I'm new to the forum and appreciate the active input--saved me heartache and money. First LR and owned for 5 months. Travel often. Bought for airport car. Losing 8oz +/- each week and having to bleed air out of system--hate the waterfall sound. Pressure tested by two different shops with no leak. Previous owner did head gaskets. Recent oil change showed no signs of contamination per the shop but not sure I trust they looked at it. 3 amigos present. Code identifies catalytic converter. Would shuttle valve create loss? Appreciate thoughts.

 

Shuttle valve will not create any loss in coolant. Looks like you may want to do the Shuttle valve mod(sticky), if that is the code you are getting for the Amigos(option B is the easiest and it fixed mine). I would get a pressure tester myself from one of the Auto Parts houses and do it myself. Pressure testing should be straight forward, just make sure you let it sit long enough to see how long it takes to loose pressure(if you are loosing fluid, the pressure will diminish. It could very well be the cap, and/or the throttle plate heater, which is prone to leaks. What code are you getting for the Cat?

 

My truck bleeds itself down to about an inch below the FULL line. Others have reported the same phenomenon.

Or, you have weeping head gasket that only leaks when the truck is hot and the engine and heads expand. My truck does that, and has for 3 years now. I plan to drive it til it fails. I bet if I replaced the head gasket bolts it would fix it.

I'm 99% certain the two phenomena I describe above are different issues because:

a) Other people have the same bleed down issue, and they don't have a weeping head gasket.

b) I treated my truck with Bars Leaks tablets that completely stopped the head gasket leak. I have to replenish them yearly, and when I don't the gaskets start weeping again.

c) The bleed down is much faster than the leak.

 

Could be leaking from cap or overflow.....also could be leaking with thermal expansion only...... Add some uv dye to coolant

 

rent or borrow a pressure tester, test the system and the cap while testing the system pull on every hose and clamp you can find. it has to be going somewhere.

 

I can tinker, but not a mechanic, and with even less time, so I'm using Route 60 Garage in Valrico, FL. They pressure tested at 15# for 90 minutes and found no leaks--and they say no pressure loss.

The condensation I saw at the back of the engine they say is the engine drains which seems consistent with other forum responses.

I'm having the radiator cap changes and running another pressure test--will buy my own for future challenges.

I'll mention the throttle plate heater to them as potential leak, but wouldn't that show up under pressure test?

Dr Mordo: My coolant level was about an inch below the full line and I didn't bleed the system to check if it was going to stabilize there. Perhaps should have bled it before taking it to the garage, but I was concerned about the engine drain condensation, which I now understand is normal.

Have other questions about Amigos, but will keep the thread clean.

Thanks for the help.

 

It could be drawing coolant into either the front or rear cylinders on either bank after the engine warms up to operating temp. Not sure, but can happen if HGs are upside down or if the block/heads are not flat. Check to see if front or rear spark plugs in both banks are white and not light tan. If insulation is white, could be coolant in the combustion chamber.

 

Before I did anything, I'd just drive it and closely watch the coolant level. If it's like mine, it will drop down a inch or so and stay there.

For some reason, the waterfall issue is a big pain-in-the-*** for some of us. I have bled and bled and have not fully defeated it.

You might try this technique, though it is somewhat controversial:
https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...chnique-48558/

I almost eliminated the waterfall with it.

 

I am having something similar to it also!
I keep adding coolant and it dries up in few days...
no white smoke, no visible leak, temp is always around 194.
Even few minutes of run time after I fill from the exp. tank and bleed it via the little plug on the T shaped hose, water level goes below visible part of the white tank! Isnt it weird?

 

I vote for this too. Replace the cap first, it's cheap. If it doesn't get better, then start looking for other issues.