 miles no problems then last week we drove to Devon with no problems however on the way back the car developed a low roring sound and just outside of Birmingham the Temperature rocketed the red light came on and she would not excelerate.
So I pulled over knowing the possible problems with alloy engines and releasing the expansion tank the car dumped all of the coolant out, I gave it a little time and refilled the system the engine started with no problems at all and we completed the trip home at 70mph with no signs of any over heating and up to now it has not done it again. No evidence ot is getting hot the gauge stays bang in the middle no loss of coolant at all.
the car has had a new radiator new fan and coupling new upgraded water pump new fan belt, the only part I have not changed is the thermostate. There is no evidence of coolant in the oil or vice versa and there is no evidence of coolant from the exhaust fumes.
So gentlemen may I ask, any sugestions because my first thought was head gasket and I plan to carry out a sniff test when I go back to work, if it is a head gasket problem are there any precautions I need to take when I change the gasket.
Thanks
Darth Vader
Mike
 
The diesels in the p38 are cast iron blocks aren't they?
My first thought was water pump but you say it's an upgraded one so if that means metal impeller it should be OK.
Baffle in top of rad missing perhaps?
Could be a sticking stat but wouldn't have thought that would cause a grumbling noise?
 
Might be a small crack ,starting to show its face,sometimes under pressure sometimes after hours of driving .The head on the m51 is a throw away item at about 120 000 miles, not always but the heads are a weak point;)
 
Good afternoon all
thank you gentlmen advice is very much welcome, the vehicle has just past 115 thousand miles. I was aware of known cylinder head problems but what I can not get round is that it has not done it again since (strange!!), well when I go back to work I am planning to do a sniff test to see if anything shows it,s ugly head so my plan is to rip the top end down and rebuild giving it a good decoke while I am at it.
she is a briliant car and I have had 18 months trouble free driving, I did run it up to temperature this morning and checked the flow to the header tank all is well with no undue pressure when releasing the tank.
I will post an update if anything comes up in the mean time.
thanks again gents
Darth Vader
Mike
 
If it had a cracked head it would be blowing coolant out of the overflow in a big way. If you are not losing coolant check the rad for a baffle. And check the heater circuit for full flow.
 
Darth Vader said:
Good afternoon all
thank you gentlmen advice is very much welcome, the vehicle has just past 115 thousand miles. I was aware of known cylinder head problems but what I can not get round is that it has not done it again since (strange!!), well when I go back to work I am planning to do a sniff test to see if anything shows it,s ugly head so my plan is to rip the top end down and rebuild giving it a good decoke while I am at it.
she is a briliant car and I have had 18 months trouble free driving, I did run it up to temperature this morning and checked the flow to the header tank all is well with no undue pressure when releasing the tank.
I will post an update if anything comes up in the mean time.
thanks again gents
Darth Vader
Mike
Click to expand...
May be worth a pressure clean in the water lines and then pressure test in case there is loose crud circulating.
 
Good evening Gents
Good sugestion Wammers, it has had a new radiator probably after market will check it out tomorrow I can slip an endoscope in the radiator and have a look.
again thanks for the advice tomcat have not flushed the system will give it a go..
darth Vader
Mike
 
Good afternoon Gents
well I put a borascope in the radiator no sign of any type of baffel in the radiator so I am assuming it is a cheap aftermarket radiator, again I have used the vehicle with no signs of any over heating.
I will change the radiator first and see how it goes, still plan to drop the head off because I am old school I do enjoy a good decoke and valve reseat.
Darth vader
Mike
 
Darth Vader said:
Good afternoon Gents
well I put a borascope in the radiator no sign of any type of baffel in the radiator so I am assuming it is a cheap aftermarket radiator, again I have used the vehicle with no signs of any over heating.
I will change the radiator first and see how it goes, still plan to drop the head off because I am old school I do enjoy a good decoke and valve reseat.
Darth vader
Mike
Click to expand...

There MUST be a baffle half way along the top tank. Hot coolant comes from engine and goes down N/S of rad and up O/S directed by the baffle. If there is no baffle it just goes along the top tank and out again without circulating through rad to be cooled.
 
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