I just got done with a Top end rebuild on my 99' D2 with 120k

The head gaskets were leaking a little, and I had a free saturday.. The Truck has never over heated, ever...

So I take the heads off, take them to the Machine shop.. They measure them, they were not warped, the machinist did a resurface and I was on my way back home in an hour or so..


I then proceeded to install new valve seals and rebuild the rocker arms.. I even installed new lifters

I also have replaced the Radiator, T-stat, Water pump and all of the hoses.

So I bleed the system like always, Undo the Bleed screw, Pop the reservoir out of it's holder, place it nice and High up on a milk crate in the engine bay, and filled the system till there was a good stream out of the bleeder. I capped the bleed screw while fluid was pouring out to keep all the air out..


So I start the truck, it cranks right up and runs extremely smooth. I switched the heater on full blast.. It's starting to get up to temp and it get there everything is going fine, heater is NOT hot, it's warm...

Then I notice that the temp gauge is going up, it made it to 3/4 and i killed it..

The reservoir was still full.. It must have been an air pocket.. I repeated the process 3 more times, with the exact same result..

I was thinking the gasket the head gasket didn't seal correctly and Now it's leaking even more... I know the block isn't leaking, and it isn't cracked.. There is no steam out of the tail pipe either.. I am going to do a leak down test later today when I get home.


What else can I try? Am I doing something wrong?

 

Update:

Did a exhaust gas test, in the coolant... It found none..... About to go outside and do a leak down...

Whats going on here

 

Were all these parts replaced at the same time as the head gasket? It may be a little difficult to diagnose if you did everything at once. Is there a chance the t stat was installed backwards? Are you sure your water pump is flowing properly? It will waste some coolant but you can try disconnecting your heater line and starting the engine. If it shoots out when you rev it you know you are getting proper water pump operation.

 

Yes, it does sound like something in your cooling system is blocked, if the temp goes up like that and the heater is not putting out hot air. First place to look is the thermostat. Hopefully, the leak down test will come out negative (or no leaks !). Good luck !

 

Strangest thing is, I just replaced the thermostat

Still haven't done the leak down...

 

Did a leak down test this morning. Yes the engine was up to temp..

Average leak down is 2.75% @ 100psi
High # is 6%
Low is 2%

The motor is sealing up just fine, Proves my point of doing a valve job and guides every time the head is off..

NOW my problem must be a cooling system blockage..
Which is very hard to comprehend because everything is new..

This evening i'm going to disassemble everything in the external cooling system and see if I find any blockages

 

So I found the culprit, and I am really pissed off...

I get all of my parts from Atlantic British, I've had bad luck with "OEM" part companies like Euro Spare, or Uro Parts Ect..

I made decision years ago just to buy from Atlantic British, the most trusted (I think Land Rover parts Retailer)

My water pumps Entry vein *where the hose hooks up to* Apeared to be normal, but where the neck tapers down is FILLED WITH CASTING SAND AND RESIN..

This Water pump was not flowing at all.... Because the coolant passage to the impeller is BLOCKED.....

No wonder my truck was over heating after a few min.. AB better hope there is no long term damage.. I am disgusted as an Engineer that quality control let this slip by. And even more so that AB would sell me an Inferior part..


End Rant....