Topic: Air lock !!!!! (Read 6827 times)

loony landy · « **on:** December 31, 2008, 18:19:56 »

Just done the head gasket on my 300tdi and have done 90 odd miles since, the water levels are fine and the heaters were working fine so all seemed well.

Wentout today in it and the heaters came on ok and everything was as it should be but then the temp gauge wentup and down lke a yo yo and the heaters went cold !!!

Got out to check the water etc and the levels were fine ut i had a lot of air gurgling from the system!!

My question is what is the best way to get rid f this air as it seems i have a lot of trapped air in the system.

cheers

tony

squaddie_fox · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2008, 19:49:42 »

everytime ive had an air lock its been in the heater matrix unless u got a air bleed valve on heater matrix pipe the way i do it is to have heaters on full an leave expansion cap off an rev car get it nice an warm an watch the air come out or i take the heater matrix water pipe off an fill it up via that pipe an then do what i said at beginin of posts some cars will bleed really easy an some can be a right pain to do

loony landy · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2008, 19:52:59 »

i tink it is the heater matrix as it is hot one min and cold the next !!!! really pisses me off though as you think it is ok lol

squaddie_fox · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2008, 19:54:47 »

yep i know the feelin when heater workin perfect for 20 mins while its tickin over then u go for a drive an 5 mins into journey starts blowin cold air an u hear that gurglin noise comin from behind the dash lol

J.D. · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2008, 19:56:20 »

At the back of the engine bay is the heater matrix pipe, undo the jubliee clip and do them up until the air is out of the heate rmatrix. If the problem persists it may be that the heater matrix is leaking.

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2008, 19:58:12 »

I had a probelm with my LSE (same heater) that the heater wasn't getting hot, in the end I had to squasht eh top hose to get hot water to run through it, it got hot then and has been fine since. It might seem that the heater is a sod for airlocking :-k

On the 300TDi I like to fill it with water, run it and get it hot then bleed any air out of the thermostat elbox via the plastic plug. You might also want to top it up there too rather than the header tank whcih is not the highest point in the cooling system.

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 01, 2009, 12:49:47 »

Quote from: loony landy on December 31, 2008, 18:19:56

Just done the head gasket on my 300tdi and have done 90 odd miles since, the water levels are fine and the heaters were working fine so all seemed well.

Wentout today in it and the heaters came on ok and everything was as it should be but then the temp gauge wentup and down lke a yo yo and the heaters went cold !!!

Got out to check the water etc and the levels were fine ut i had a lot of air gurgling from the system!!

My question is what is the best way to get rid f this air as it seems i have a lot of trapped air in the system.

cheers

tony

Hi m8, all the one's that i've done all i did was run the engine on idol and pumped the pipes that connect to the bottom of the radiator for a while and the same with the pipe that connects to the therostat with my hand over the expansion tank to force the air around the engine, then take it for a short drive, After this its normally alright, i know its not the certified way of doing thing, but it works for me :)

Jav

loony landy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:12:47 »

tried everything and im stumped, sat it on the drive for an hour bleeding the air out of it then took it for a drive , no heaters again !!! then the temp raised and as soon as i stopit gurgles away again !!!!!

Maybe it more than an air lock ???

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:34:57 »

Can i ask, how did you top up your system?

Also, have you checked the thermostat to see if it's working?

loony landy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:37:01 »

Topped it up through the bleed valve on top of the thermastat housing, have also noticed that the top hose to the rad does not get too hot so im wondering if the thermastat is working itself even though it is a new one, if that does not open then the engine would run hot and the temp would rise i think thats right anyway

tony

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:42:42 »

the easy way to see if its working is to take it out and test it in a bowl of hot water, but it sounds like you've got the mother of all air locks

loony landy · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:45:35 »

either that or the head gasket change was more serious and possible cracked the head ??

Gonna take out the thermastat and try the old one whicj tbh i did not know if it was knackered in the first place lol

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:48:08 »

When you changed the head gasket, did you have the head skimmed and crack tested?

loony landy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:49:25 »

no mate, we inspected it but the reason we did the change was whoever did the head gasket before forgot to tighten up seveal of the head bolts

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 01, 2009, 15:51:45 »

Quote,Well mine has been done took me about 6 hrs in total but 2 hrs was waiting for a gasket to arrive Rolling eyes Rolling eyes

Followed les guide and it was very simple and even a person with limited knowledge of the lady could do it.

Seems it has had a gasket before as the one i took off was nearly new but who ever did it never tightened the 8 headbolts in the mddle as these were just nipped up !! It has water on top of pistons 3 and 4 and you could see where is was leaking out !!!!

But now its all back on and seems to be working well, it get to temp ok and the heaters work better too.

Will check the head bolts after 200 miles just to be on the safe side Everybody dance now]

Just checked your other post and it sounds theres a good chance the head had warped, If your not too far away i could pop up and give you a hand if you want and have a spare 300 tdi head thats ok

Jav

loony landy · « **Reply #15 on:** January 01, 2009, 16:03:18 »

Im down in kent mate, and we cheaked the head for any warping with a metal rular to check for straight levels etc seemed fine but not saying it is totally

tony

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 01, 2009, 16:12:20 »

Sorry, its abit too far for me, but i'd suggest you get it tested just incase as theres too many unknowns

loony landy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2009, 16:16:38 »

yeah think they be the route ill have to take, means it all has to come off again lol

loony landy · « **Reply #18 on:** January 01, 2009, 16:56:04 »

well the temp is now staying at 3/4's and if i turn the heaters on it rises higher !!!!!

All the pipes are hot and seem to be ok from damage but the pressure cap is now making a slight whistle when its hot !!!

This is mad

Mud-muncher1 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 01, 2009, 17:30:30 »

not to be the bearer of bad news but it sounds as if the heads gone again as it's pressurising up :doh: also check to see if water pumps ok

biggerlandy · « **Reply #20 on:** January 01, 2009, 18:04:33 »

sim prob in my defender with anew 300 tdi engine but my engine itself is not overheating no gurgling nowt i think mine is dodgy sender unit

Range Rover Blues · « **Reply #21 on:** January 02, 2009, 03:10:25 »

Don't worry unduly about that whistling, the rad cap does breath out as the coolant expands. If you finds it empties itself in less than a minute that's different.
How long have you had it running for now? how much water is it still using?

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AuthorTopic: Air lock !!!!! (Read 6827 times)