Hi all,
Any advice or info is much appreciated re a coolant problem with my series 3,
When it gets hot ie gauge in the middle of the green area, and I stop the engine before the gauge gets any higher coolant will start to come out of the overflow pipe and I can hear gurgling noises and also feel the gurgling through the 2 small hoses that enter the expansion tank.
I am pretty sure I need to remove the radiator and get it cleaned or replaced, is this what you would advise?. Also if I do need to replace the radiator where in Melbourne would any one suggest I go?

Thank you for any help

Adrian

 

When you state you stop the engine, is this due to the gauge going further up the scale if you drove on??.

If that is the case, then YES, the radiator needs professional tanks off cleaning.

First and foremost, I would replace the pressure cap with a new one. I had this with one of my V12's, and the cap was NEW, but releasing pressure at 4psi, instead of 15psi that was stamped on the cap. Took some searching (Repco, SuperCheap, etc) to find a NEW cap that actually released at the specified pressure, or very close to it. Quality control must be lousy. That car had the coolant dribbles every time I stopped the engine, and simply replacing the cap sorted it. The radiator etc was NEW, as I had just rebuilt the whole engine bay.

A lazy thermostat can give similar issues.

 

Thanks for the input, I think the guage would keep rising but I would rather switch off before risking any damage, I have replaced the cap twice, I was hoping that was the fault nice and easy to fix, but it looks like the radiator has to come out, do you know if its easy to remove the bonnet? sounds easy looking at the book!!
Adrian

 

Never done a S3. Heaps of S2, and they are not that bad.

TWO (2) helpers make it safer, as that sucker is heavier than it looks.

I eventually did them all with the bonnet insitu. The S2 I undid the limit strap and CAREFULLY opened the bonnet that few more inches available. 2nd person aided the lift out of the radiator, and the refit when done.

 

This could also be head gasket failure, in fact almost certain, I'd say. What year is the car ? The slotted blocks cured the between-bore cracking, but HGF still occurs. Long stud engines before the slots were introduced cracked between the bores thus causing continual HGFs. Coolant jacket gets pressurised in both cases and this causes coolant to be pushed out the overflow. I had two HGFs on my 1980 and it was only when somebody pointed out the cracking that I finally bottomed the problem that was cured by rebuilding the engine around an uncracked block.

 

Pulling the bonnet is easy... two or three bolts on the check rod, six bolts, three each side, on the bonnet to hinges. Having a helper is easier, though I just pulled mine off (and replaced the same day) in a parking lot at 10 deg F, with a good breeze. It was a little touchy, but managed by myself... all done to remove the radiator. Refitting was surprisingly easy, just bolted it up and the bonnet closed with proper gaps! I was pleasantly surpised.

 

head gasket might have failed between combustion chamber & coolant passage, pressurizing the coolant system.

Do the standard compression & leak down checks, its probably time to do so anyways.