Overheating FL1 2005 TD4

Hi Guys!

I am a little stuck on this one, and could do with some input on this please??

OK, due to lockdown, My car did not move for over three months..


Some background:
I did a 5 mile trip, I noticed the temperature gauge, go from normal up into the red, and then the red light came on too (as i was at the lights), when i got going again, it went down a bit but still hot, just going up a slight incline it went up into the red again and swear i lost a bit of power, I pulled over to let it cool down, as I was close to home..
Got home, turned then engine off again and let it cool down overnight.

Checked the expansion bottle in the morning, and there was no coolant, I checked the dipstick and oil cap - there was no mayonnaise or contamination. I put ~2L or coolant in and ran it up to temperature. I noticed bubbling in the expansion tank (from the bottom hose), got the front end up high and bled the air out, and when it was at running temp, i noticed that there was no more bubbles..

Then I took it out for a run, temperature gauge was normal, but pulled over to check, and the coolant was right at the top of the expansion, bubbling out of the top through the expansion cap.

It defiantly over pressurising, but can not determine if :

A) The cylinder head gasket or head has gone ?
B) Just the expansion cap ?
C) Thermostat ceased - as it has been stood for so long?

Any other tests I may be able to do to find the issue would be great before I start stripping it down?

Happy to answer any questions or try stuff out..

Thanks in advance,

Chummers.

Chummers said:

Any other tests I may be able to do to find the issue would be great before I start stripping it down?

Click to expand...

A large rise in coolant level, following a lack of coolant, is most likely due to air being trapped in the system. This is normally in conjunction with a coolant tank that can't hold pressure.

You really need to discover the initial caused coolant loss.

It's not uncommon for the TD4 thermostat to fail, but these almost always fail in the open position, preventing the engine reaching running temperature.

Loss of coolant can have several causes on the TD4. I'll list these in order of commonality.

The coolant tank being split around the cap is the most common cause (as mentioned above). These tiny splits open up under pressure, allowing the coolant to boil off over time. So if the tank looks like it's got splits around the pressure cap, when replace it, as they're not expensive.

The next most likely cause is the top hose outlet on the cylinder head. These are made of plastic, and surprise surprise, they split, allowing coolant to run down the front of the block, at times unseen.


The next likely place is the O ring seal on the thermostat bypass pipe, which allows coolant to leak down the back of the engine, near the thermostat/ water pump area. The last common leak point is the water pump itself.

Excellent Nodge68, thanks for this, I would never have thought of any of this, I take it that the expansion cap should not release pressure let alone coolant out then?

I had a sniff in the expansion tank to see if the bubbles were exhaust fumes, but there are no fumes there..

If I take the expansion cap off, and put a balloon on instead, the balloon inflates to a point and remains, I would think that if it was exhaust, it would keep inflating until pop.

I will check out what you have mentioned first and post back, but it sounds like it's ancillary stuff rather than engine itself related..

Phew....

Just taken a picture, this does not look the best!

Chummers said:

Excellent Nodge68, thanks for this, I would never have thought of any of this, I take it that the expansion cap should not release pressure let alone coolant out then?

I had a sniff in the expansion tank to see if the bubbles were exhaust fumes, but there are no fumes there..

If I take the expansion cap off, and put a balloon on instead, the balloon inflates to a point and remains, I would think that if it was exhaust, it would keep inflating until pop.

I will check out what you have mentioned first and post back, but it sounds like it's ancillary stuff rather than engine itself related..

Phew....

Click to expand...

It won't be the head gasket, unless it's really overheated, as the TD4 HG is very durable.

Chummers said:

Just taken a picture, this does not look the best!

Click to expand...

The coolant tank is scrap, and needs replacing. They are available for under £20 including a new cap.

It sounds like it needs to "burp" the remaining air out, but it often can't do that if it can't pressurise due to a cracked tank.

Fantastic stuff, Got an expansion tank and cap on order...

Kudos, and thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated!

Nodge68 said:

A large rise in coolant level, following a lack of coolant, is most likely due to air being trapped in the system. This is normally in conjunction with a coolant tank that can't hold pressure.

You really need to discover the initial caused coolant loss.

It's not uncommon for the TD4 thermostat to fail, but these almost always fail in the open position, preventing the engine reaching running temperature.

Loss of coolant can have several causes on the TD4. I'll list these in order of commonality.

The coolant tank being split around the cap is the most common cause (as mentioned above). These tiny splits open up under pressure, allowing the coolant to boil off over time. So if the tank looks like it's got splits around the pressure cap, when replace it, as they're not expensive.

The next most likely cause is the top hose outlet on the cylinder head. These are made of plastic, and surprise surprise, they split, allowing coolant to run down the front of the block, at times unseen.
View attachment 218862

The next likely place is the O ring seal on the thermostat bypass pipe, which allows coolant to leak down the back of the engine, near the thermostat/ water pump area. The last common leak point is the water pump itself.

Click to expand...

With the top hose outlet you're talking about on the cylinder head, do you need to take any part of the engine apart? Or is it visible to where I could just replace the plastic piece? Already took it all apart a few times putting in the new thermostat and coolant pipes. Now no leak but my reservoir is doing what this guy's is it sounds like. I do need a new one which I've ordered, but a few drips of coolant that did get out seemed like they did run down the block. The valley and everything is dry, just around the reservoir it had boiled out the top. Also filled the antifreeze a tad full but now my containers coolant is right where it should be after it having its boil and hiss session. It just wants to overheat still. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Just a quick update, I replaced the expansion bottle and It has appeared to solve the issue, no bubbling in the expansion tank, nor any overheating - I Never would have guessed the expansion bottle, so a big thanks to Nodge68!


While I was messing with the coolant, I took the liberty of draining the lot, backflowed the radiator and heater matrix, and replace the coolant with new OAT and distilled water at a 50/50 mix...

Just need to burp it a bit more, but the initial issue has now gone!..


Thanks again for all the help, and giving me some top rate advice, before i took the spanners the then engine and getting really disappointed in the process!

Woo! I just ordered a new one and I'm hoping it fixes everything as long as the airs all out. Do you know if there is air still in the lines if it would eventually get out as you use the vehicle after youve bled what you can? Or after you changed the reservoir did it boil or bubble again and if so was it just from the air trapped in the lines?
Also did yours ever have a few drips get out of the bottom, almost like it's going down the block when the reservoir was having its bubble fit? I read it could be a plastic outlet piece on a hose that goes to the cylinder head and I'm just hoping it was just in there from last time or spewed from the reservoir as there's nothing in the valley now, which is a plus cause that was the main problem.

Nodge68 said:

It won't be the head gasket, unless it's really overheated, as the TD4 HG is very durable.

The coolant tank is scrap, and needs replacing. They are available for under £20 including a new cap.

It sounds like it needs to "burp" the remaining air out, but it often can't do that if it can't pressurise due to a cracked tank.

Click to expand...

So if the reservoir is replaced new and you've bled what air you can, the vehicle will "burp" itself as it's driven?

Cornella77 said:

With the top hose outlet you're talking about on the cylinder head, do you need to take any part of the engine apart?

Click to expand...

What engine? What year?

Nodge68 said:

What engine? What year?

Click to expand...

2002 Landrover freelander SE V6

Cornella77 said:

2002 Landrover freelander SE V6

Click to expand...

You were getting information on a TD4 thread, which is completely different to the KV6, so nothing is relevant, except for the coolant tank cracking.

Nodge68 said:

You were getting information on a TD4 thread, which is completely different to the KV6, so nothing is relevant, except for the coolant tank cracking.

Click to expand...

:/ I was hoping the issue/fix was similar. So if the new reservoir doesn't fix it. It's probably a more serious problem?

Cornella77 said:

:/ I was hoping the issue/fix was similar. So if the new reservoir doesn't fix it. It's probably a more serious problem?

Click to expand...

It's difficult to tell if it's more serious, until you can get the coolant to pressurise. Unfortunately the KV6 runs at over boiling point, so unless you can keep the coolant from boiling, you can't move forward with the diagnosis.

I've given you lots of information in the "Engines" section.https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/02-freelander-se-reservoir-overheating.363813/