New to Rovers: Help!

[Ancestral]

Ok I just bought a 1999 Discovery 1 with 161,000. So I went ahead and did a "new to me" maintenance. Changed all fluids: Both diffs, Tranny, T-Case, Oil & filter, Coolant & thermostat, bled the brakes with all new dot4. Lubed the u-joints and drive shafts. Cleaned the MAF sensor & Throttle body. New air filter and spark plugs (wires still look good but they are 7mm going to order new 8mm.) Everything runs great... here it comes.

So I went out for a test drive everything went well until I turned on the AC 5 minutes later as I was pulling into Gander Mtn. The temp started to shoot up so I parked and shut down noticed smoke coming from the hood, opened hood and the expansion chamber was draining AF! So I waited around till it cooled off, no place to buy AF so I used distilled water. Go about 5 miles (no AC) stopped at a flying J got hot again expansion chamber drained again. Thought ok its the thermostat not opening it was wide open. So I removed it bought AF and gasket maker. Was able to get home temp stayed constant (mid) so I thought I would try the AC again. Within 3 minutes it was raising the temp again. So I parked it let it fully cool checked the condenser fans and they work. So I went and drained the system from the combo of water and AF refilled and bled the system again (left out the thermostat though) started it up let it run for a few minutes went for a drive (no AC) everything was gtg. Turned on the AC and went for a drive temp stayed perfect for like a good 20 minutes went back home and shut down. Heard a gurgling coming from the engine, opened it up and the expansion tank had steam & coolant coming out of it! At that point I was done for the day. Was thinking of grabbing the super nova and some slugs...

So did I just not get all the air out?!! Also while on my test drive I did hear a clicking sound when not putting the gas on or breaking, only when coasting. Wheel bearings? U-Joint? Rock in Tread? Brake pads? Gremlins?

Thanks for any and all ideas!

 

[Disco Mike]

Being new, I would suggest you send me your number cause there are many things you need to know and do to stop this before you toast your engine. I would be glad to call you later this afternoon.

 

[greg409]

I suspect your radiator needs cleaning, As you may know:

water is not as good a coolant as 50/50 mix (it can/will boil out)

removing the t-stat may actually cause your temps to rise, (if it's a good stat) since the flow is uncontrolled thru' radiator.

your clicking is likely a u-joint, tho' glazed rotor may cause this or a bad wheel bearing. (depends on the sound)

When you're done talking to Mike, please post results, thanx.

luck,greg

 

[Ancestral]

Update

Ok after talking with Mike I realise now that its not a quick process to bleed the air out... So I will be doing that after I get a new T'Stat gonna order one and the expansion chamber/overflow and a new gasket since that other one got toasted when I took it off. Then I can do the refill/bleeding.

Clicking sound is not the wheel bearing or the u-joint checked both out. But since I am new to this I will ask this: The pads are loose meaning I can grab them and move them around (well back and fourth) The rotors are not the best in the world either, actually the left front one is in worse shape. /shrug So is it normal for these things to have loose pads? O yea also found a nice size rock lodged in the tread...

 

[greg409]

Does it have a plug in the top of the radiator? (pass side)

Just remove the plug (engine cool) and fill it thru' there with a funnel.

Just take your time, it's actually quite easy.

When it bubbles up, reinsert cap and finish in resevoir tank

The reason you don't fill it thru' resevoir is that the hose to rad is only 3/8" i.d.
but I'd top it off thru' that.

Drive around the block a few times, let it cool and check the resevoir for 1/2 full.

I still have some concern about why it overheated to begin with - these DI's don't get the air trapment problems that the DII's get.


The brake pads aren't normally sloppy in the calipers, I'm hoping the rock was your clicking noise.

Download the rave cd below if you don't already have it.

luck,greg

 

[joey]

Also with a 161k miles could be a chance that your water pump is on its way out.

 

[Ancestral]

Ok so it looks like the whole problem was caused when I put in the new thermostat no bleed hole or wigley thing + plus not knowing how to bleed it correctly (now I know how) thanks to all the help I had from here. All the pressure busted my expansion tank. Cheap lesson plus learned a lot! Also the ticking that I was hearing was a big rock Now I just hear the brake pad loose. So I got new rotors they are shot, plus brake pads and gonna just do the wheel bearings while I have everything off. Thanks again for all your help with diagnosing this! Have a great weekend.

 

[Ancestral]

Also bought some STI 8mm wires on ebay for $25.00 w/free shipping!!! Power is so much better! Now to track down why all these bulbs are not working....

 

[greg409]

Excellent!


luck,greg