DEFENDER2.NET - View topic - 300tdi (1998) coolant loss and overheating

↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home · FAQ · New Posts · My Posts · PMs · Search · Members · Map · Calendar · Profile · Donate · Register · Log In

Home > Technical > 300tdi (1998) coolant loss and overheating

Page 1 of 1

Print this entire topic ·

Jonathan111

Member Since: 22 Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 67

300tdi (1998) coolant loss and overheating

Hi all, the Defender has been losing lots of coolant (about 1/3rd litre every 50-75 miles), its on holiday in France at the moment, so little chance of doing much other than checking and topping up, I have ordered a new expansion cap. I tried to open the expansion tank when the engine was hot and there was a great deal of bubbling inside the tank, I've been reading about the dangers of an airlock, so wondered if this was significant. Now (today) we've had an overheating engine - my missus was driving on a long journey (160 miles) and it hit red and stayed hot for the last 20 minutes. So we're in a bit of a pickle. I'm wondering if we can limp back to base and when back, what should be the first priority, as we clearly have a problem, don't want to have it towed back to blighty! And I would hope I can diagnose and fix, the engine has just been rebuilt, head was skimmed, so maybe that is connected? If its an airlock, how dangerous to run? All thoughts gratefully received! All the best, Jonathan

18th Jun 2017 11:09am

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

If you've got bubbling in the expansion tank and coolant loss then the obvious concern is a blown head gasket. To be honest, running it for 20 minutes with the gauge in the red won't have done it any favours either and it's entirely likely that that has done more damage.

Don't know how far 'back to base' is. If it's a mile or two then you might get away with it, but you may find that it overheats again very quickly.

If you can get access to a gas sniffer, you may be able to confirm or discount a head gasket problem. Being towed back to Blighty is looking quite probable, though. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

18th Jun 2017 11:21am

Jonathan111

Member Since: 22 Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 67

Hi - thanks for this, the coolant system was pressure tested a few weeks ago, and found to be OK, but I guess that was a few weeks back...

18th Jun 2017 11:30am

zsd-puma

Member Since: 09 Aug 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 2720

2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black

You can try some radweld, barr seal or similar in it. I know even mentioning such products will rip open a hornets nest, but the fact is in some cases they do work and are nothing like the messy clog prone gunk they used to be. I've even seen them rectify a minor head gasket leak, clearly it's not a permanent fix, but it might get you home.

If it's airlock then running with it is bad, as the coolant isn't circulating.

18th Jun 2017 1:52pm

Jonathan111

Member Since: 22 Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 67

Thanks - appreciate these thoughts - I am trying not to think that it might be a torched head - I mean is that an automatic thing every time the temp gauge goes to red? Anyway, the engine is under warranty and looks like the beast will have to suffer the retreat of shame back up to England on a recovery vehicle. The insurance people are trying to find local specialists to give a verdict in Provence - remarkably few! I'm working so can't do anything.

19th Jun 2017 8:35pm

g-mack

Member Since: 07 Jan 2014
Location: northumberland
Posts: 1967

have you checked P gasket for leaks? My 109 thread

my youtube channel

19th Jun 2017 10:05pm

Procta

Member Since: 03 Dec 2016
Location: Sunderland
Posts: 5235

Re: 300tdi (1998) coolant loss and overheating

Jonathan111 wrote:
Hi all, the Defender has been losing lots of coolant (about 1/3rd litre every 50-75 miles), its on holiday in France at the moment, so little chance of doing much other than checking and topping up, I have ordered a new expansion cap. I tried to open the expansion tank when the engine was hot and there was a great deal of bubbling inside the tank, I've been reading about the dangers of an airlock, so wondered if this was significant. Now (today) we've had an overheating engine - my missus was driving on a long journey (160 miles) and it hit red and stayed hot for the last 20 minutes. So we're in a bit of a pickle. I'm wondering if we can limp back to base and when back, what should be the first priority, as we clearly have a problem, don't want to have it towed back to blighty! And I would hope I can diagnose and fix, the engine has just been rebuilt, head was skimmed, so maybe that is connected? If its an airlock, how dangerous to run? All thoughts gratefully received! All the best, Jonathan

Sounds to me that you have still got air in the system, Id run a hose pipe through the full lot with all the bleeder nipples running and then give it a good bleed with in an inch of its life. I had to do with the K series engine I did the head gasket on last year.
Took some bleeding mind but I got there, also what was the cause of the head going? was that sorted out?
I find some people just fix the head gasket but never really look at why it failed in the 1st place.
My advice really for you to make it home safe, is keep a

load of water on board, watch the temp, and don't stress the engine, pull over when you can and gently release the cap, to let the excess pressure out. basically treat it like a bottle of fizzy pop that's been shuck up. I even just loosely did the cap up so that the system wouldn't pressure rise and tripped the fan, so that it would stay on. I did this for nearly 3 months until the head gasket did go, by then I had my 306 back in action. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back

Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it!

4th Jul 2017 7:26pm

Jonathan111

Member Since: 22 Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 67

thanks alot, appreciate the advice, its being transported back, so will have a good look over it once its back at base - the engine was completely overhauled 2kmiles back and its still under warranty, so no idea what has gone wrong....will find out soon enough!

9th Jul 2017 3:15pm

Page 1 of 1

All times are GMT

Jump to

< Previous Topic | Next Topic >

Posting Rules

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum