Slight loss of Coolant level in the expansion tank

[DiscoII]

Hey, Is it normal to have the level in the coolant expansion tank drop? Or is this a problem waiting to happen.

I have an 03 Disco with 28K miles on the clock, it has droped approx 2 inches below the cold fill level since its 22.5K service.

I have had no obvious leaks and no temperature problems.

Thanks,

[Frank84]

the dealer might say its normal or within acceptable limits but its not. get it fixed under warranty. likely is the intake gasket or head gasket but could be any number of other things too. ours did the same thing (head gasket) till i put some Bars Radiator Stop Leak in which is a temporary cure for me till i get around to fixing it right.

[jsonova99]

Originally Posted by Frank84

the dealer might say its normal or within acceptable limits but its not. get it fixed under warranty. likely is the intake gasket or head gasket but could be any number of other things too. ours did the same thing (head gasket) till i put some Bars Radiator Stop Leak in which is a temporary cure for me till i get around to fixing it right.

I just bought some Bar's stop leak, but I'm not sure how to add it to the cooling system. I tried to add it into the top radiator hose, but there was too much coolant, can I just add it to the expansion tank? I need a quick fix to carry me through until next summer. I only drive the truck on weekends, so this should do the trick.

[Ron]

its the rad leaking, or the top hose, or the throttle body

[jsonova99]

Originally Posted by Ron

its the rad leaking, or the top hose, or the throttle body

I think it's a head gasket leaking personally. This stuff is supposed to help that, but I just don't know where to add it to the system. Replacing a head gasket isn;t in the budget right now, so I'm jsut trying to minimize the leaking for a while. I don't seem to be burning any, but it must be lekaing out and boiling off around the exhaust manifolds

[nickb857]

I would think the expansion tank would be the best place to add it in, i dont know where else you could do it, but i am not to sure. I have a small leak as well it has gone down about an inch over a couple months though, i need to refill it but i havent gotten around to it. I have been thinking about getting that bars stop leak let me know how it works when you use it.

[agro1]

HAve you gotten up under there and poked around with a flashlight. Many times leaks that only occur when your driving get burnt up on the exhaust or blown all over the place and you never see much. Are you saying your LR has no drips whatsoever ????
Mine had a tiny leak at the thermostat and that drained about 1 inch out of the tank. Never knew it becasue it only happened when driving, got a few drips in the garage but didn't think much of it, then got under there to see that it had been blowing all over the place and corroding my nice new Fox steering dampner
Most of the time to find the leak just by looking (unless you use a dye of somesorts) you need to clean up the underside of you motor. Brake cleaner and pressure washer does the trick. Just don't let the brake cleaner sit too long and evaporate.
Good luck.
And yes, 2" loss in coolant is something I'd be concerned with.
One other thing, take the expansion tank cap off, start the motor and watch the coolant in the tank. Any bubbles ??? If so it's your head gasket.

[hywy61]

you are still under warranty. I would definitely let the dealer fix it. Very common problem in discos to have that leak. Mine had the same problem 2000 DII - no drips in the driveway - or very little - just keep the level up until you get it fixed. You have a leak.

[Creemore]

I have the same problem. It loses a cup or two of coolant every three months or so. The dealer did an elaborate diagnostic to find leaks - used some kind of dye or something - and lo and behold, there were tiny leaks on the timing cover and head gasket. The amounts were so little that the coolant was simply boiling off before it hit the ground. The only way to tell in retrospect was the vaguely 'sweet' smell when the engine was hot.

Anyway, since mine is not under warranty, I'm living with it until it gets to be a serious problem. It's a Land Rover, after all. But if it was under warranty like yours, I'd get 'em to fix it for sure. Think of it as free insurance.

[noee]

As stated this is common on D2s. I've had three variants:

- Bad radiator (replaced under warranty and also once by me)
- Bad intake manifold gasket (replaced under warranty and once by me)
- Leaking little hose right under the throttle body (replaced by me)

If you're losing a lot, then I'd suspect radiator or intake manifold gasket first, then look to the head gasket maybe.

If you're leaking just a bit over time, then check those little hoses under the throttle body. Tell-tale sign is if the "paint" on the valve cover gasket has that chipped or flakey look to it. They're easy to replace.

[jsonova99]

How big of a job is a head gasket?