CeeJay

Hiya Guys & Gals
New to Forum. I have a 1999 GC 2.5TD Ltd. at 135K miles with rapid onset serious overheating after 2 miles at 30 mph..........& compression build up in cooling system (coolant fountains out of reservoir cold when opened even after being parked up overnight. No heating coming thru' to cabin on heating system.
The head , Gasket and pistons & rings all look good......

It has had a radiator repair in the past, plus replacement pipes on heater.
I bought this vehicle at 21K , 12 years ago.

No oil or water leaks (other than a very small slight one on transfer case)

Next step is to check water pump & thermostat.

Only other thing is A/C system sprang a leak and drained out residual fluid week or so ago...hadn't been recharged for probably 7/8 years (British summers eh !?!?)

Any ideas or advice to help solve this overheating problem would be gratefully received. Thanks.
CeeJAy

dave1123

This is a no-brainer! If you're getting pressure in the radiator within 2 miles, you've got a blown head gasket. Period! There aren't many other ways for compression gases to get into the coolant system other than a cracked head or cylinder barrel.

That is, provided the coolant is cold. If it's steaming hot, it's probably a thermostat or water pump. That would take longer to build up anyhow.

Case in point. I had a 62 Chrysler 413. One morning on my way to work, I heard a whineing coming from my motor within 2 blocks of my apartment. I found the radiator overflow hose sounding like a leaking balloon and spewing high pressure air. It didn't have an overflow reservior like today's engines. I had a blown head gasket. It must have happened overnight after my pounding on it the night before. It was fine until it cooled down. It was only a tiny spot where the gasket had burnt out between a cylinder and the water jacket right near an exhaust port. Luckily, I got to it before the head or block surface was damaged.

I hope this helps.

P.S. I just reread your post. If this is a diesel, the compression pressures are much higher that petrol engines and more susseptible to head gasket problems. When you say "overheating" do you mean really hot or just spewing coolant?

Welcome to CF. It's always nice to talk to people from "across the pond"! Provided they have understandable sentence structure! Always enjoy talking to a Brit.

CeeJay

Cheer Dave1123, thanks for the reply .
Yeah it's a diesel, I had a low coolant warning the day previous and had checked /topped up fluid which was under pressure cold before starting the next morning. Then set off on trip and temperature gauge went almost to the red in under two miles...pulled into parking lot and called breakdown ..they did pressure test and said it was almost certainly a 'popped' head gasket..got it trailered home... it's with autorepair now who's saying head & gasket , rings etc all look ok ????..I'll get them to have another look in the areas you described for your leak.

When it happened I also noticed radiator was stone cold...but couldn't get its cap off to see inside...for fluid level etc..but coolant fountained out of reservoir when I removed its cap...made me think there was a massive air lock or something in the system?//

Thanks again for the reply. I'll post what happens next ..as soon as it has !

CeeJay

p.s My passport might say I'm a Brit, but in truth, I'm Welsh, born and bred, loud & proud.... from Wales!?! ..............but currently living in England !?!?!

fletchFL

Not sure specifically of the coolant system configs for the diesels, but it is possible that if your coolant was low, you may have been required to bleed air from the cooling system when you refilled it. That could explain the no heat inside/cold radiator. An air pocket inside a cooling system can obstruct flow during normal operation. At your vehicles' age and mileage, it's not inconceivable that the thermostat(stuck closed?) or water pump(detached or disintegrated impeller) failed, or it developed a leak somewhere. As with all head gasket failures, something caused it to fail. The low fluid level could have been caused by a leak or by it boiling over.

CeeJay

Cheers fletchFL, thanks for the reply.
As you say, we'll be checking the thermostat /waterpump (impeller) /radiator and general cooling system pipework inc. heating matrix etc. for blockages.
Definitely no water leaks visible externally so was probably boiling over until Gasket popped.
Thanks again...
CeeJay

dave1123

Be sure to come back and share what the problem was, OK?