Radiator Water (LC 80 VX Diesel)

[Scalci]

Guys, I have been noticing that my radiator water level drop and the plastic reservoir get full.

I first thought I might have a leak, but then noticed the reservoir getting fuller...

Any ideas?

 

[canucksafari]

That is pretty much a key symptom to a head leak. It could be the head gasket or a cracked head. It is something you will need to get fixed right away.

 

[simonliew]

before you do the head or head gasket,check or replace the radiator cap first.

 

[canucksafari]

before you do the head or head gasket,check or replace the radiator cap first.

Good point. You can also just open the rad cap, bring it up to temp (thermostat open) and watch for bubbles in the coolant.

 

[Scalci]

I got a new radiator cap and will test it today.

I dont see any bubbels in the coolant.

 

[Scalci]

What I noticed today, I drove for a while, then stopped, looked at the water level, the radiator dropped a little, and the plastic bottle was almost full. Got home, looked when the engine cooled down, and the plastic bottle was at MAX and the radiator full...

?

 

[canucksafari]

Well, it sure sounds like it is being pressurized; either that or, your cooling system has begun to spontaneously create coolant. If the rad is full and overflow bottle is full, then somewhere in your cooling system their is a lot of air. Again, it makes me thing there is a head leak. Take it into someone who can check for you.

 

[markthemenace]

Did you do any work recently on the cooling system? It sounds like you've accumulated some air into the system. Put the front up on ramps and run the engine with the rad cap off and the heater at full power for awhile. What you want is to put the opening at the highest point of your cooling system (which includes your heater core) to allow any air to burp out.

Try it and see

 

[Doug384]

The hose hanging down inside the expansion tank is still connected to the cap with no cracks? Ruling out the other obvious suggestions, more than likely the head gasket has begun to fail. Sometimes it is a slow developing failure with intermittent symptoms that can take months to become full blown. If you don't want to pull it apart then now is the time to try one of those proprietary head sealers like Steel Seal. It comes highly recommended....no experience here though. It might get you through till spring when working on things is a bit easier on the body.

Edit .......Oops, you are in the southern hemisphere which means summer now.........I doubt that you get anything that resembles winter here in your cool season.

 

[Scalci]

let me try the air lock first, yes I did replece the thermostat and hoses a few weeks back. Maybe it is a airlock...

 

[canucksafari]

I doubt that you get anything that resembles winter here in your cool season.

Southern hemisphere gets winter just like the Northern hemisphere. It all depends on location.

BTW, those cooling system sealers may work fine on some small head leaks on petro engines, I would not be too confident of them working on the higher compression diesel engines, even if the 200 engine is lower compression engine.

let me try the air lock first, yes I did replece the thermostat and hoses a few weeks back. Maybe it is a airlock...

Do as Mark recommended to properly bleed the air out of the system. But be aware that your engine may have a cooling system bleeder somewhere on the engine. So, before you start, get a manual that shows you the proper process to burp/bleed air out of the system.

That said, the usual symptoms of an airlock are overheating because the air lock prevents the coolant from circulating. It does not add air to the system. The only thing that adds air to the system as you described is a leak from the head (cracked gasket and/or cracked head).

 

[roscoFJ73]

The easiest way to get air out of the system is to undo the heater hoses at the rear of the engine (they are the highest point in the coolant system)and fill through there after you have topped it up at the radiator.
Dont forget to turn the heater switch to heat,to open the valves.

However after filling and changing to coolant 5-6 times in my 1HZs,I think airlock is a bit of a myth.
As Im filling at the radiator with the engine idling slowly,I keep squeezing the upper radiator hose which seems to send waves through the coolant and removes any bubbles.
I also give the engine a bit of a blip on the throttle.
I dont know for 100% if these actions remove air,but Ive never had an airlock.

Maybe engines with rear heaters get airlocks due to the second matrix being so far from the engine??

 

[Scalci]

Guys

I took the head off today.

How will it look if the gasket is blown on the head and gasket?

 

[hj 60]

a lot of pictures:

https://www.google.nl/search?hl=nl&...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=OLH6UM3hCceW0QWA5oCgDQ

And PLEASE stop using water in engines...