Took our '99 D2 into a LR specialist today to have the coolant flushed. PO was dumping any ole crap in the coolant tank and making her run hot. Had a full flush done, refill with dexcool & mechanic recommended a new fan clutch replacement. Got a recommendation to have our radiator boiled to remove possible clog. Top 1/2 piping hot, lower half ice cold. Is this recommended after just having system flushed?

Did I just waste my money having new coolant added?

Good news is mechanic let us watch as he pressure tested the system, and we asked a LOT of questions. Would you know the original '99 air filter was still in it !?! Gonna get that replaced along with a fresh oil change soon!

 

Well, Dexcool is a point of contention around the web. It is a fact that it will gunk up your cooling system unless you flush it often, and even faster if you have any air in your system at all.

Universal green coolants MAY cause that same problems if left in the system too long, but nobody ever actually has problems with green coolant that I have seen.

I haven't dealt with radiator problems, but the common thought around here is that the water passages in the D2 rad are so small they get clogged and stay clogged. I haven't heard of anyone having luck with any kind of flushing. I have serious doubt that boiling water mixed with cold water will do anything. I mean, the radiator is full of boiling water all the time, and if the radiator passages are blocked it ALSO has cold water in it. You can tell if your radiator is blocked with a infrared laser thermometer. Point it at the different parts of the radiator when the truck is warmed up to see if the temps are the same all over.

Honestly, a new radiator is $200 from rockauto.com. I would just replace the radiator and be done with it. You can probly even wait a bit since it's winter, but DO NOT overheat the truck or you are almost guaranteed a blown head gasket.

BTW, also get a 180 deg soft spring thermostat. They make a huge difference with the running temps of the truck and (many believe) also help fight head gasket problems.

 

Radiator not worth foking with.
Get a new Nissens from rockauto.com

You'll mess up the engine screwing with an old radiator.
Just chuck out the old radiator.

Best thing I ever did.
I have had 5,000 cool trouble free miles since the old radiator got tossed, new LAND ROVER 180 degree tstat and Hayden HD fan clutch.

No worries now.
And that was .. 10 months ago.

 

This...not worth trying to salvage the old radiator, its impossible to flush. Just replace it and add the 180 genuine thermostat. Best thing you can do.

 

Get a long screw driver and punch a hole in the old radiator in the rover.
Do it now.

Just take off the top cover and get a phillps and put it on the plastic top and put a nice hole in it.

then you HAVE TO replace it with a new one.
You will thank me for this.

You probably got leaks where those long screws go into the radiator anyway.

If I was close by, I could do it for you

 

Al these guys are on the right path. The D2 radiator has really small passages, and the plastic side tanks keep it from being an easy candidate for a rod out. On a D1 they unsolder a brass side tank and the crud is easily dealt with. On the D2, if top is hot, and lower is 10F or more colder, the passages have been sealed off by something, so very low coolant flow in there and the same air flow (top to bottom) does not produce same cooling.


That "something" can be Dexmud from compromised Dezxcool, or it can be from the "stopz leakz" the previous owner added. A little stop leak plugs the hole, the rest sinks to the bottom by gravity and seals up the small crud - encrusted passages. By the time you notice all this the capacity to deal with it by citric acid flush, white vinegar, etc. is long past. Radiator flush is a preventative maintenance, not a repair task.


If PO was adding stop leak, it frequently means he had an overheating problem.


The new rad, 180F Land Rover (not Motobad ) stat, a new fan clutch, and you'll be chillin'. But .... that new fan clutch will be "stiffer" and the worn down water pump may give up after trying to dance with the new body builder babe named "Fanny Clutch."