LR4 Front coolant outlet tube BS

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

quirozson

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Posts
69
Reaction score
12
Location
Denver, CO
Okay... I was driving home while towing a 4500# trailer when I had a severe coolant leak at the top of Loveland Pass in Colorado. I had extensive overheating and low coolant warning. Pulled over as soon as safe and cooled down, added coolant, and continued driving down the pass. Coasting most of the way down the mountain pass until I had to hit the accelerator and immediately felt lower power and heard a mechanical sound.

One tow later and $893 and the coolant outlet tube is replaced along with a few additional hoses. The bad news is that the tech reported HEAD GASKET FAILURE!

I decide to tow home with the intention of fixing myself over the next few months.... BUT, the tow truck driver brings to my attention that there are two shop rags in my driver side tailpipe!? So I start her up, let her idle, and hook up my obd ii tool to monitor Engine coolant temperature. It never exceeds 90 Celsius...! Okay, feels safe to drive it around. Nothing changes.... Okay lets go on the highway and drive up a few Colorado hills @ 90mph. Nothing changes. Temp never fluctuates outside of 87-91!

Tech recommended Head Gasket Replacement at the tune of 10-12K. Nothing I have done replicates any signs of head gasket failure. I was told by the shop that the engine started overheating and coolant reservoir bubbling within a short time of idling after completing outlet tube repair and testing for further damage. This is what they based head gasket failure on...

Are these guys just crooks? What am I missing?

I will do a chemical test for exhaust gasses tomorrow for peace of mind, but ***?!!!!
 

Nechaken

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Posts
635
Reaction score
259
Location
Colorado
Rags in the exhaust? Were they doing the old-school test for a burnt valve?
 

ktm525

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Posts
2,597
Reaction score
1,263
Location
alberta
Head gasket can also introduce coolant into the oil. Is the cooling system being overly pressurized?

My worry is driving with contaminated oil will destroy the bottom end of the engine.
 
Last edited:

quirozson

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Posts
69
Reaction score
12
Location
Denver, CO
No signs of head gasket failure. The shop stated they observed bubbles they attributed to head gasket failure and that the engine started to overheat at idle. None of these symptoms have been reproducible. I drove the car around then all day in hot stop and go traffic. It's driving fine. Even did a coolant hydro carbon test that came up negative.
7A75FC94-D10F-4D10-9585-13B0E1BDD977.jpeg
 

Stuart Barnes

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2019
Posts
443
Reaction score
237
Location
Los Angeles
Ask them the procedure they used to bleed the cooling system after repairing. It’s quite specific on this cooking system.

Either way. Sounds like you got lucky :)
 

ryanjl

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Posts
3,019
Reaction score
1,793
Location
KCMO
Yeah, the symptoms they saw after the coolant outlet tube install jive with air in the cooling system. The LR4's cooling system can be a bear to bleed without a vacuum bleeder. If they did it the old fashioned way, they may have missed a bleed port and left some air in the system.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
36,223
Posts
217,601
Members
30,474
Latest member
sawcut
Top