Bubbles in the Header Tank

[sogster]

:(  Popped down to my mechanic's yesterday about  a knocking noise coming from the rear of my Disco. It appears that its just old age creeping in on the drive train.

Then we start chatting about other things, and I happened to mention that my water level had dropped in the header tank. Not long ago we had to replace the water pump and I guessed there might have been an air lock. When my spanner man had a look with the engine running there were bubbles and froth inside the header tank.  He tried some type of dye test , which would have turned the liquid from Blue to Green. Although the dye stayed blue, he isn't sure that there might be a possible head gasket problem or a cracked head just around the corner. I have to monitor my water level for the next week or so to see how much I lose. Anybody here had a similar experience?

Sogster.

[hobbit]

Monitor coolant and oil, for signs of it sneaking in through that way.

Also I presume you have anti-freeze in, if there is an external leak, you might see signs of dried coolant, usually white deposits around the joints

[sogster]

cheers Kev

Sogster.

[Wanderer]

If you have a friendly garage with a gas analyzer they might be able to tell what gases are getting into the water by sniffing the header tank.

Ed

[sogster]

Hi Ed, my mate has a garage and he did a test with some blue liquid which was placed into the header tank cap hole via a holding pump type thing. He said it would go green if there was any carbon monoxide getting in.  The liquid didnt seem to change colour at all but it didnt look as blue as when he started the test!!.

But there was definatley bubbles coming up into the header tank.

Sogster.