TD5 Slow warmup time & Oil in the Intercooler!

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jzcktv

New Member
Posts
646
Location
Near Reading, Berkshire UK
Hi all,
My TD5 has been slow to reach normal operating temp ever since I had it, taking roughly 8 miles in the winter and about 6 miles in the recent nice weather. I complained to the dealer under warranty as I've never had a vehicle take so long to warm up. I got no joy out of them and in the end decided to replace the thermostat myself. TD5 cooling systems are highly complicated and the thermostat is no exception, housed in a Y shaped plastic housing just attached between 3 hoses (water pump feed, cylinder head top hose and bottom of the rad.) The pump capacity is too high for when the engine is cold so there is a spring loaded bypass valve that leaks excess coolant flow to the radiator until the thermostat opens.

The self tightening hose clamps are a complete "Alan Bastard" to undo and even worse to put back on so I'm investing in a tool for the job, any recommendations much appreciated. I'm looking at one of these are they any good?
Draper Tools Online Product Inquiry

Once I got the old thermostat out I compared it to the new one and there was a subtle but noticable difference in the resistance felt by blowing into one of the 3 outlets, the thermostat being closed of course. This is the Thermostat bypass spring loaded valve which had weakened over time. After fighting with the clips for thirty minutes I got the new one back in and after filling with OAT Antifreeze for the first time ever the engine warmed up idling on the drive, just as it should. On a test drive normal running temp was achieved in about 2 miles, and that was with the heater on. Air was still trapped in the system until I'd done about 30 miles.

Draining the system is a cow as the block drain plug is cleverly designed to be virtualy unusable as it's behind the alternator and I didn't have the time or energy to strip all that out as well.

To access the lower radiator hose connection you have to remove the intercooler to inlet manifold hose, inside which I found about a teaspoon of engine oil in a small puddle at the bottom of the hose. My engine has done about 48k miles so thought this was quite a lot, I then found that the engine breather hose is becoming perished so that's got to be replaced.

Does anyone know of any improved oil separator that can be fitted in the engine breather tube to reduce the oil mist reaching the turbo intake?

Sorry for longer post but thought this might come up on TD5 searches for others in the future as I couldn't work out what was going on with it originally.
 
Hi
I have a vertually indentical problem as you have. Mine takes forever to warm up. i a'lso had a little bit of oil in the intercooler pipes I dont know if this is normal or not. I recently replaced the coolant, and the haynes manuel says remove alternator etc!Before commencing the work I chatted to a good mate of mine who works for land rover as a mechanic he says even they dont remove the alternator to get to the bulkhead drain plug!! He said just take out bottom hose and bleed screws then replace fluid and bleed any excess air.
 
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