worst car ever

[Bigammer]

well I guess i`m one unlucky bloke, I have to say the surf is the worst car I have ever owed, I have had almost every make you could possibly buy in the UK, and some you can`t.

I got it with a water problem, so to be safe I put a brand new head and gasket on it, new radiator, thermastat etc etc yardy yardy yar, just to be sure I got the thing sorted, it still used a little water, but today it dumped it out like a good un, will tick over all day long, even when I have it up at 3500rpm, temp hardly moves from middle, take it up the road and temp climbs to red and comes out of header tank, ease off the gas and it will start to fall eventually, like I said will tick over all day long.

Worst car ever...

[jotto]

How can you say it is the worst car ever, when you brought it with a problem!
Where did you get the head from?
Are you sure that it was the head causing the problem in the first place?

[Bigammer]

Well to be fair, I didnt know it had aproblem when I got it....every problem can be fixed I know, I have been repairing my own cars for almost 25 yrs, but I had this one done by my local garage, I didn`t have time, I know the garage and its mechanics are friends of mine so I know it will be done correctly, the guy that did the work is ex Toyota main dealer, we both agreed that it was the , that was only after flushing the sysytem, then fitting a brand new rad etc, we said ok do the job once , as I need this car to do a job for a good while.

The head is from a good well known source, not stevo though, it was brand new but i pressure tested it before fitting, if the original heads are good enough for Toyota they should be good enough for me, and should last as long as the last one...

Sorry if I come across as a bit cheesed off, its because I am.....I bought good quality parts from sources I have used for years, and the same problem has reared its head again.

Off with its head again....or cut my losses and break it up

[darkdezigns]

so u both agreed head?how do u know if u didnt look?gas test?is the block porous?

[Bigammer]

well i`m thinking the block is cracked now, if it is I will break it up, would be a shame really as drives well, and everything works, has only one bit of corrosion on bottom of rear passenger door.

Then again could always put a 3.9 TD perkins phaser or 6.5 TD gmc in it....haha

[darkdezigns]

well ive had 50+plus cars and without a shadow of doubt,mine is the most reliable/best yet

[TonyN]

well i`m thinking the block is cracked now, if it is I will break it up, would be a shame really as drives well, and everything works, has only one bit of corrosion on bottom of rear passenger door.

So it really is a great truck, apart from one problem that it had when you got it, and havn't fixed yet.

[Paul1566]

If it only heats when driving what about viscous fan ?
Have you bleed the coolant properly ?
Check the atf if she's auto, could be that's whats heating her up as it only gets hot when your driving......
Mine was brought with cooling problem, had already been fitted with new head but still over heated, changed oil in
fan amongst other things that i found duff along the way, turbo, manifold, cambelt, dead budgie etc and now she runs sweet and cool....
Shame she only does 20mpg .............

They are great trucks, went out yesterday to field archery course and told missus to follow tracks made last week and
what does she do drives straight across the bog and out the other side and that was on road tyres.....

[oneidadan]

They are great trucks, went out yesterday to field archery course and told missus to follow tracks made last week and
what does she do drives straight across the bog and out the other side and that was on road tyres.....

Sorry for being off topic; another field archer yay! what club do you go to?

[Paul1566]

have pm'd you oneidadan so as not to go off topic.

[biosurf]

have pm'd you oneidadan so as not to go off topic.

I take exception to that, off topic is what this forum does best! No play nice and be as tangential as you please

[Bigammer]

Yep I have bled it properly, and the trans fluid is new and the correct level, also the fan works as it should, I have already tested it.

I realise these are normally good motors but this one has let me down more in the 4 weeks i have had it than my 23 year old Rangerover, not had any bother in 12 years, well except for a starter motor..

Thanks for the info though guys, will be pulling th ehead off again this weekend and will let you know the outcome

[MattF]

Did you replace the water pump too? Didn't notice any mention of it in the quick flick through this thread, so apologies if I missed that bit.

[dsapsfo1]

Still sounds head / head-gasket / cracked-block related to me. From what you've said about it only dumping coolant when driving, sounds like it's pressurising under boost.... Sounds like head off again I'm afraid. Did you get the head/block skimmed?

[Bigammer]

well got the head off again...head looks in good shape but will have it pressure tested tomorrow.
There is some signs of water and slight rusting on rear of block though, I checked the block for flatness, that was ok so, also inspected block for cracks, no visible ones but will get some dye and check again, so if head is ok, will fit a new headgasket and bolts and see what happens..