these guys are very helpful thank you. they will make another tank for us if this radiator we found today is another 'dud'.marc is putting it in now.
noddybabe1,
Sep 24, 5:22am
latest update. two dud second hand radiators. water bubbling in reservoir now. three different diesel mechanics DONT KNOW WHY!
some say head gasket again. others sayno. marc doinga compression test this weekend i think before taking head off. he is really, really, really GOOD at doing that now.
van still sitting in same place.:(
icemans1,
Sep 24, 10:09am
FFS, why don't you just take the van to someone who knows what they are doing!
noddybabe1,
Sep 25, 2:36am
lol.this thread started re asking advice. and has been continued as i figured you would find it 'entertaining' in some way. even though it is all true, and not really that funny.
start at the beginning. we were told the radiator had been done. so in theory should have been an easy fix if we checked them first, and not after the 5th head gasket . :)
bonus that it has a rego and warrent though . lol.
stevo2,
Sep 25, 6:58am
never ever trust a 2nd hand radiator. Get it rodded out and profesionally cleaned. They get a crusty build up inside when sitting around with no water inside. Eliiminate the cause and THEN start treating the symptoms. cheers stevo
ema1,
Sep 25, 9:48am
Wonder if it has a cracked block, compressions leaking into cooling system via crack causing cooling system to boil/blow leading to overheating of the rapid sort may not be head gasket blowing at all. It's either got to be a block or head crack that's happening here to say it has blown 5 times already Mmmmmmmm interesting. Cracks in castings can and are often not noticed until too late.perhaps it has some other place where a compression leak is going to the cooling system .this gets more & more interesting the more I think about it! I'd be looking for a good 2nd hand engine if I were you to save all the hassle and recurring expense! Possibly too late for the replacing the radiator idea but if a 2nd hand "Good" engine is your move then definitely replace/properly repair the radiator as well that's paramount!
sgrants,
Sep 25, 10:03am
LSMMTUAFIMC ! ! ! Great story here you should get it on the telly!
ema1,
Sep 25, 10:12am
Few chapters now I'll agree ha ha!
noddybabe1,
Sep 25, 9:43pm
yes, got the first one cleaned out professionally and all that. the second one had no rust markings on the inside of the pipes, so 'figured' it had been used with coolant. and yes, we would never buy another second hand radiator ever again :)
noddybabe1,
Sep 25, 9:46pm
thanks, the block and head are both cast iron, and in theory cannot warp apparently. marc has not been home this weekend. working to pay of van debt :)so compression testing still not done.
yes re head gaskets. i dont know if he is going to try camy weld again or not. but still dont know what he is going to do re radiator. he is over it really. :(
noddybabe1,
Sep 25, 9:49pm
yes, the water went to 'normal' level. so then when it cooled down he took it for that '1/2 hour drive'. but didn't make it back type thing.
marc still not taken water pump out either. hopefully this afternoon he will be looking at it .
noddybabe1,
Sep 25, 9:51pm
frustrating yes,leaks - yes, somewhere :)
the engine has definately been reconditioned, so no problems there (i think)but the compression is just sooo strong, and only after a short time. why!
noddybabe1,
Sep 25, 10:04pm
:).just had to get out of my straight jacket to write this.
ema1,
Sep 26, 12:37pm
Don't you believe it, cast iron can both warp of overheated and can crack like a carrot as well, whoever told you that needs his head read and is talking crap! Plus. A good 2nd hand engine would be your best option in this case, no point in throwing away money more than you have already.
noddybabe1,
Sep 26, 10:17pm
thanks for that .it wasn't marc who said the block couldn't warp. i must have heard the boys wrong there. asthe block has been feeler gauged all along it . and is straight.
and yes re another engine.in hindsight.and yes re now.
latest update is that the bottom radiator fan did not work when van turned on.bearing in mind there is no top radiator in it. so marc is bridging the wires etc to see if the second fan engages.
he is doinga compression test at the moment.
where is that guy with the manual. we can't read Japanese fuse box :)
best i try harder to find a manual :)
noddybabe1,
Sep 28, 1:11am
ok,got another top radiator.
when marc took all injectors out, he got rung by a another deisel mechanic to be told doing a compression test is waste of time - put it all back together and just drive it.
ha ha ha ha. you should've been here to watch marc. ha ha ha
lets not talk about 'wasted time' shall we. :)
anyway, bottom radiator fan wired up so engages at all times bypassing the sensor
water pump taken out and all perfect. new gasket made. along with new thermostat gasket
radiator flushed through again and ALL hoses squeezed to clear any bits of rust etc etc.heaps of shit came out.
started van.
didn't bubble atradiator point.yay.took for drive.
not so yay.got 'overly warm'.
whilst waiting for van to cool down, the boys / menfelt all the hoses.
found that the one going from top radiator to bottom radiator was cold.
soooooo, all along now, they thinking that there was too much of an air gap in the bottom radiator (which is on a slant angle)
. hence the HIGH friggen compression after such a short time!
soooo,head gasket might not be blown (lets not talk about all the other ones)
bottom radiator taken out to flush through. all good here. still clean.(might be because no water has been going through it!)
radiators being put back in now.
noddybabe1,
Sep 28, 1:15am
. and thank you for your comments. they have been helpful, if not just to confirm what has already been checked :)
and you never know,someone else might just learn something from this thread. :)
noddybabe1,
Sep 29, 9:16pm
. ok, water circulating all round, nowhite smoke or water etc coming out of exhaust.
seemed to have got all air bubbles out of bottom radiator, as just topped up about 2 litres of water while idling and putting foot on accelerator.
all pipes ok to touch, not that warm,temp guage went to normal. .
drove for 10 minutes at 80ks, no problems, went to 90ks and then it got 'overly warm' again.
soooo, head gasket blown again probably!cant figure out why gets hot over 80ks.
as pulled over. cooled down, topped up water again and drove at 80ks home.
frustrating.
any ideas!hopefully not a small crack in block! have to replace sleeve!
is going to the 'shop' on friday i think, but they have been helping, and so will be paying them 'heaps' to go through the elimination process also.
any ideas they have'nt already thought of!
dent,
Oct 1, 5:09am
Get a leak down test done to check head gasket. Has the viscous fan been checked for cutting in correctly!
noddybabe1,
Oct 4, 3:55am
thanks for that, the leak test was done yesterday and the head gasket is definately blown again :(
the viscous fan moves really stiffly when off, and cannot be held once you turn on. so i think they have said it is engaging properly. but will ask them anyway.
update is:getting new head gasket tomorrow and new head bolts, radiators etc! have all been pressure tested for leaks etc.
van is at another mechanics place. he has no idea why it keeps happening either, but REALLY wants to find out :)
we are going to get the radiators cleaned again to make sure no crap through them. and thats about it so far that i know of.
soooo, hopefully wednesday it will be going.
noddybabe1,
Oct 4, 3:58am
thank you yes, this is what he did to get it to drive the 80ks without overheating. had to top up about 2 litres of water. so heaps of air gaps etc.
kiwis0,
Oct 4, 4:08am
The only thing a thermostat does, is to keep the water in the motor until it's reached operating temperature, meaning unless you live in a really cold climate, you should be fine to run the vehicle without a thermostat.
Second, this thing about it doing 5 headgaskets, I would say the mechanic is just trying to make money out of them, as some are like that.
My advice, take it to a MTA dealer, a second opinion goes a long way.
noddybabe1,
Oct 4, 4:24am
thanks for that, and yes we did keep the thermostat out last time. helped to circulate the water through everything. and yes, in africa etc where it is hot, they take the thermostats out we found out too.
re the gaskets. luckily we are paying half price . only paid full price for one. and that was via the mechanic shop. :(thanks for you concern though:)
kiwis0,
Oct 4, 4:25am
And a another thing, a faulty thermostat, If faulty maybe just may would not open causing the motor to overheat, causing it to blow the head gasket.
Meaning it should of been replaced when they replaced the first head gasket, I would of thought a experienced Mechanic would of known that.
And if that was so, your temperature Gage would of gone into the red straight after your first head gasket replacement.
Meaning you should of gone back to him with the overheatingproblem.
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