Range Rover 4.0 P38 water pressurizing HELP!!!

Hi, I have a small problem that is really cheesing me orf!!
A few weeks ago a hose came off a tee joint for the cooling system/LPG. Water went everywhere and she overheated briefly. I managed to stop within yards and had the AA out. We refitted and then refilled but she airlocked up and the AA guy went through bleeding the system which seemed to cure things at the time. However she kept drawing air in and blowing coolant out of the expansion cap. As time has gone on we have done several things,
1 Sniff tested- negative
2 changed expansion cap- no difference
3 added Kalimex gasket sealer- no difference
4 disconnected the lpg coolant pipes- no difference

The car will idle all day with no problems but if I drive around at normal temp for a few miles then she throws coolant out of the cap again. However if I just drive a little until she is just reaches normal temp, say a couple of miles then stop, then no problems but I still have the lpg and heater disconnected. The top hose does get hard when warm but softens as its cooler.

Now is my problem still a poxy airlock? or is it pressurizing from the engine somehow but not showing up on a sniffer test? or could it be something else. Or will Irontite additive help?

I had already changed the thermostat, water pump and rad a few months ago as I had the thermostat pack up and the pump and rad were looking a tad worn and as I was going to france and italy it seemed a good idea rather than face a problem over there. So 3800 miles later the problem starts 60 miles from home!!!!

But hey thats what makes Rangie ownership so much ******g fun!!!!

So any ideas guys, oh its a 4.0 V8 P38 1998.
Thanks

great fun being a rangerover owner aint it , your overheating problem , something that tends to get over looked and is easily checked is the bleed hose from the top of the radiator to the header tank these block easily to check it pull it off at the radiator end and try to blow down it , you should hear bubbles blowing in the header tank if not you got a blockage and its usually the nipple on the header tank that the hose fits onto , also check the nipple on the radiator as well hope this helps you mate .
rick.

I'll go along with Rick-question-are the cooling hoses to the LPG kit higher than the Reservoir? if so it may pay to disconnect the connection at the highest point to shift the airlock after trying Rick's fix and the problem persists.

Hi, thank you for your replies so far. I had already checked the bleed off pipe from rad to expansion tank and at the moment I have the LPG and heater pipes disconnected. I am only going short distances and the engine only just reaches normal operating temp, but the top hose is getting fairly hard but does soften as the engine cools down but it is holding the coolant in. I haven't had time to venture further and drive a bit longer to see if the pressure gets higher and throws out coolant or if the problem is solved with my blowing out the bleed pipe or disconnecting the heater or LPG. Guess I have to reconnect and test again. I did wonder if a slipped liner might be causing the problem and if that Irontite (or similar additive) would work. Oh and it has apparently had an exchange engine sometime in its life as it has a big land rover exchange engine sticker on it.

Thanks again, all suggestions and help and advice gratefully received.

Wouldn't get too pessimistic yet about slipping liners!! If you take the spark plugs out and have a look and one looks as though it,s been washed and is completely different to the others then you could have problems. Personally, I think you have an air lock in the LPG water hoses as you say that it's running okay with them taken out of the equasion. Some swear by Ironite and the suchlike but personally-I've yet to be convinced as it didn't work for me and a short lump was the only fix, but that's a different story.

Forgot to say that if the system is holding pressure after switching off, there can't be much of a leak-if any. Mine still has pressure in it the following day and doesn't use a drop of coolant.

Thanks Irishrover, I did notice that since I have been running it as a "basic" engine only system it has not "lost" any fluid either. Yes I agree with you about the LPG being a suspect in this case as it is higher or at least as high as the highest water hoses and tank but I hope that the new tee joints I have bought will eradicate any possible air draw through that part of the system. Is it possible that air could be drawn in through the dreaded heater matrix and "o" rings?

I thought it was only us down "South" that always looked on the dark side!
If it's pressurising, your carpet will be soaking if the matrix or "O" rings are shot.
You can try the old bleed trick-disconnect the lpg hoses and connect the garden hose to one end , wait until the water flow is steady out of the other end and put them on quick-that should flush any air out of that part of the system.

Just an update, tried everything and still she kept throwing coolant out of the cap. I took the plunge and bought that additive from ebay and it has worked. The car is back to "normal".. which means that I am now waiting for the next problem!!!! but seriously that silver seal stuff worked a treat andthe guy who sells it called patrick is available for info before you even buy the stuff. He was really helpful. Good luck to anyone who has the same problem but try this as it costs around £30 which is cheaper than the alternative. I know this sounds like an ad but trust me I am just happy that my V8 is holding it's coolant and I can drive it again.

sounds like a bit of a cover up, adding mirical additives in a engine. its the easy option out I know, But it doesn't fix the problem just masks it. to be honest all it has done is proved it is a liner issue. You say your rangie has had a replacement engine in its life. being a Land Rover replacement lump, it will not have had top hat liners fitted. That is the only long term and proper fix. I know what your going through. I have been there with mine and the bills were big. even though I did all the work myself. The only thing I will say is it has completely transformed mine. Would be interested to hear how long yours lasts with its additive in it.

I can see where you are coming from P38, and I have my own feelings on these fixes but in this instance it is working for him-for how long remains to be seen. However it's a cheaper short term fix than a new lump. Let's see the outcome with baited breath.

Hi guys and thanks for your thoughts, I also am skeptical about these "cures" but what did I have to lose? Yes it has solved the problem for now and it is just nice to be able to drive this one again (i own a DSE as well!). Lets see how long it lasts I will keep you posted, thanks for all your help and advice.

surely if its throwing water out when hot thats normal! mine is fine, no trouble at all and it uses no coolant at all BUT if i loosen the cap when its hot it goes everywhere, it under pressure so it will,
AND if his top hose is hardening when hot and softening when cool isn't that normal as well?
its under pressure from expansion, its will get hard, mine does! its what causes the coolant to go everywhere if you take the lid of when hot, isn't it?
i never had a motor that didn't have the top hose inflate, go hard to some degree!
or have coolant go everywhere when cap removed when hot!
he say's he only drives it enough to get to temp then switches off, can i recommend going further and seeing what happens, if all is fine then its prob air locks from high hose level, but saying that my LPG hose go OVER my plenum chamber and mine is fine.

i check level when cold and after topping up (if required) i run engne at fast idle and check level with coolant being pumped through system from cold, had no trouble doing it this way..........

Got the T-shirt, here. Everyone I spoke to tried to console me with everything aforementioned. I cobbled up a bleed valve from 15mm copper, a T and bleed off valve and inserted it into the highest point being the return from the LPG gubbins. I had the header tank tested for ANY kind of gas which tested o.k. Changed the O rings from hell in case they were admitting air. I broke down a couple of times and was assured by an AA bloke first and an RAC bloke second I had a circulation/airlocking problem. The third RAC bloke put me on a recovery wagon and hitched the caravan up and got me home. I renewed the rad, pump and stat [what else is there?] and that did it big time. The exhaust turned into a steam machine as did the dipstick hole and I could get through water at a gallon a minute. Two liners had parted company with the block.On aquisition, as with every new vehicle I get, I flushed the cooling system out in style which must have got the gunjo on the move previously added for a sale. I know now why I got the motor at such a good price. If you're looking for a get out of jail card for yourself then fill the whole thing to the brim with gunjo but if you're doing it to get rid saying nothing then I hope you're suitably rewarded in heaven. For information, I reckon the gunjo was effective for about a thousand miles before symptons began to show, but that was after a vigorous clear out.........blimey red, I thought I was an early riser....half five in the morning on ladyzone. Was that before or after polishing the ol' P38 replica?

i totally agree with redrange here , i have owned 3 p38`s a 4.0 and 2 x 4.6 , as well as no end of classics .
the p38 top hose`s all go hard when running at normal running temperature at 10psi ( if my memory serves me right) its like to go hard.
it needs a good run and a bit of wellie to see if any other problems arise with the cooling system , once you fill them initially they will throw some water out , and then settle ( some do this more than others ) but it nothing to worry about .
im lucky in that if i have a cooling issue then , i can do my repair then jump onto the m62 about a mile away and take it for a spin up windy hill ( thats about a 3 mile climb over the pennines towards yorkshire) and if its ok on there then it will be ok any place .
rick.

Pressure in the water system smacks of head gasket, I have the same problem on my vogue, went through the usual thermostat in then out, check pipes. Give up must be head gasket

I have a similar problem, starting with the top hose coming off, then the expansin tank split, since then i have had top hose andexpansion tank replaced, both thermostats replaced, the car is still over pressurising and tomorrow they are changing the water pump to see if this solves it, initially the garage have thought the head gasket has gone but not completely sure so have tried these things first. any ideas? its a 4.4 petol vogue with gas conversion, 54 plate, pls help!!!!

Hi I went through a similar process and it cost hundreds but it was the dreaded head gasket after all, even though the gas test kept proving negative! The main cause of the initial over heating was the viscous fan unit which looked fine and seemed to be turning ok but was gone with no real airflow, if you held the fan, as the engine was running, there was absolutely no drive there at all. If only I had changed that earlier at a cost of £80 boy would I have saved a few quid! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I hope that it isn't the gasket in your case but unfortunately it was in my case. If you want to try a cheap "cure" try the K-Seal stuff it worked for me for a while but the fan not cooling the engine just meant the engine ran hot and the gasket kept failing and the water kept pressurizing. Guess you should get your mechanic to check the fan is operating properly whilst he is doing the other repairs. Good luck.

Irishrover said:

Mine still has pressure in it the following day and doesn't use a drop of coolant.

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I don't want to be a prophet of doom but when my 3.5efi had those symptoms a few years back it was the precursor to a failed head-gasket.