Urgent ! Broken Down on Motorway - Page 2

clf · 17th July 2018, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mothman

Thanks for all the replies and glad to say we made it home OK, though a few hours late.

Breakdown mechanic had to add quite a lot of coolant to the engine but could not find any obvious leak. To my eternal shame I had not not checked the coolant for some time (important lesson learnt) and so I can only assume that the car has been leaking a small amount somewhere but over a long period of time. Checked the water level when we got home and didn't appear to have lost much (if any) coolant and so any leek must be small.

Will take the under tray off at the weekend to see if I can see anything obvious, but the breakdown mechanics guess was that it could be water pump bearings.

Check the cap is on tight, or still holding pressure/sealing.

I had replaced mine a couple of years ago, 'just to be safe'. But smelled that familiar (from many many years ago) 'burnt' coolant smell, pulling up at home, after work- still strikes fear into me when I smell it (as does a quick jerk of the cutlery drawer! - my mother's favourite discipline tool was the wooden spoon lol). Let it cool and checked. Slight loss of water, topped up, and realised I hadnt tightened it fully home, as I was frightened of overtightening it with being new etc.

Since then it has been fine.

Outlaw 41 · 17th July 2018, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mothman

Thanks for all the replies and glad to say we made it home OK, though a few hours late.

Breakdown mechanic had to add quite a lot of coolant to the engine but could not find any obvious leak. To my eternal shame I had not not checked the coolant for some time (important lesson learnt) and so I can only assume that the car has been leaking a small amount somewhere but over a long period of time. Checked the water level when we got home and didn't appear to have lost much (if any) coolant and so any leek must be small.

Will take the under tray off at the weekend to see if I can see anything obvious, but the breakdown mechanics guess was that it could be water pump bearings.

Glad to hear that your all ok now . A few years ago i had trouble with a loose cap with the same results .

Mothman · 17th July 2018, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Cut

Does the cooling fan operate as it should? That is, does it pass the Demist Test?

TC

Will check, but it should be OK as it's a reconditioned 3 speed fitted at a Nano meet a couple of months back, though the old fan hadn't worked on all speeds for some considerable time.

patrolman pete · 17th July 2018, 21:23

A difficult to find leak on the diesels can be often be the O ring on the top of the thermostat to metal coolant pipe. Both mine have suffered this and could only be found by pressurising the system.

marinabrian · 17th July 2018, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrolman pete

A difficult to find leak on the diesels can be often be the O ring on the top of the thermostat to metal coolant pipe. Both mine have suffered this and could only be found by pressurising the system.

OAT damage Pete

Just like this one

Brian

wullie480 · 18th July 2018, 07:26

Get yourself a uv dye kit and add to the header tank, run the car for a few days then check with uv light you'll spot the leak easily enough.

Arctic · 18th July 2018, 10:03

How much coolant do you have in the header tank ? is there enough expansion ie keep the coolant to the level of the little step inside the header tank, check the coolant cap O-rings are not flat.

Also do you have an inline stat I cannot remember, as this may have bearing on it over heating when towing and then spiting the coolant out of the cap, I am sure I read that another member had this problem when towing a caravan.

patrolman pete · 18th July 2018, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by marinabrian

OAT damage Pete

Just like this one

Brian

Yup ! It looked exactly like that. I unbolted the coolant rail at the back of the engine to aid replacement and had cuts and bruises for a week.

Jules · 18th July 2018, 21:51

My father always drilled it into me to check tyre pressures oil and water weekly OR before a long trip.

Have done this for over 40 years now and NEVER broken down yet even in the some of most notoriously bad reputation cars like the Triumph Stag we had for years !!!

Mothman · 19th July 2018, 10:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jules

My father always drilled it into me to check tyre pressures oil and water weekly OR before a long trip.

Have done this for over 40 years now and NEVER broken down yet even in the some of most notoriously bad reputation cars like the Triumph Stag we had for years !!!

Jules, I checked the oil & tyre pressures but for some reason not the coolant level, no excuses and important lesson learned for the future.

Steve, yes i do have an inline stat. There is no fluid in the expansion tank when I check each morning and I am having to add about 100ml each day (40 mile round trip) to bring it up to maximum. . At the motorway services the breakdown mechanic had to add about 4 litres to get to maximum and so may have been leaking unnoticed for a while.

According to the onboard diagnostics, engine temperature is running at 84-86C when not towing. Yesterday when stationery in traffic I noticed a little steam coming from the offside of the bonnet\grill and so strong chance it could be thermostat or water pump dripping. I understand replacement of these is a big job (around 4hrs labour) as there is little point changing one without the other and so will have to decide where we go from here. Will report back once I've had chance to get the under tray off at the weekend for a better look.

18th July 2018, 07:26	#16
wullie480 This is my second home 1 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Banned Posts: 5,195 Thanks: 528 Thanked 1,022 Times in 786 Posts	Get yourself a uv dye kit and add to the header tank, run the car for a few days then check with uv light you'll spot the leak easily enough. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

18th July 2018, 10:03	#17
Arctic Give to Learn Freelander 2 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: West Midlands Posts: 18,736 Thanks: 1,155 Thanked 6,407 Times in 3,874 Posts	How much coolant do you have in the header tank ? is there enough expansion ie keep the coolant to the level of the little step inside the header tank, check the coolant cap O-rings are not flat. Also do you have an inline stat I cannot remember, as this may have bearing on it over heating when towing and then spiting the coolant out of the cap, I am sure I read that another member had this problem when towing a caravan. __________________ Arctic Givology Learn to Give Everything is Achievable ad altiora tendo. Check out our Nano meet dates http://www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk/ http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/index.php?thepage=howto " You do the work , we supply the expertise " Last edited by Arctic; 18th July 2018 at 10:17.. Reason: Spelling

18th July 2018, 21:51	#19
Jules This is my second home ZT 260 SE Twilight and 10 other 75 ZT's :O Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Conwy NORTH WALES Posts: 11,094 Thanks: 512 Thanked 1,116 Times in 763 Posts	My father always drilled it into me to check tyre pressures oil and water weekly OR before a long trip. Have done this for over 40 years now and NEVER broken down yet even in the some of most notoriously bad reputation cars like the Triumph Stag we had for years !!! __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Newbies do now!! 1. Plenum drains..all 3 or 4 year dependent 2. Cooling fan..All speeds functioning 3. Bonnet cable divider block

17th July 2018, 21:23	#14
patrolman pete Posted a thing or two Rover 75 club se tourer CDT and a Connoisseur SE Diesel Auto Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houghton - le - Spring Posts: 1,418 Thanks: 618 Thanked 333 Times in 197 Posts	A difficult to find leak on the diesels can be often be the O ring on the top of the thermostat to metal coolant pipe. Both mine have suffered this and could only be found by pressurising the system.