Freeander 1.8 over heating...

[tunnie]

Not mine, but next doors.

They asked me what i thought, so I had a nose under the bonnet. Its a 1.8 (i think) 70k miles, so ripe for HG failed i thought....

Checked the dipstick, no water on it. Oil seams fine.

Oil filler cap good, no mayo.... all dry.

Header tank was horrid, full of brown goo, mud like stuff. All over the drive too where they cleaned it out  

To me, it looked like a classic Omega V6 oil cooler problem, but on the 1.8 Rover not sure.... the above symptoms to me don't say HG. A sniff of the header tank and no petrol fumes, also no clouds of white smoke from the engine when started.

They say its fine for about 15 when driving, then starts to overheat.

Any ideas? - My thoughts are oil cooler, but no idea on these Rover engines!  :-/

[Andy B]

How old is it? I'd be surprised if an oil cooler was fitted. If the coolant system is as silted up as you suggest then it's no surprise it's getting hot. It sounds as though it requires a bloody good flushing out with the garden hose. Is/was there any anti-freeze in it? No corrosion inhibitor in the water won't help.

[Kevin Wood]

I've had a sludgey header tank before on a K series and sure enough the head gasket went. There were no signs of contamination of the oil and it ran fine.

Worth a flush and a new thermostat just in case though.

Kevin

[tunnie]

How old is it? I'd be surprised if an oil cooler was fitted. If the coolant system is as silted up as you suggest then it's no surprise it's getting hot. It sounds as though it requires a bloody good flushing out with the garden hose. Is/was there any anti-freeze in it? No corrosion inhibitor in the water won't help.

Sorry should have been more specific, its a 2001 Freelander. The guy who i was talking with also agreed they are rubbish cars but his friend bought it!

Its really odd, no steam, no water in oil, just a brown goo in the header tank. Looks like there is just water in it at the moment, it looked like a classic V6 oil cooler problem... so I did not want to say what was wrong.

Could lack of antifreeze cause that build up? surely not!

I take it to clear it out, you can put some bleach in the coolant for a few mins when running to break the oil up then drain it out?

[Martin_1962]

Change the title to Freelander as I think everyone here was thinking V8 or 4 cylinder Diesel

[tunnie]

Change the title to Freelander as I think everyone here was thinking V8 or 4 cylinder Diesel

good point just changed  

[Martin_1962]

You need to ask your cuddle friend - he is an expert at K Series

[theolodian]

You need to ask your cuddle friend - he is an expert at K Series

Doggie style?  

Sorry, but it had to be said.

[DaveL]

Sounds like a HG to me, have recently seen same with a '52' plate with 44K recorded. Stripped engine down twice, skimmed head, but still problems after 2k more miles. Head now past safe skimming level so new head required. Lots of expense but under Dealer warrenty still

Owner now looking for a poper 4x4.
8-)
DaveL

[Auto Addict]

Sorry tunnie, going to move this to General Chat, as it's not an Omega.

[Kevin Wood]

Owner now looking for a poper 4x4.

These things have to be ragged so mercilessly to even keep up with the traffic with a 1.8K I think HGF is a very common issue.

You couldn't find a more inappropriate engine to put into a 4x4 IMO.

Kevin

[tunnie]

oops sorry yes AA should have put it in Gen chat... i forgot  

[Markie]

No oil cooler in these,

Its the Head gasket, its a standard 1,8 k series engine.

Easy job to do but like omega oil cooler its getting rid of the mayo that takes time  

[Admin]

Only Rover would put a 1.8 engine in something that size!  

Certainly sounds like the HG.... hang on, it's a Rover engine, of course it's the HG!  

[tunnie]

No oil cooler in these,

Its the Head gasket, its a standard 1,8 k series engine.

Easy job to do but like omega oil cooler its getting rid of the mayo that takes time  

But that's where i get confused (easily done  ) ... there is not a single trace of Mayo under the oil filler cap! And no trace of exhaust gasses in the coolant header tank  :-/