Check your coolant levels.

[lacroupade]

Timely reminder of one of those stupid little things that can catch you out...

The Terrano (in common with the Renault bloody Clio as I now know to my cost!) has one of those quirks where the expansion tank (where most people would top their cooling system up) has the ability to remain at normal levels while the rad is completely empty.

Given the T2s "weeping water pump" syndrome its therefore possible for the coolant to almost vanish completely without you spotting it, before the temp gauge wraps around the upper needle. Thats assuming, of course, that you aren't a fiesty redhead who doesn't know what "that little thingy" is for....:doh

So word to the wise - wait til your motor is cold, remove the radiator cap and top up as necessary. I got five litres in "that redheads" truck while the expansion tank was safely between Max and Min...... before Team Wales's ace mechanic swapped the water pump of course.

You have been warned.....don't marry a redhead!! LMAO! :bow

 

[Darwin]

You have been warned.....don't marry a redhead!! LMAO! :bow

10 years too late m8 :doh

 

[zippy656]

i had a readhead first.. she went off with some older than her DAD!

 

[lacroupade]

well look at you two! I rest my case! :lol:lol:lol

 

[ssteve]

Timely reminder of one of those stupid little things that can catch you out...

The Terrano (in common with the Renault bloody Clio as I now know to my cost!) has one of those quirks where the expansion tank (where most people would top their cooling system up) has the ability to remain at normal levels while the rad is completely empty.

Given the T2s "weeping water pump" syndrome its therefore possible for the coolant to almost vanish completely without you spotting it, before the temp gauge wraps around the upper needle. Thats assuming, of course, that you aren't a fiesty redhead who doesn't know what "that little thingy" is for....:doh

So word to the wise - wait til your motor is cold, remove the radiator cap and top up as necessary. I got five litres in "that redheads" truck while the expansion tank was safely between Max and Min...... before Team Wales's ace mechanic swapped the water pump of course.

You have been warned.....don't marry a redhead!! LMAO! :bow

this should not happen unless you have the wrong rad cap on or a hole in the pipe to your expansion tank

ssteve

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

could it just be a knackered radiator cap? seal gone ?

 

[extreme-4x4]

fiesty redhead ........ now your talking:sly:naughty:naughty:sly

 

[lacroupade]

this should not happen unless you have the wrong rad cap on or a hole in the pipe to your expansion tank

ssteve

no leaks except the water pump one now fixed...rad cap on or off its the same....ditto the Clio I bought my daughter at the weekend.....expansion tank stayed topped up but little or no water in the rad....rad cap seals perfectly

 

[lacroupade]

fiesty redhead ........ now your talking:sly:naughty:naughty:sly

pervert

 

[ssteve]

no leaks except the water pump one now fixed...rad cap on or off its the same....ditto the Clio I bought my daughter at the weekend.....expansion tank stayed topped up but little or no water in the rad....rad cap seals perfectly

both seals?? if no seal in top of cap it will not draw coolant back in to rad when coolant contracts (cools)

ssteve

 

[lacroupade]

both seals?? if no seal in top of cap it will not draw coolant back in to rad when coolant contracts (cools)

ssteve

steve just explain "both seals" - you mean exp tank and rad cap?

 

[ssteve]

hope this helps
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system7.htm
seal is between top of filler neck and cap underside
the red bit is lower seal
ssteve

 

[lacroupade]

hope this helps
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system7.htm
seal is between top of filler neck and cap underside
the red bit is lower seal
ssteve

Thanks Steve I'll have a butchers - interestingly someone told me tonight the Landy does the same thing?

 

[rossco]

The other thing is if your water pump is leaking then when the motor cools down it doesn't draws the water back into the system due to vacuum leak caused by the water pump leak if you get what I mean

 

[lacroupade]

The other thing is if your water pump is leaking then when the motor cools down it doesn't draws the water back into the system due to vacuum leak caused by the water pump leak if you get what I mean

Now that makes perfect sense Rossco - nice one, because of course the pump was bolloxd as we now know.....given that it started out as an undetectably slow leak (I now know that pump started to leak over twelve months ago because it was mysteriously losing water albeit extremely slowly right back then) then it makes even more sense for people not to just trust the levels in the expansion tank, but take the rad cap off as well, as you might spot a problem earlier than otherwise.. !

Mystery solved.:clap

And I bet the same is true of this bolloxd Clio I am about to send back! :doh

 

[dave36]

Water pump and coolant levels

Having been caught out by the pajero water pump failing and killing my engine, I found that the expansion tank is just that and not a header tank, which of course will keep the system full when the engine has cooled.
I have been checking all the levels on my t2 daily (as lots of hoses were very badly perished when I got her)
Lucky for me the T2 2.7td has a header tank, yesterday I noted that it was empty, i had been out the night before but had defo not overheated.
So I topped up the header and the rad (3 pints), ran the engine and noted the drip stood on the road was not alone - there was one underneath as well - traced to the water pump!
No problem, its under warranty, so I shall have it fixed very soon, but I note that the fan is cracked all around, between every blade, is this normal?
I shall have to drive it 25 miles to the dealer, any danger the trickle will become a flood and damage the engine?

 

[zippy656]

i drove mine for ages before Id found out where it was comeing from.

my thoughts would be take some water with you. stop afew times to keep and eye on it.
also keep an eye on the temp gauge.. if it starts to climb STOP. and check

 

[lacroupade]

Having been caught out by the pajero water pump failing and killing my engine, I found that the expansion tank is just that and not a header tank, which of course will keep the system full when the engine has cooled.
I have been checking all the levels on my t2 daily (as lots of hoses were very badly perished when I got her)
Lucky for me the T2 2.7td has a header tank, yesterday I noted that it was empty, i had been out the night before but had defo not overheated.
So I topped up the header and the rad (3 pints), ran the engine and noted the drip stood on the road was not alone - there was one underneath as well - traced to the water pump!
No problem, its under warranty, so I shall have it fixed very soon, but I note that the fan is cracked all around, between every blade, is this normal?
I shall have to drive it 25 miles to the dealer, any danger the trickle will become a flood and damage the engine?

As said, top it up and take some water - just keep an eye on the temp gauge and if it rises above halfway time for a refill....but shouldn't be a problem.

 

[tezzer]

be bloody careful with the fan if it is cracked, if it comes apart i will do some serious damage, and that will be expensive.:doh

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

when i checked coolant, the cap for the rad and the expansion had been swapped
incorrectly. now the pressure cap is on the expansion where it should be....

i also carry to 1 litre coolant bottles wedged neatly in a hole near brake servo.