Club 80-90 Forums

Hiya I'm fairly new to T3 ownership, i just picked up my JX Westy Multivan today infact! Have to say thanks to the fellow forum member who stopped and had a chat with me at Burton in Lonsdale services sorry didnt get your name.

I test drove it last week and other than it being abit crusty on the lower 6" it drove like a wedge shaped dream.

So fast forward to today. I got halfway home and the temp light started flashing. The gauge was just past half way so I pulled over as it didn't stop flashing. I loosened the darlek on the expansion tank and some coolant came out no like a geyser just a dribble. I got a clean cloth and sucked up the excess from the tank. Checked the header tank and there was plenty in it but it wasn't as hot as that in the expansion tank is that right?

So i went for a drink and a look round the services and let the engine cool just incase. The van started and ran ok and the temp needle had dropped down to a quarter from the stop but after aboit a min the temp light started so i pulled over again and pulled the line off the dalek and was suprised there was no coolant sprayin out?

So anyway i nursed it home and the needle never went passed alf way but the flashing persisted.

For that problem I will try. Temp sensor then thermostat then water pump?

I seem to oil coming out of my turbo not terrible but there is a stain around it various oily parts around the engine pooling on the bottom plate. One of them is causing tiny flecks of oil to spat out the back or it could be something much worse (oil getting in the exhaust side of engine). There is no smoke on start up. There is abit of smoke under load but ok at idle.

Plus I have a hot starting issue cranks fine but wont catch. What should i rule out first?

sort of think this should maybe be in electrical ??
anyhows , you shouldnt really remove dalek cap with hot engine as you will often loose fluid,there is a simple method of bleeding etc but as usual i cant find it........................but in your case you shoyuld have held a few Krpm and noted the level going down a bit then top up and refit cap then let revs off,
top up tank should be up to line (sort of 1/3 full) you didnt see water/hot water in the line as the dalek opens to allow hot water to expand into the top up tank and when cooling a correctll working cap will allow the water to flow back into main tank,
i forget how thye light systerm works but the one on the main tank is a level one and the temp is back of block? forget if they work in unison but when ever turning ign on they do flash for a period.
mm
oh and buy your dalek cap from mr baxster as the cheapo or not so cheap ones are crap and cause major issues

If the temp light was flashing but temp was not too hot on gauge, it could be just low coolant level as that is what the LED does.
That flashing light won't stop flashing - even if you top the coolant up - until you turn the ignition off and back on again.

Of course, that is just the reset function, and if coolant level is low and/or the coolant level circuit is faulty, then it will just start flashing again.
( This is how my '89 petrol operates anyway and if I am wrong and it differs on a JX, then someone will say here. )

If you are sure you have enough coolant and are confident the system has been bled correctly, then just remove the relay 42/43 to test.
If with the relay out, the light comes on flashing and still doesn't turn off, then it's the temp gauge IMO.
If with the relay out, the light comes on and blinks for a few seconds then turns off and stays off, then it's the coolant level circuit.

That's what I would do. Happy to be told I am wrong if the operation of the JX system differs from a petrol.



P.S. Welcome to the world of T25s....

Thanks for the replies guys. There is also a chugging that sounds like a pump on the go slow. 'Cha-kunk cha-kunk cha-kunk' i was thinking it was the water pump but could be just guessing. I deal with alot of old pumps at work and it sounds similar.

stys0n84 wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. There is also a chugging that sounds like a pump on the go slow. 'Cha-kunk cha-kunk cha-kunk' i was thinking it was the water pump but could be just guessing. I deal with alot of old pumps at work and it sounds similar.

I'm not sure what a Jx should sound like mate.
You could post a 1 minute video of it running so other Jx owners can advise.

Then post some pics of the leaks.

It won't help me assist you in those areas, but I am sure other Jx owners will see it and chip in.
Aside from that, you will need to know if you are leaking oil and coolant. The stains could be old etc.

Get the video and pics up for more detail

Hi Mate,

It was me you met in the services yesterday...glad you got it home ok...it wasn't looking the greatest yesterday for getting home. As I said yesterday I don't know that much about your engine variant.

To me the flashing dash light was the coolant low light indicator, as someone above says you need to find out if that is just a sensor issue. Secondly I don't think your fan was cutting in, or it certainly hadn't when I spoke to you. It was a hot day (even in Cumbria) and I would have expected it to kick in where the needle had got to...mine certainly does (but could be gauge variation etc).

I know what you meant about that chugging sound, it was in a fairly consistent rhythm...I would have said you were on the right lines investigating water pump. Also as metalmickey said...be careful when bleeding the system etc.

Hope to see you about at some point.

Cheers

Marcus

YO!

Well today I did some servicing on Gunter. (me van) I swore i'd never name me van as it was such a soft thing to do but the rusty "bar-steward" is growing on me!

Anyway I changed the oil and it seems I supposedly have a two plug synchro sump? There are two sump plugs one on the rear of the sump and one on the front. They were both 13mm heads with a short thread and neither had a bloody washer on! so I did the oil change and swapped for correct plugs and washers thats one/two leaks sorted.

Only 3l of oil came out and it was black as night and just nasty. I contemplated putting a flushing oil through but with it being a 140k engine i didnt want to risk dislodging some crap that was attached to worn parts and filled them and cause more problems. I changed filter and used Total 5000 15-40w mineral oil was 20 quid for 5l which I thought was decent.

Also put some diesel redex in the fuel tank was looking for specified injector cleaner but supposedly does this too. Probably snake oil but was 4 quid. Seemed to fire out a fair bit of whitey/gray smoke after adding this so maybe shifting something afterall.
.
Also got the Air Box out and gave it good clean as was full of "pooh" and fitted a fresh filter also the cold air side has what I can only describe as crumbling tumble dryer vent hose hanging off it so i've tidied that up as best I can and will get some fresh proper ducting. Also the rear bracket for the air box had previously snapped off and someone had stuck it together with expanding foam... So I removed the bolts on the bracket base with a 19mm socket after removing the bodging foam and the proper shock absorbing foam. They were a mission to do as the heads are that shallow it is hard to get purchase.

After an hour i'd got them removed and I swapped it for a new bolt with spacers and a flat washer to mimic the old fitting, again something I will have to replace with the proper stuff but it got me back on the road.

So when all that was done I went on a tip run in the old girl. Performed admirably. no over heating no temp light.Only thing was the battery light came on after started up could be alternator belt related or wiring.
Ended having a blast around the countryside for 45mins total trip.

Had a brainwave about the hot starting, old turbos like to idle after a run before you switch off. So I let it idle for a few minutes when I parked up then shut it off put the ignition to position 1, waited for the glowplugs then turned the key and bosch fired right up.

Whoa sorry for the saga.