E300 td new radiator fitted but water problems

[e300turbodiesel]

I fitted a new radiator to my E300 TD but now when i filled it up with water and try and let the air out of the system it blows the water all over the place out of the filler bottle like a fountain. The heaters in the car wont go warm and if i put cap on the pipes swell right up!!

Any ideas people?

Is it in need of bleeding or has my head gasket given up?

 

[television]

I fitted a new radiator to my E300 TD but now when i filled it up with water and try and let the air out of the system it blows the water all over the place out of the filler bottle like a fountain. The heaters in the car wont go warm and if i put cap on the pipes swell right up!!

Any ideas people?

Is it in need of bleeding or has my head gasket given up?

I am sorry to say that this sounds like the head gasket has gone and blowing the system up

 

[Sp!ke]

It doesnt sound good, did you run it low on water at some point?

 

[e300turbodiesel]

yes was stranded in middle of nowhere so had to drive it rather warm!!

 

[panason1c]

yes was stranded in middle of nowhere so had to drive it rather warm!!

That's the worst possible thing you could do.......You've probably written the head off due to severe warping, at worst.

 

[recycled]

yes was stranded in middle of nowhere so had to drive it rather warm!!

how warm is warm 120degrees? red zone and for how long.

you could get away with it if you bleed and flush and run it with the cap off.

 

[Dieselman]

I think you have an air lock in the system.

Before condemning the HG just refill the system again but this time ensure the heater is set to hot and keep squeezing the bottom hose.

Fill with the engine idling and filler cap off.

It will take about an hour to get all the air out and there will be a few times the header tank suddenly fills or even overflows.
If you can make an extended filler from a funnel jammed into the filler, then all the better.

 

[panason1c]

yes was stranded in middle of nowhere so had to drive it rather warm!!

Why did you need a new radiator?.....did your original rad 'blow' open?

 

[BlackC55]

Take off the top hose and fillit with water. Then drive it with the heater on.

 

[e300turbodiesel]

Why did you need a new radiator?.....did your original rad 'blow' open?

no it just had hole in it and was leaking.

 

[television]

no it just had hole in it and was leaking.

That being the case then a very slow fill up with the engine running and squeezing the large hoses,top and bottom it should go back to normal

 

[e300turbodiesel]

Garage Says Hg Is Gone So Been Quoted £600 To Repair And A Month Without The Car!!!! Is That A Good Price?

 

[television]

Garage Says Hg Is Gone So Been Quoted £600 To Repair And A Month Without The Car!!!! Is That A Good Price?

Have the garage seen the car and have you tried to fill very slowly and squeezing the large pipes

 

[Ultymate]

Something like this is very hard to diagnose from a distance but your initial post sounded more like an airlock in the cooling system. That said how sure are you of the garages diagnosis have they done a thorough cooling system pressure test. I certainly would not commit myself to a £600 charge if they've just given the car a cursory glance or diagnosed on just what you've told them. Personally I'd remove the thermostat(makes airlocks easier to clear) refill the system and see what happens, if it then seems better or ok get it pressure tested.

 

[television]

Something like this is very hard to diagnose from a distance but your initial post sounded more like an airlock in the cooling system. That said how sure are you of the garages diagnosis have they done a thorough cooling system pressure test. I certainly would not commit myself to a £600 charge if they've just given the car a cursory glance or diagnosed on just what you've told them. Personally I'd remove the thermostat(makes airlocks easier to clear) refill the system and see what happens, if it then seems better or ok get it pressure tested.

Nice to see your concerns over this and I feel the same way as you

 

[Ian B Walker]

I agree with what BlackC55 (Oliver) has posted. However get you garage to do a co2 check on the coolant before committing to a HG job. £600 is a fair price but a month? Get real. Its an 8 hour job at worst. Ok call it 2 days with head skimming etc.

 

[Ultymate]

I agree with what BlackC55 (Oliver) has posted. However get you garage to do a co2 check on the coolant before committing to a HG job. £600 is a fair price but a month? Get real. Its an 8 hour job at worst. Ok call it 2 days with head skimming etc.

Ian I have used a hydrocarbon sniffer test on many cooling systems and speaking personally found it to be a very unreliable piece of kit, not totally useless but not infallable, I personally would put more faith in a good pressure test in the hands of a good operative