Just wanted to post this as maybe it will help someone else out!
My beloved P38 overheated on me on a short local journey, i pulled over and opened the bonnet to see the coolant spraying all over the place. I stopped for a while and then refilled the coolant, returned home and called the RAC. I was advised that it was likely the thermostat needed changing, so next day i bought a genuine part and asked my local mechanic to fit this. The part was fitted and after running the car was still overheating, a quick inspection revealed the coolant return pipe to be blocked, this was remedied and the car was driven home. After a long drive in fairly heavy traffic i noticed the temp gauge start twitching and thought nothing of it. Five mins later the car overheated again, opened the bonnet and again saw the coolant pouring out from the expansion tank. Once more i let it cool and refilled to return home. I then spoke to a few mechanics who insisted the gaskets needed changing, and that this is not the cheapest of jobs! I then called the RAC to have a look and after inspection it seemed that the coolant return pipe which runs from the top of the radiator around the battery to the expansion tank, was not getting hot as it should do if the coolant was running through it. I removed the pipe and the expansion tank, the pipe was clear but it seemed the return pipe in the tank was blocked. I bought a new expansion tank, flushed the rad and refilled the coolant and so far the problem has ceased. This cost me about fifty quid instead of the few hundred or whatever to change the gaskets, and might i add would not have fixed the problem. I hope i do not have to chew my words a little later, but so far so good!!!
My beloved P38 overheated on me on a short local journey, i pulled over and opened the bonnet to see the coolant spraying all over the place. I stopped for a while and then refilled the coolant, returned home and called the RAC. I was advised that it was likely the thermostat needed changing, so next day i bought a genuine part and asked my local mechanic to fit this. The part was fitted and after running the car was still overheating, a quick inspection revealed the coolant return pipe to be blocked, this was remedied and the car was driven home. After a long drive in fairly heavy traffic i noticed the temp gauge start twitching and thought nothing of it. Five mins later the car overheated again, opened the bonnet and again saw the coolant pouring out from the expansion tank. Once more i let it cool and refilled to return home. I then spoke to a few mechanics who insisted the gaskets needed changing, and that this is not the cheapest of jobs! I then called the RAC to have a look and after inspection it seemed that the coolant return pipe which runs from the top of the radiator around the battery to the expansion tank, was not getting hot as it should do if the coolant was running through it. I removed the pipe and the expansion tank, the pipe was clear but it seemed the return pipe in the tank was blocked. I bought a new expansion tank, flushed the rad and refilled the coolant and so far the problem has ceased. This cost me about fifty quid instead of the few hundred or whatever to change the gaskets, and might i add would not have fixed the problem. I hope i do not have to chew my words a little later, but so far so good!!!
