Over heating/ pressurising-2.25 diesel

I have a pressurising or over heating problem. Top hose gets hot, top of rad gets hot, it then sprays out of rad cap. After doing a search I have replaced radiator, water pump and thermostat with new, Power washed/flushed out water channels in head and problem persists.
No oil water mixing and no exhaust smoke/vapour.
Prior to this I had the valve guides done and advanced the diesel pump.
I have by passed the heater to rule that out and any air locks.
When switched off rad and bottom hose get hot any suggestions short of scrapping or replacing engine very wellcome

Mine did this. Turned out to be the radiator cap - wasn't allowing expansion to go into the expansion bottle and was forced out of the cap seal. I see you changed the rad but did you use a new cap of the correct pressure rating?

What year series ? the later ones had a small bypass plate with about a 10mm hole in to direct the flow around the thermostat. If you have one fitted try removing it. Also did you remove the injectors and re torque the head after warm up and 500 miles? It may be a gasket problem. Doubtful though.

Landrover and DIvie, thanks for reply. I did try new cap as first fix, forgot to mention that, it is a 1974 one, can't see a by pass plate got any more info on this as a lot of it is 2a such as axle and gear box and I am still working out what is what having broken myself in on a one ten. The garage did the head and it has not done sixty miles yet before this all started.

the smaller holed bypass aids cooling hence fitting small hole on all later ,worth getting a sniff test done and a new cap

Having felt all around it when hot the hot water does not seem to go to the lower/bottom rad hose after the water pump, if that description makes sense. New rad cap is nine pounds pressure rating, is it worth taking thermostat out ?

jamesmartin said:

the smaller holed bypass aids cooling hence fitting small hole on all later ,worth getting a sniff test done and a new cap

Click to expand...

whats the sniff test James? Never come across it before

Exhaust probe me thinks ! The garage have suggested it to me for this issue.

there are other types available but these are popular, liquid changes colour if combustion gases are present

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&r...DBYCPO6HvJecNAFm5RLtcKqA&ust=1420661928459473

Wow thanks James, never seen that before think the garage can do it as I am not convinced that the brief miles I have covered and the work they did are not unrelated as this was never a probl m before. Thanks for all replies and they have been helpful.

Clutching at straws a bit, is the head gasket on the wrong way round ? been a while since I took a diesel apart and memory fails me.

Hope not, but straws and this series 3 have stuff in common this might be the last one!

Try running just as a test without any thermostat...and report back.

will do, will have to be on week end as working shifts and child care.

It will rule out any thermostat prob...even though you have fitted a replacment.

To all who have replied thank you. Head gaskett failure. It's in the garage now and they agree. Fair do though they will do it again umder guarantee as they did the valve stem oil seals and had the head off to do the work so I can't complain.

I know people do not re torque heads after warm up but I always do and have never had a failure. It requires removing the injectors on the 2.25D but new seals are pennies, ask the garage to do it. It could save them money in the long term !! Also worth asking if they run a tap down the threaded holes in the block to make sure the bolts are not bottoming on muck and corrosion. I am an engineer by trade (Toolmaker) so do not skimp things like this.

There is a special C shaped tool that saves disturbing the injectors...I made one yeas ago...very handy

I asked about re torquing the first time they did and they assured me they had done, I reminded them this time and they said "oh yes we know it's a three stage job". So Al I can do is trust o them. If it goes pear shaped again I might just try a rebuild myself. Truth is they are very nice people and very chatty but the old Land Rover guy has now retired, so I might be looking for a new garage or to just increase my skills and workshop space.

I dont think the modern head gaskets need a re-torque thinking about it...