hey guys, i am a new comer...and need some advise. i am in a jam.
i have a 02 freelander now at 52k. the thermostat gauge a couple days ago started bumping to the overheat and then to the middle (between cold and hot), and the back and forth. i only have to drive the car 10 minutes a day and witgh in that 10 min the gauge bumped up and down a couple of times. i checked the coolant and noticed that it was bone dry...so naturally i filled it up. only to notice that on the next drive again the same occurred. i again filled up the coolant and drove around the block. by the time i got back into the garage it was empty. all this time no lights for check engine or smoke from the engine was noticed. with some brownish liquid repouring into the coolant cannister....
what does that mean? if anyone has any suggestions please help...i am a student and do not have any money and am concerened that this may be a major issue.
thanks again in advance...

 

It sounds a bit ominous. With you adding that much coolant, and it dissappearing equally as fast, you have a serious leak. You need to locate where exactly it is going.

First things first...STOP DRIVING IT. Do some quick self checks to see if you can find the leak, hopefully something as small as a hose/connection.

1) Check the passenger side carpet, any antifreeze down there? Could be heater core, although with that much coolant, you probably would have smelled it.

2)Did any coolant pool up underneath the vehicle when you poured it in? Could be lower radiator hoses.

3)Most catastrophic: Head Gasket. White smoke out the tail pipe? Air bubbles through the coolant tank when you rev the engine?

Remember the coolant has to be going somewhere....just hope it's not internal...If all of those quick checks come up non-conclusive, have it towed to a shop and have them preform a Cooling System Pressure Test. They'll be able to pin point exactly where the system is failing.

DO NOT DRIVE IT.

 

i do not think that there is any white smoke from the tailpipe, or bubles in coolant tank. thanks wolfpack...i am going to try that again when i get back home today. any other suggestions woild help. thanks again

 

Alright, well how much coolant were you putting in to fill it up? The overflow tank is a small portion of the total coolant volume, and you could just be getting an air bubble causing the resevoir to look full, but when you put it through a drive cycle it drains into the radiator and you need more coolant.

When you refill it, watch for those leaks/drips/puddles! Let us know what you find!

 

Bad news from another thread: https://landroverforums.com/m_43063/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

Apparantly the engine design is poor, and results in coolant sleeves failing and dumping coolant into the crankcase (engine oil).

Check your oil cap and dipstick for signs of coolant. The oil will be a milkshake-y consistency and color. Also the cap will have a tell-tale ring around the inside. Hopefully its not this problem [&o]

When I first read your post, all the symptoms made sense except for one..the brownish liquid dumping back into the resevoir...now it does

 

hey again,
no milky white stuff, no leaks.
no noises
no smoke
no leaks
but continued disappearing coolant with very minimal driving
thanks

 

The only other thing I can think to do would be a coolant pressure test. That will pinpoint where the coolant is going.

How much coolant are you putting in to 'fill it up'?

 

Hi osas1805.
The Freelander cooling system needs to be bled everytime the cap is removed.Open the cap.Fill with water.Open the bleedscrew(on the top heaterhose where it enters the firewall)Start the engine and add coolant until a bubble free stream of water pushes out of the bleeding screw.Close the screw and fill up to the mark.Install cap.
Regards.
Marius.