Is the 2.4 up to the task

[BUSHWHACKER]

Hey Folks,
I have some engines to collect from London and bring home to Lancashire, it's a 500 mile round trip. My question is this, on the return 250 mile journey the trailer will be loaded with 1200kg. Having had the 2.4 overheat pulling "itself" up a hill I'm worried that the old girl aint up to it. What do you guys think, go for it or hire a van for the weekend. Hiring is a pain though as that'll be £100 minimum. As far as I know she's pretty sound mechanically.....touch wood.
Any thoughts please let me know.

Hire a van, it'll work out cheaper than a new cylinderhead/garage fees/recovery fees/loss of earnings etc.....

If the engine has overheated once, towing a heavy load that distance without a seperate transmission cooler would probably finish it off.

[Apache]

Just to reiterate, there is NO cooling fan for the transmission.

[BUSHWHACKER]

I'd love to know where he's reading this crap from.

[gwh200]

Once, five years ago. I wouldn't bother listening to anyone mate. It will pull a huge trailer no problems. It was probably an air lock, so heave away...it'll be fine.

[Maverick]

Chucking the coolant out through the expansion bottle is a sign of exhaust gases entering the collant system, generally caused by a cracked head.

In your situation I would get the truck checked.
Basic and simple test is to start the truck (when it is cold) with the radiator cap off, the coolant should not raise above the rim until the system is up to temperature. Alternatively you could get the system sniffer tested (you'd need to ask a mechanic about this).

[Diesel Turbo]

air lock

Chucking the coolant out through the expansion bottle is a sign of exhaust gases entering the collant system, generally caused by a cracked head.

In your situation I would get the truck checked.
Basic and simple test is to start the truck (when it is cold) with the radiator cap off, the coolant should not raise above the rim until the system is up to temperature. Alternatively you could get the system sniffer tested (you'd need to ask a mechanic about this).

this can also be air lock, as he said need head check, don't normally cost more than £10 if at all. It does not always change colour unless it is up to temperature to allow gap to open if small. I have had many with stubborn air locks! get the front high up in air take cap off turn engine over while filling it, close before engine stats heating, too many people remove caps when engine is hot then causes locks and also causes cracked heads due to water evaporating around pistons as able to boil to higher temperature under pressure. remember you could have a cracked head and it not show up on sniff test, gases can go out of exhaust, but if water boiling over due to crack it will show up, good luck

[gwh200]

If you have taken the cap off, how does the coolant boil at a higher pressure?

[Diesel Turbo]

easy to read than explain

If you have taken the cap off, how does the coolant boil at a higher pressure?

When water is heated it eventually reaches a temperature - the boiling point - at which the vapor pressure is large enough that bubbles are formed inside the body of the water. at 0 pressure water boils just under the 100 degrees @ engine pressure of 0.9 it is 200 degrees
Look at this link :-

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/bo...ter-d_926.html

hope that helps you understand

[TonyN]

LOL, he knows that, he was abusing your punctuation.

too many people remove caps when engine is hot then causes locks and also causes cracked heads due to water evaporating around pistons as able to boil to higher temperature under pressure

It's able to boil because its NOT under pressure with the cap removed..



It doesn't really matter to be honest, cos once the water stops circulating it soon heats up to the temp of the metal.

99% of any 2.4 overheating issues are its already got a cracked head, people try for week and months to try different things, you can hide it, make it slightly better, but the first long trip down the motorway and it'll dump all its water.

The damage has been done long ago, its only overheating now because the overpressured coolant is getting dumped out of the expansion bottle till there isn't enough left to cool the motor, then it gets hot.

They arn't that hard to fill with coolant, most people think they have airlocks, but its already fawked and dumping coolant, thats all.

[schrodingers-cat]

Got to hide from that misery till you just cant hide anymore

[Maverick]

Got to hide from that misery till you just cant hide anymore

Thanks to K Seal I managed to fool myself for 4 more months....................

But when you're sat on the hard shoulder of the M80 for the second time (you tried refilling using the dogs water the first time), you have to admit it's gone and she needs an apoinment with the good Doctor Angle Grinder.

But once the job is done properly (I can't remember which year but it was either 2004 or 2005). She's never let me down since.

[Diesel Turbo]

kseal and the like

Thanks to K Seal I managed to fool myself for 4 more months....................

But when you're sat on the hard shoulder of the M80 for the second time (you tried refilling using the dogs water the first time), you have to admit it's gone and she needs an apoinment with the good Doctor Angle Grinder.

But once the job is done properly (I can't remember which year but it was either 2004 or 2005). She's never let me down since.

yes if it is too late I agree then you can do nothing but bite the bullet, but if you use k-seal in a good clean engine then you should never get any issues as if any water ways go to open they get sealed instantly, I have not had a problem in over 10 years of using it, just bought 24 bottles of the new stuff fro my other leak and look good I believe in old trucks to have oil seal replenisher in, k-seal in to help reduce the risk of running dry of fluids which is the biggest problem as you know. If you have a clean water system k-seal is a fantastic belt and braces method of protecting your engine but as I tell many do not add it to a dirty water way! adds to blockages and disgusting sludge build up, personal choice, I have only been in motor trade for 25 years so still learning every day.. this by no means that it is better than having the head gasket done properly after head test and skim ect. but keeps an old engine running longer should an old pipe or rad fail on a run cos soon as it overheats its over for the cast irons with no flex in the metal. right cup of tea time lol

[Maverick]

this by no means that it is better than having the head gasket done

Didn't waste my time on a head gasket, just got Doctor Angle Grinder to replace the head.

[Diesel Turbo]

?

Didn't waste my time on a head gasket, just got Doctor Angle Grinder to replace the head.

should always change the head gasket too with new head

[TonyN]