I think the head has gone

[stormforce]

only after towing but the sniffer test come back ok.I can't see any signs of leaks anywhere.The engine is all dirty (muddy) but not the rad as that was cleaned out so i would see if the was leaks or water spraying out somewhere

[surrey-surfer]

only after towing but the sniffer test come back ok.I can't see any signs of leaks anywhere.The engine is all dirty (muddy) but not the rad as that was cleaned out so i would see if the was leaks or water spraying out somewhere

Well assuming you are towing a hefty weight, i wouldnt worry too much. Towing anything more than a small car is still going to put a strain on the surf. No matter how much torque she has or what she can pull. If she gets hot because of the extra strain, she will no doubtedly burn water off from the heat and what is most likely where your missing water is going.
Unless its something more sinister inside the head or block? But you say only a puff of smoke on start up and not whilst driving so im stumped
Worth checking the stat just to be safe. Not a major job.

[Rustinho]

Not sure if this is entirely relevant or not but my old man used to have a similar problem with his Citroen BX diesel when he was towing the caravan. It never used QUITE that much water but it used to overheat & lose coolant (without boiling over or anything like that) when it was towing the caravan.

After it had happened a few times he took the car to a local garage (incidentally owned by a chap he used to go to school with in the 1940s!) and they ended up adding one or two bits n bobs to the cooling system (extra fans, etc) and it seemed to cure the problem.

If he still had the car I'd have gone and had a look to see what they'd done but it was sent to the great scrap yard in the sky about 10 years or so ago.

Hope the info is useful...

[stormforce]

i have got an atf cooler to fit on aswell and i might fit another viscous fan that i know is good and see how that goes on the next trip to Wales at the end of March as i am taking a truck up to Wales and then bringing one home so its going to be under pressure both ways this time

[surrey-surfer]

i have got an atf cooler to fit on aswell and i might fit another viscous fan that i know is good and see how that goes on the next trip to Wales at the end of March as i am taking a truck up to Wales and then bringing one home so its going to be under pressure both ways this time

good idea.
I personally dont think your head is gone......more that your engine is past its towing life. She is an OAP now so treat accordingly

[stormforce]

good idea.
I personally dont think your head is gone......more that your engine is past its towing life. She is an OAP now so treat accordingly

i do have a short block from a 3.0l that was sounding very good so i might end up putting everything onto that and then fitting the complete lot and get the spare head tested and if ok fit that

[Phantom]

Bummer Rich I think my 3.0ltr is going the same way, but has done me proud. I could be wrong though I am not sure yet.
Why dont you just put a V8 in there its not that bad me Vince and Stein will talk you through it and the fuel consumption is about the same. You know you want to

[stormforce]

hi Steve.once my money is sorted then i will be thinking of a v8 and then send the truck up to Vince to do for me so i may just keep this running for as long as possible and keep patching it up as best as i can.I will probably be getting a l/cruiser aswell for towing then keep the surf for showing and posing in

[Robmatthews]

replace the pressure cap(the one that bleeds into the overflow tank)and check the tank is holding water and the pipe is ok as the engine cools it needs to be able to suck the water back in from the overflow tank.get a new cap rather than trying a second hand one, i know you prob have millions of em!but buy new its 100%ok then

as for struggling up the hills and going into the red, hit em faster!and you dont slow down as much and dont work the truck as hard,
unfortunally i've found the sweet spot for towing on my truck was at just under 80mph with a load of 1900kg(on my private road of coarse).

can the people who said the water is evaporating explain where it is evaporating to its a sealed system so cant evaporate...

[Phantom]

Thats my plan also Rich L cruiser for the caravan and Lucifer for the shows be so nice to have you parked next to us at truckfest come on Rich hurry up.

[Rustinho]

can the people who said the water is evaporating explain where it is evaporating to its a sealed system so cant evaporate...

Not that I said it, but I took it that the coolant was overheating, going into the overflow tank/reservoir and then out of the overflow pipe in the plastic tank. Then when the engine cools it sucks coolant back into the rad beyond what was put into the tank when it was overheating. Also, is it possible that the stuff going from the rad into the reservoir could be so warm that it might well be evaporating from there?

Just a thought...

[stormforce]

Thats my plan also Rich L cruiser for the caravan and Lucifer for the shows be so nice to have you parked next to us at truckfest come on Rich hurry up.

As soon as the money is here Steve then the lift will begin.
Networkrail are dragging their heels now and have decided they want an independant report done after they stated 2 years ago a joint report will do so now everything is going to take longer again

[surrey-surfer]

can the people who said the water is evaporating explain where it is evaporating to its a sealed system so cant evaporate...

Hi Rob. If its overheating, can the built up pressure not be forced out the top of the rad via the pressure valve in the rad cap?
I thought thats what it was there for?
It was also my belief that when overheating and the coolant system being under imense pressure, it can force out hot air passed off as steam out between where hoses meet connections but not enough so that it spews out water?
Also how can it be pressurised if he is losing water?
Im just asking.
Was only a suggestion anyway.

[madcampbell]

After your next long trip out park it over a sheet of clean cardboard, wheels trapping it in place and see if later there is a trace of coolant. If you find where its dripped too then you maybe able to trace it back to where it's coming out from.

With mine I was losing water so was told to change the rad cap, so I got a new one.... a few days later under load on the motorway it blew a hose so I got the AA to do a sniffer test and it came back clear. I put a new hose on and thought I got lucky. One week later the temp gauge went right up and when I pulled over the rad had a split in it spraying water all over the place. Head had gone and was then just finding the weak spots to vent the pressure. The truck was fine for short journeys but any long journey it would just kick the water out.

Hope it's not gone but sound simalar to mine scrapper

Mark

[286bhp]

Well after several years of abuse and neglect i now think the head has gone.I have suspected it for the past several months but i can't see anywhere leaking at all and after long trips towing in have to fill the rad again.Yesterday before leaving Wales i had to put a litre or so in and then this morning i checked the levels again and had to putnearly 3 litres in.
It only happens when towing the trailer.
I had noticed tho over the past 3 months that it blows a big white cloud out on start up.I will get it chcked this week anyway and test it to find out for sure

i ad that prob rich.
try another rad cap first.
if not after you av took it 4 a gud hard run as soon as u stop look to see if you got water coming out under pass front wing.bet its pushing out your expansion tank.
after i put the extra atf cooler on mine it dont get hot on transmission at all.
wat rad u got on?i`ve got a roughtrax 1 spare if u need it.
dnt think i`ll ever need it cus surf will b going soon.