Discovery II Coolant Issue
#41
03-20-2012, 10:09 AM
#42
03-20-2012, 10:33 AM
Pro Wrench
OOps. Sorry. I got my threads crossed. Thought we were talking D1's. It's probably not the radiator if it's new. I think Sava rec'd that you check for headgaskets with the chemical test. Listen to one of those guys for sure.
Any white smoke at the tailpipe? That's supposed to be a big sign of HG problems.
I'm working on my D2 cooling system and what I did was:
1. replaced all hoses including lower(one more to go)
2. checked thoroughly for leaks by wiping everything clean and examining a few days running.
3. swapped t connector and stock thermostat for inline thermostat 180 degrees
4. replaced radiator
i'm running distilled water only for now insuring it is full every morning. it still has remnants of DEX orange coolant so I am going to change that last hose then,
5. professional flush out orange
6. do a compression test to insure there are no leaks
7. fill with 50/50 green and add one bottle of waterwetter
my concern is i'm losing liquid. if i'm still losing liquid after all that I need to do the chemical test for headgaskets. i do not have white smoke and my temps are right where they should be...they may be lower when i go to the proper coolant/ww mix.
it's a long process but i plan on keeping the truck regardless of headgasket prblms and as a senior junior asst. coffee getter mechanic i need to be 100% sure of each component. other guys would say i'm throwing parts at it maybe.
this is essentially the way I cured my D1 overheating and that was plaguing me for years.
i love the helpers here but often when they talk it goes right over my head...i read a lot, make my own decisions and then bounce them off the guys. i'm sure i bore many but thats the way i gotta go.
Any white smoke at the tailpipe? That's supposed to be a big sign of HG problems.
I'm working on my D2 cooling system and what I did was:
1. replaced all hoses including lower(one more to go)
2. checked thoroughly for leaks by wiping everything clean and examining a few days running.
3. swapped t connector and stock thermostat for inline thermostat 180 degrees
4. replaced radiator
i'm running distilled water only for now insuring it is full every morning. it still has remnants of DEX orange coolant so I am going to change that last hose then,
5. professional flush out orange
6. do a compression test to insure there are no leaks
7. fill with 50/50 green and add one bottle of waterwetter
my concern is i'm losing liquid. if i'm still losing liquid after all that I need to do the chemical test for headgaskets. i do not have white smoke and my temps are right where they should be...they may be lower when i go to the proper coolant/ww mix.
it's a long process but i plan on keeping the truck regardless of headgasket prblms and as a senior junior asst. coffee getter mechanic i need to be 100% sure of each component. other guys would say i'm throwing parts at it maybe.
this is essentially the way I cured my D1 overheating and that was plaguing me for years.
i love the helpers here but often when they talk it goes right over my head...i read a lot, make my own decisions and then bounce them off the guys. i'm sure i bore many but thats the way i gotta go.
#43
03-20-2012, 10:41 AM
Super Moderator
Unlikely new radiator is the issue - but when it is warmed up, and engine off, feel across the fins and see if temp about the same top to bottom (within 20 degrees). Could also be old dexcool clogging up heater core.
More likely, with all the work, small trash in system has found the little metering holes on top of the thermostat. The size and quantity of the holes control how fast hot coolant mixes with cold coolant from the radiator, and gets the thermostat to open. If replacing stat, go OEM.
Coolant flow path diagram attached.
More likely, with all the work, small trash in system has found the little metering holes on top of the thermostat. The size and quantity of the holes control how fast hot coolant mixes with cold coolant from the radiator, and gets the thermostat to open. If replacing stat, go OEM.
Coolant flow path diagram attached.
#44
03-20-2012, 10:45 AM
Pro Wrench
Sava...he has the new rad so it probably isnt that...but..he says the system was all gunked up (and you say blockage) so what can he do about that..chem flush?
Also, I don't recall what he said about waterpump and new thermostat.
i'm out of my league but i'm a pretty good tech troubleshooter.....and i speak non-mechanic.
Also, I don't recall what he said about waterpump and new thermostat.
i'm out of my league but i'm a pretty good tech troubleshooter.....and i speak non-mechanic.
#45
03-20-2012, 11:02 AM
Recovery Vehicle
First off I would like to thank all of the participants on this board (double thanks to Disco Mike!), I've been reading the board for a while in order to keep my truck on the road.
Last weekend I finished a head gasket replacement on my '03 Discovery (including the full machine shop job on the heads), replaced the oil and coolant and tested the truck, and that's where things got ugly. I took a short 4 block trip on flat ground (I realized then that I hadn't fully bled the system but had filled it until the coolant came out of the screw bleeder) and as I returned to my driveway the the temp gauge started to go over center and when I stopped the truck the hose from the radiator to the (new, but aftermarket from Atlantic British) thermostat let loose at the lower thermostat opening and spilled a pool of coolant on the driveway. After cleaning that up I reinstalled the thermostat with a new screw clamp, bled the system and started the truck with a code reader attached to the OBD II port. The temps soon rose over the 205 degree level of full thermostat open to the 220-225 degree level, because I was working on bleeding the system I had the coolant cap off and coolant started bubbling out of the top of the reservoir; this happened a few times before I called it a night. The only codes thrown involved the MAF which I had cleaned with MAF cleaner while reassembling the top end (and may need to be replaced). When the engine was turned off the coolant reservoir needed to refilled although it was not fully empty.
My shade tree mechanic guess (much of my previous experience is with Porsche 356 and 912 engines so obviously there's pretty limited coolant knowledge gained from those babies!) is a clogged or otherwise messed up radiator but I'm fearful of something worse - Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I should proceed? When I get home tonight I will check the oil and oil filler pipe for evidence of coolant contamination (any suggestions there?) but any further helpful suggestions would be very much appreciated, thanks in advance!
Last weekend I finished a head gasket replacement on my '03 Discovery (including the full machine shop job on the heads), replaced the oil and coolant and tested the truck, and that's where things got ugly. I took a short 4 block trip on flat ground (I realized then that I hadn't fully bled the system but had filled it until the coolant came out of the screw bleeder) and as I returned to my driveway the the temp gauge started to go over center and when I stopped the truck the hose from the radiator to the (new, but aftermarket from Atlantic British) thermostat let loose at the lower thermostat opening and spilled a pool of coolant on the driveway. After cleaning that up I reinstalled the thermostat with a new screw clamp, bled the system and started the truck with a code reader attached to the OBD II port. The temps soon rose over the 205 degree level of full thermostat open to the 220-225 degree level, because I was working on bleeding the system I had the coolant cap off and coolant started bubbling out of the top of the reservoir; this happened a few times before I called it a night. The only codes thrown involved the MAF which I had cleaned with MAF cleaner while reassembling the top end (and may need to be replaced). When the engine was turned off the coolant reservoir needed to refilled although it was not fully empty.
My shade tree mechanic guess (much of my previous experience is with Porsche 356 and 912 engines so obviously there's pretty limited coolant knowledge gained from those babies!) is a clogged or otherwise messed up radiator but I'm fearful of something worse - Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I should proceed? When I get home tonight I will check the oil and oil filler pipe for evidence of coolant contamination (any suggestions there?) but any further helpful suggestions would be very much appreciated, thanks in advance!
#46
03-20-2012, 12:06 PM
It honestly sounds like you just didn't bleed and fill the coolant system right. You are correct that you fill until coolant flows out of the bleed screw but you need to elevate the reservoir at least 8 inches above the the top radiator hose. Then when you replace the bleed screw you can top it off and replace the reservoir cap. Do this when the engine is completely cold.
Thanks,
Mike
#47
03-20-2012, 02:42 PM
Pro Wrench
#48
03-20-2012, 04:58 PM
Recovery Vehicle
#49
03-21-2012, 06:40 AM
Pro Wrench
#50
03-21-2012, 07:07 AM
Funny, I did the same thing! My throttle plate was leaking and I purchased a kit. I decided just to bypass it in the mean time, never got around to installing the new plate and have been driving that way for a couple months.
--Mike