[CrustyBus]

A big hello, I'm new to the forum.

I have a 2.4d T4 that was overheating. Doing some googling I came to the conclusion that it was either the cooling system or a head gasket / cylinder head problem. To diagnose which I got myself a block check kit which uses a liquid to detect exhaust gasses in the coolant.

Using the kit the fluid turned from blue to green indicating a dodgy head gasket etc. I took the van to the garage explaining this and they were skeptical of head gasket problems so changed the radiator and did an engine flush. This cured the heating problem somewhat. The temperature gauge would sit in between half and three quarters.

I needed the cam belt replaced so as the exhaust gasses remained I got the head taken off and pressure tested etc at the same time and all was fine with the head other than the standard cracking between cylinders. I now have the van back and have just done another block check and the liquid still changes colour. I'm at a loss as to whether there was ever a problem or whether the issue still remains. I've tried the kit on my diesel car and the liquid doesn't change colour.

So I guess my questions are:

a. Are these kits full proof and hence I still have a problem

b. What's the standard running temperature for this van? The temp seems to always sit somewhere between a half and three quarters. I thought in the past it ran cooler but the dash had the dreaded dry solder joint so for a long old while I was driving the van without temperature and fuel gauges so can't remember exactly where the temp sat.

All help greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Gav

(previously posted in general technical in error)

 

[Digger Dub]

These kits are ok as a quick check but was the head measured to see if it was flat and skimmed if not, is it pressurising the coolant system, is there any signs of carbon deposits inside the header tank, is it a new good thermostat ?

I use a gas analyser same as type that goes up exhaust at MoT time, to see what is going on in the air above the water level in the header tank.

Make sure it is above water level, I seen mech's suck up water and ran it out of the exhaust of the gas analyser after passing through the infra red bed.

 

[CrustyBus]

Hi, I'm guessing they checked to see if the head needed skimmed but they didn't say specifically. Only that they'd pressure tested it.

The coolant doesn't seem to be being pressurised and the inside of the header tank doesn't look like it has carbon deposits but it was cleaned out when they changed the radiator. They also changed the thermostat.

Could something else change the colour of the liquid? The fluid level in the header tank is near the minimum so I'm not sucking up coolant. I've repeated the test several times also and each time I see the same result.

 

[roboman]

Possible cracked cyl head, can you see bubbles in the expansion tank.

 

[CrustyBus]

Possible cracked cyl head, can you see bubbles in the expansion tank.

I'll need to check again but I don't think there are bubbles only steam coming off.

The head was pressure tested so would have ruled out cracks?

 

[CrustyBus]

Where should the temperature sit at for the 2.4? Is between 1/2 and 3/4 about right?

In the dim and distant I thought is sat below the half mark.

Cheers

 

[jeffk]

Mine sits at half, never budges above the line.
I have a lot of pressure in the coolant ball also, had some leaks on the therm housing, steel pipe, and another plastic housing on the engine block.
Fixed all of those and there's still a lot of pressure, the coolant level drops below minimum when the engines hot, rises back to normal when cold.

 

[CrustyBus]

Mine sits at half, never budges above the line.

That's kind of what I thought mine used to be like prior to the gauge packing up.

 

[Malakadan]

My temperature gauge on my 2.4d never goes above half way.

I would get your head checked by another garage. Not just pressure testing, but making sure it is true and not warped.
Pressure testing would not uncover a warped head issue.