Is this a failing crossover pipe?

[joeharby]

OP never came back. Eating a pint of coolant every week or so and no visible leaks? Sounds like a head and there is a good chance why this vehicle was dumped in the first place.

Look I scooped up a cool LR4 for almost nothing and it looks brand new!

Didn't pay almost nothing. Also, no coolant smell from exhaust/no exhaust gases in the cooling system (checked a few times with the block tester/blue fluid kit). Pretty cold where I live (-20ºF past few days, getting into 0ºF weather now), but hey, haven't topped up the coolant for a couple weeks and it's holding around the half way spot of the expansion tank. Will investigate further when the weather improves.

 

[ktm525]

Hey you came back! Perhaps they did some plumbing before your sale and all you did was burp a couple air bubbles?

 

[Tapps33]

Didn't pay almost nothing. Also, no coolant smell from exhaust/no exhaust gases in the cooling system (checked a few times with the block tester/blue fluid kit). Pretty cold where I live (-20ºF past few days, getting into 0ºF weather now), but hey, haven't topped up the coolant for a couple weeks and it's holding around the half way spot of the expansion tank. Will investigate further when the weather improves.

So, my big question now is, how many weeks was it eating coolant for? If it was just one or two, then yes, I'd say someone didn't bleed the system correctly.

If it's been for a while, there's a problem.

Go to harbor freight, or something similar and get a coolant system pressure tester. Or, spring for a vacuum filling system (they're like $60-$160 depending on which one you get). And pressure check your cooling system. If there's a leak, it won't hold pressure or vacuum.... If you get a black light as some have suggested, it might make finding the leak easier....that said most of the "trouble spots" are hidden under or behind things.

If it doesn't hold, you know you have a problem. FYI, I bought a 2012 LR4 that "just needed head gaskets." I tore everything apart, reworked everything. I had GREAT compression across the board, buuuuuuuuut, there's a crack in one of the block coolant passageways, so now the car's just sitting.

It's better to know before you blow the engine...these things are extremely susceptible to major failure if the coolant system isn't working perfectly.

 

[greiswig]

Didn't pay almost nothing.

I suspect all of us could say the same!

 

[joeharby]

Is there a list of part numbers of the parts I should replace somewhere on this forum for the cooling system? Crossover pipes front/rear, water pump, etc...? Thanks in advance!

 

[ktm525]

buy a OE water pump. Should have a jumping cat on it (Jaguar).

 

[timc930]

I'd buy OE (NOT OEM) everything for the cooling system. Make sure it is Land Rover Brand. AB is notorious for misleading their products if you don't know what you are looking at.

When I did my complete cooling system refresh, I just found a LR dealer that offered competitive prices online and purchased. Shop around, there are some dealers with good online pricing.

It's just not worth it to skimp on cooling system parts. I purchased OEM hoses for my L322 years ago, the o-rings failed on a few after a year, I went out to my shed, pulled the O-rings out of the OE LR hoses that I replaced (due to age, I keep alot of the old parts as temp backup) put the old LR O-rings in the OEM hoses and fixed the leak.

The OEM O-rings had flattened out, where as the 5-7 year old LR O-rings were fine.

There IS a difference at times between OE and OEM.

 

[txfromwi]

Is there a list of part numbers of the parts I should replace somewhere on this forum for the cooling system? Crossover pipes front/rear, water pump, etc...? Thanks in advance!

Not in this video, but as long as it's open, maybe also the thermostat (which IS in the V6 video) and the EGR valve.

For the V8

 

[timc930]

Is there a list of part numbers of the parts I should replace somewhere on this forum for the cooling system? Crossover pipes front/rear, water pump, etc...? Thanks in advance!

yes, prob in several threads, I posted my list (SCV6 for mine, but it still gives you an idea as to what to replace) in one of the threads, and I've seen list in others.

IF it were my truck, bare min would be WP,Therm, Front and rear cross pipes. But then in addition to those, I went ahead and replaced EVERY coolant/heater hose in the engine compartment, drain/replace SC oil and replaced the nose coupling.

 

[joeharby]

Getting back to the OP’s original post - can‘t tell if that’s coolant or if its the rear crossover from the picture. On the SCV6, you can’t see it the crossover from that angle, but maybe on the V8 you can. If I had to guess, that looks like the diverter or t-stat that sticks up off the crossover. Usually the crossover will not leak in that spot, but its possible.

In any case, if you are leaking a pint every two weeks, you should be able to find residue someplace (and you should smell it from the engine compartment after a longish drive). If it’s the rear crossover, you should find it by dropping the skidplate - look on the top of the skid or maybe the top of the transmission. The other place to check carefully is down in the valley of the engine from the front. You should be able to peek down the side of the oil filter and see if there is any residue. Also, look around the waterpump - behind and below. A borescope is really helpful for this job.

If you can’t find a leak, change out your reservoir cap - you might be boiling some off due to a bad cap, but doubtful you’d be boiling that much off.

Another possibility is the heater core (you’d probably smell it in the cabin), or the heater lines that go back to the rear heater. They start sort of under the battery box, and continue along the bottom of the passenger side of the car up into the rear wheel well.

Ok, weather is a little warmer now and been driving it a little more than just across our small town. I smell it in the cabin slightly when I turn the heater fans on. Heater core replacement involves removing the dashboard? Any where I can feel around in the cabin for wet coolant? Thanks in advance!