overheating using water

hi 4.6hse since the snow came my rangy is using a lot of water and a few times the temp gauge as gone into the red usually comes back down a little to take red light off.if i top it up in a morning with about 1 ltr it will run ok all day i can't find any leaks
any ideas as i can't take it off road to sort whilst the bloody snow is here and it due again next week as my other car is useless in snow

I'd be checking for signs of headgasket Any signs of emulsification inside filler cap, visible or smell? Might just be blockage or air-lock in coolant pipes or rad?

no visible signs in oil of head gasket going..my missus has told me she been out this morning and put 4ltr of water in to it

Take the plugs out and look for one that is washed clean.

will check plugs tomorrow as it dark when i get in whats the verdict if plugs washed clean ? head gasket

yes. your prob getting blow-by on the gasket. the plug will be clean an prob the piston to.

I would be expecting a lot of steam coming out the exhaust if you have to put 4 litres of water in it
Do you know a garage that could do a sniff test on the header tank, to see if there is any exhaust gasses in the water system ?
Also if your putting that much water back in,make sure you have enough anti freeze left to prevent cracking the block in this weather we are having !!

i have had a lot of steam comin from back box yes i put it down to condensation due to cold weather

get a sniff test done asap, or you will be looking for a engine..

i think head gasket gone my missus as just told me filler cap a little creamy

j the range said:

get a sniff test done asap, or you will be looking for a engine..

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why looking for a engine i plan on stripping it and put new gasket on

spiritmc said:

why looking for a engine i plan on stripping it and put new gasket on

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Just hope it's a gasket and not slipped liners if it has overheated.
Get the heads skimmed while they are off.

spiritmc said:

why looking for a engine i plan on stripping it and put new gasket on

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cos if you keep driving it and over heating it, good chance it will slip a linner. that was why i said asap..

j the range said:

cos if you keep driving it and over heating it, good chance it will slip a linner. that was why i said asap..

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not driving it's parked up hopefully it on head gasket as i not done many miles single figures it's gone into the red a couple of times but always dropped back out of the red so fingures crossed it only HG

thanks for all ur replys

Hi could be the liners have moved .. a common fault. Had a disco go the same way gas pressure leaks into the water and boils it away. Just hope its your head gasket an easy fix compared to the liner problem.

the common fault was that 3.9 ,4 ,4.2 ,4.6 blocks have 200 thou wider liner and so thinner aluminum wall in block ,aluminum wall cracks and when hot gases can pass down side of liner giving head gasket systems extremely common a few years ago ,check rad by feeling all across to make sure it is cooling efficently, i come across a lot of lr vehicles whre rad is only cooling in part of rad