OK, I read through Nori's thread earlier about coolant leak. My situation doesn't seem to match his: I am losing collant, but I do not see anywhere that it might be leaking. No puddles under the vehicle, no green liquid splotches on top of the engine. Last Thursday, driving home from work, I suddenly felt cold air coming from the heater vents, even though the heater was at the highest temperature setting. Then, I noticed the engine temperature gauge suddenly rising up close to the red-zone. Since I was just a few blocks from home, I decided to keep going and made it into my garage without the needle reaching the red-zone. Didn't drive the vehicle again until after working on it Sunday afternoon. I drained the oil and found it to be un-contaminated. That's a good sign, I assume. But, the radiator was down about half. I filled it up to full level and drove around for awhile. Seems to be OK for now, but I'm concerned it will go down again soon and I'm still confused about why it would suddenly lose some coolant. Any thoughts on where or how I might be losing coolant even though the oil seems unaffected?
Losing Coolant
- Thread starter Onionman
- Start date
I noticed some times that if you have the dealer do some job on the cooling system they tend to not fit the hose good enough. I would see the coolant leaking from the connection and have to refit the hose. check all the hoses once. you might find a loose hose some were.
william. check for leaking in the back of the motor from the intake (valley pan) gasket. this is very common with D1s. you never see the leak. it leaks down the backside of the motor, over the transmission bell housing and sometimes onto the cats where it burns up and leaves a white residue. so it is hard to track down because you really cannot see the leak itself.........just the trail it leaves on the backside of the motor and bell housing.
the fix is a new intake gasket and end seals. not a huge job at all and can be done in a day taking plenty of time.
EDIT: best time to check is after you have been driving and the temp is going up. keep the truck running and get under with a light and have a look at the back of the motor/transmission housing, etc.
the fix is a new intake gasket and end seals. not a huge job at all and can be done in a day taking plenty of time.
EDIT: best time to check is after you have been driving and the temp is going up. keep the truck running and get under with a light and have a look at the back of the motor/transmission housing, etc.
Last edited:
Thanks guys. I'll check those spots this evening if I get the chance. (We are in a major winter storm warning for today and tonight.)
head gaskets.
or if there are no signs from the heads.
possible freeze plug.
which will leak into the bell housing.
or if there are no signs from the heads.
possible freeze plug.
which will leak into the bell housing.
Yeah, those f%$#ing freeze plugs. I can just barely see them when I'm under the vehicle, but no way can I reach them. But, I'll certainly look at them tonight also.
Bill, First thing I would look is Hope up on your engine and look where the transmission and engine bolt together. If you see antifreeze ordried white residue.... Your intake is leaking. HIGH failure part.
Freeze plugs die, but intakes always die. Also, if the black coating is bubbly..... THe gasket is leaking.
Freeze plugs die, but intakes always die. Also, if the black coating is bubbly..... THe gasket is leaking.
Interesting thread as I too have an "invisible" coolant leak. The overflow tank goes down a quart maybe or so a week and no visible signs of a leak except, drips hanging from the oil or tranny cooler lines (not sure which is which) near the front of the engine along the oil pan on the drivers side. No drips on driveway. Is there a freeze plug right up in that area?
Before I flipped my D1, I had major problems with the heater core. Basically it was taken back to the Landrover dealer on three occasions to fix the problem with two complete new heater cores (apparently the first one was from a dodgy batch).
When I jumped in the disco, I could smell coolant but I didn't think of looking under the mat.
Anyhow, solved it in the end...so if you smell coolant in your cabin, you may have a heater core leak.
Cheers
Erron
When I jumped in the disco, I could smell coolant but I didn't think of looking under the mat.
Anyhow, solved it in the end...so if you smell coolant in your cabin, you may have a heater core leak.
Cheers
Erron
Plain2000DII said:
Have the same issue. Not loosing as much as you but can see a little tiny amount of coolant on the lines near the oil pan. Can't tell where its coming from
Andrew, if you have a D2 it's likely coolant is coming from the water pump union where it sends the coolant to the heater core. Mine leaked, only when cold! It was because the factory-fitted elastic clips were not man enough. Trip to local hardware shop, a decent jubilee-clip (adjustable one, with a bolt) and job done!
David (Plain 2000DII) your case was mine too. It was the rad leaking. The core is aluminum. The header tanks (left and right) are plastic. Between them there is an o-ring which now and then goes away, and there is the leak. If yours drinks about 250 cc (a Coca Cola can)of coolant every 1600 Kms (1,000 miles), that did mine. New Rad, the jubilee clips before, and job done! Now drinks 100 cc every 6,000 miles, so that is correct.
Regards
Robert
David (Plain 2000DII) your case was mine too. It was the rad leaking. The core is aluminum. The header tanks (left and right) are plastic. Between them there is an o-ring which now and then goes away, and there is the leak. If yours drinks about 250 cc (a Coca Cola can)of coolant every 1600 Kms (1,000 miles), that did mine. New Rad, the jubilee clips before, and job done! Now drinks 100 cc every 6,000 miles, so that is correct.
Regards
Robert
Thread Resurrection...
1995 DI. 128K miles.
Truck is losing about 1-2 inches worth (sorry for the vague measurement) of coolant from the expansion tank in a month of daily driving (mixed highway/city).
No overheating. No smoke. No water/coolant in the tailpipe. No leaking that we can see under the truck in the garage (other than oil).
Intake and Valve cover gaskets are new (well, now one year old). Top radiator hose is fine.
Can someone post a pic of the freeze plug to consider? Should I be thinking head gaskets (I am)?
1995 DI. 128K miles.
Truck is losing about 1-2 inches worth (sorry for the vague measurement) of coolant from the expansion tank in a month of daily driving (mixed highway/city).
No overheating. No smoke. No water/coolant in the tailpipe. No leaking that we can see under the truck in the garage (other than oil).
Intake and Valve cover gaskets are new (well, now one year old). Top radiator hose is fine.
Can someone post a pic of the freeze plug to consider? Should I be thinking head gaskets (I am)?
Last edited:
I'm having the same issue as Roverlady, except with a 2001 D2. I was initially thinking head gasket, but I'm not so sure now. I checked the intake valley gasket and the throttle body heater (both replaced a little over 5k miles ago), but neither had signs of a leak. No puddles under the car. Oil seems uncontaminated.
The only sign other than the dropping level in the expansion tank is the smell of coolant after driving, coming from the driver's side area, but not necessarily from under the hood, but also from outside and occasionally from in the cabin. Smell generally isn't noticeable after a few mins of driving when cold. No interior leaks from either the area where the heater core is or in the driver side foot well. No sign of leakage behind the dash trim when I tore down part of it for an unrelated project.
One other thing I thought of is a loud (relatively) whirring sound coming from the engine every so often after driving on the highway for any extended period of time, usually lasting 5-7 seconds. Only happens when stopped (not just when parked). Doesn't last long enough for me to pop the hood, jump out of car, and trace the source of the noise.
I've started to suspect a failing (failed?) water pump. Thoughts?
The only sign other than the dropping level in the expansion tank is the smell of coolant after driving, coming from the driver's side area, but not necessarily from under the hood, but also from outside and occasionally from in the cabin. Smell generally isn't noticeable after a few mins of driving when cold. No interior leaks from either the area where the heater core is or in the driver side foot well. No sign of leakage behind the dash trim when I tore down part of it for an unrelated project.
One other thing I thought of is a loud (relatively) whirring sound coming from the engine every so often after driving on the highway for any extended period of time, usually lasting 5-7 seconds. Only happens when stopped (not just when parked). Doesn't last long enough for me to pop the hood, jump out of car, and trace the source of the noise.
I've started to suspect a failing (failed?) water pump. Thoughts?
My water pump is only a year old, and doesn't seem to be leaking. Though my front cover gasket is leaking oil so it could be coming from there.
If your wp is stock, you might check it given the sound you are describing. Mine was making a horrible noise before we decided to replace it. Not a bad idea to start there.
We are trying to figure out if mine is actually burning coolant off the manifold or downpipes somehow...
If your wp is stock, you might check it given the sound you are describing. Mine was making a horrible noise before we decided to replace it. Not a bad idea to start there.
We are trying to figure out if mine is actually burning coolant off the manifold or downpipes somehow...
My radiator has been leaking from the sides and the only way I found it was by smell and by digging in really deep into the front of the truck. Can you smell coolant in the engine compartment? Might be your radiator.