Newbie - expansion tank question

Post by **DavidC** » 06 Mar 2008, 09:54

Hi - my first post - great forum!

Recently got our first van, 1.7 diesel, and everything fine until the old flashing red temperature light issue on motorway. Pulled off, checked top-up tank, and as the temperature gauge needle hadn't moved from centre I carried on home - 30 miles (gently, with heater on full blast).

I've now discovered that the expansion tank wasn't full to the top, and filling it up seems to have fixed the flashing light. But now I'm worried that I shouldn't have driven it like that - am I likely to have caused any damage?

Post by **Fox McIntyre** » 06 Mar 2008, 10:46

Welcome to the forum! If the engine has not overheated, then it should be ok. Bearing in mind the entire temp gauge is the 'working scale', as long as the needle didn't go too far to the right it should be ok. The LED does both the level and overheat warning. Make sure you have BOTH tanks filled to the max marks and then warm the van up and check for leaks and if none found, give her a bleed. Do a search for radiator bleeding, its all on here. Fix any leaks though! And a word of advice: Warning lights means STOP! Even if they are a flase alert ALWAYS check. Also, I carry a few bottles of water in my van, just in case, because I know how bad these vans are, from experience (blowing off hoses, leaks from heater valves, ect..)