over heating problem check list.

ok guys i know ive already opend a thread about this but theres a little more to it now than meets the eye........

so after running for about 30mins. the engine temp gage slowly rises to about 3/4. this has only started happening since i was offroading and stuck in muddy water just up to the middle of the headlights, the engine was left running in the water for about 40mins before i was pulled out by a tractor. i have since cleaned all the rad fins, and flushed out the radaitor. still no difference.

i have noticed inside the air intake pipes and intercooler pipes are coated in dry mud/dust. like a dryed water trail. this has now been washed out and intercooler flushed. just waiting for them to dry then trying again.

1. could this have caused over heating ?? no water was present in intercooler.

2. im having the head gasket tested at a garage on wednesday to tick this one off the list. hopefully. (how long will this take???)

3. there is no whitey creamy stuff on the dip stick/oil cap on rocker cover. all is nice and white.

4. white smoke from exhaust.

main thing.

having read the haynes manual it mentions an air lock can cause heating issues from the matrix. now when i put my blowers onto my face they are always cold. however windows and feet go warm. also when stuck in water i had water blowing through the air vents if this helps to any conclusion.

sorry for the long post guys. just wanted to give u as much description as possible.

disco 1 200tdi lreg.

kindest regards
sam

I've had similar after being stuck in the mud...

1. are you sure the rad is truly clean? if you put a torch behind the rad can you see the light from the front?
Mine was over eating and it was the fins completly blocked, washing just the front is not enough....

2. the thermostat might be shot, they are only like 5 quid, so maybe worth a try.

your rusty water happeared because with the overheating all that was inside the pipes, colapsed and came loose..

thanks for that mate, i will check on saturday, with the torch, how did u clean ur rad withough collapsing the fins ? i just hosed down the front and rear till it looked clean.

Once you've made sure the the outside of the radiator is clean & clear, start on the inside!!

Disconnect the top and bottom hoses and flush the radiator out with a hose, this will help to clear the waterways which will allow water to pass easier.

Have you checked to see if your water pump is working ok?

As they are very cheap -£4- why not change the thermostat as a matter of course - it's easy to do as well !!

I've used a byro on the end of the hose pipe gun to give a very precise jet of water...



worked really well...the mud was just siting between the fins.. I bet that's what you have..

White smoke you say - from after you got stuck?

yes mate white smoke after i got stuckin water

Have you checked the air filter? Was it a bit crumpled and not sitting right in the airbox? Sounds like water may have got into the air inlet ... especially as you say there was dry mud inside the intercooler and pipes, so if the HG has gone, then you might've been lucky not to get any further damage ...

Is it white smoke or is it steam?, are you loseing coolent? Dry mud in intercooler definatly sounds bad. The head gasket check would'nt take long, i'm guessing it will be a compression test, so about the same time as changing four injectors, or glow plugs depending on how they connect the test gauge.
My thoughts on wading are that when you've got forward motion you have the bow wave at the front of vehicle which restrict water from entering the engine bay, as behind the wave you get a depression. when you are stopped in water then the water can go where you want and will be sucked round by the viscouse fan. have a check was the water high enough to reach the air inlet? Properbly would have been safer to switch the engine off as soon as you got stuck. Compression test will definatly give you the answear as to whats happened, hope this is all speculation and it comes back good, the radiator is still blocked which is causing the overheating and the white smoke is steam from water inside the exughst boiling off.

well guys heres an update, cleaned out all the intercooler & hoses, left to dry in the sun allllllll day. have refitted them now, and fired her up, still starts on the button, and no more white smoke, just a nice puff of black smoke. ;-) looks like the clean must have done something. am going to take it for a test drive tomoro and see what happens then. cant get car in for pressure test till thursday or friday !!