Head Symptoms?

[Peter09]

Hi guys, i know this has been covered hundreds of times, but just wanted to check.

My surf hasn't been overheating, but in past month or so we have had white smoke from exhuast on start up, at first i thought this was just the cold weather.

Then for first time since i have had the surf i had to add a little coolant to the rad cap, then i noticed when its running hot its pushing the coolant into the expansion tank, but doesn't draw it back in when cold.

What you guys think? head on it way out?

How much do you think would be for a new head plus labour? is it worth it for the age of the surf? i spent alot of money on it over the past year so not sure what to do.

[stormforce]

It will all depend on where you buy the head to start off with.You can get cheap heads from ebay or you can get decent heads from Stevo or Roughtrax.
By the sounds of it the head is on the way out.
Are you wanting to keep the truck and if so repair it if your not wanting it sell it as a breaker on ebay as they are fetching upto £800 for a non runner

[Peter09]

Thanks for reply.

Think i'm going to go for a new head on it as i cant really see me without the surf. was thinking of spend a couple of K on another 4x4 but would be worried just getting someone elses problems, where the surf i know has had a full new exhaust, new flywheel, new ARb bushes, new clutch and no rust on chassis.

Will think it over for few days just now.

On the other hand, Anyone owned Jeep Grand Cherokee, Shogun or Pajaro.

i saw these 3 for sale and was thinking of these. What they like for drive and reliablity?

[stormforce]

the shogun and pajero's are thirstier than the surf so i would steer clear of them and they are also prone to the head problems.
As you have spent alot on the truck already then get a head from roughtrax or Stevo and get the truck back on the road.
I am getting a 2.4 in this week with a buggared engine but the head was ok on it what i was told so your welcome to that early next week sometime if you wanted

[Peter09]

ok futher update on this,

Took it to the garage to have it checked, first thing they did was test the coolant for emission gasses...couldn't detect any... hmm ok. So they decided to run it hot check again for gasses and still found none present oh and it seemed to have stopped pressurising the system.

So they bled the system and told me to run it and see if i lose coolant over next day or so.

Anyway ran it home, and had to add some this morning then took it to work. The work mechanic has this other tester, basically think radiator cap with and bike pump and pressure gauge attached, he found 3 leaking hoses.

So we replaced those plus new clips.

So will see how things go tomorrow with it.

[hellmett]

Re

Phew!

Sounds like you may be lucky!

[Peter09]

OK, i am losing coolant still, seem to be only when the engine is hot. Its only small amounts, maybe cup full over a hours driving period.

Any ideas what this could be? System doesn't seem to be presurring.

[Peter09]

Anyone any ideas about this problem, i have noticed i'm not actually losing coolant, it just going to expansion tank and not been taken back in once it cools.

Have changed the rad cap, and today renewed the hose from the thermistat housing to the expansion thank.

any help would be good

[wishbone]

Silly question but is the pipe from the expansion tank lid that drops down into the coolant in the tank still there ? When I got my 3.0 it was missing so I assume some people remove them for some bodge reason ?

If it's missing it will suck air back in instead of coolant.

Rob.

[Bibs]

Hi Mate - sorry to say but that is exactly how mine was. White smoke on startup for months, maybe even a year, throwing water out of expansion tank, never overheating as always noticed it throwing it out an topped it up. Did this every 5 weeks or so for a few months then finally gave up he ghost.

Tired everythin as it was intermittant. Even put a new rad on it - lasted another 2 months an then poof - it blew big time.

Good luck an hope its not.

Oh an we also had it block tested an it passsed.

[Koi]

can only think of a couple of ways why its not sucking the coolant back in.
Knackered rad cap & hose to expansion bottle perforated (which you have now changed) also the hose inside the expansion bottle has come off or perforated.

[Peter09]

new hose did nothing, and the hose going into the expansion tank is still there and not holes or split.

Still having this problem, not losing coolant, only going into expansion and not coming out, expansion tank raises about half inch. So i am going to let it find its own level and run it like that to see what happens, if it drops more or not.

Sniffer test did noting,pressure test did nothing, so any other ideas would be great

thanks.

[Sancho]

Stupid question, but is there enough coolant n the expansion tank to start with i.e. does the little hose inside the tank actually reach down into it?

[Peter09]

Yeah, the hose reaches into the water, expansion tank was filled to Full mark.

Not sure what to do now, the expansion tank levels out at the exact same level each time, about an inch above the full mark(marked it with a pen). Leaving the rad level down the same amount.

[Justbrad]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the thermostat is one of those double one's that opens in each direction so my thinking is if it's a little dodgy it won't suck water from the expansion tank back into the system properly.

Or am I talking a load off cr@p?? No comments please lol