Desperate - help and advice required please

[dominicgg]

Hi there,

I am at my wits end and would appreciate any advice please.

I bought an Autohomes Kamper about 6 weeks ago, having had it checked out by the local garage. They identified some small issues but nothing major.

When I was driving it out (prior to purchasing) I noticed that the temperature gauge was right over to the right hand side, and the coolant level indicator was flashing. I went back in and asked the garage if that should be a major concern, but they said it was probably just loose battery terminals.

Once I had bought it, I went back to the same garage to have the battery terminals replaced. This however did not resolve the issue. The levels in the expansion tank were also erratic, and the combination of these two concerned me so I took it back to the garage again.

They did various investigations (the sender unit had already been replaced before I bought it), and replaced the thermostat. This again did not resolve the issue, and now they are saying that the head gasket may be at fault. They have carried out a chemical head test (which they said was inconclusive) but they said that the system is pressurising. I am not very technical but I have bled the system. The levels in the expansion tank are now above the max level and above the filler hole, so it would appear that water is being taken from the header tank but not going back into the header tank. The garage replaced the cap for the header tank with a radiator style cap (not sure if this may be an issue) but the problem still persists. The heater is warm intermittently, but the rad feels warm once it has been left idling. The temp gauge does occasionally read true, and rises to about 3/4 after running for a while.

I am concerned at the cooling system and temp gauge not working properly, and so have only done about 40 miles in 6 weeks, and am desparate to get it resolved. Any advice would be brilliant.

Thanks.

Dom

[telsony]

sounds like airlock...put right cap on....and bleed,,

[peasant]

Find a garage who knows what they are doing ..your's quite apparently doesn't

[Damien]

Whereabouts in hants are you?

[Nicola&Tony]

What year van? Which engine?

Did the header tank have one of these on it (and did your garage fit something different)?
link to "dalek" cap

Tony

[kit]

Whereabouts in hants are you?

What Damien said?

[dominicgg]

Hi all,

Agreed - garage not too up on the T25s unfortunately, but too late now!

I am in Emsworth, half way between Portsmouth and Chichester.

No it didn't have a dalek cap - it was different looking to that - think it was brass coloured.

It is a 1983 watercooled 1900 (DG??) - sorry not too technical.

Thanks for the replies so far - just getting so desperate as got bitten buying a late bay last year so thought I would do all the right things getting it checked by a garage etc and now I am left with another vehicle I cannot drive. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[kit]

So West Sussex really there are a number of members around there I am sure they could recommend a garage.

[Meerkat]

I had the same thing and a nice rac man came and bled it take front grill of theres a bleed bolt on radiator open it up until a full flow of water comes out keep topping the tank up at the same time

[ermie571]

you need the right cap on there.
Best bet would be to get some pictures up and then folk can help.

does sound airlock though. So hopefully with the help of members, you will soon be on the road and motoring.
Welcome to the club by the way!
Em
x

[toomanytoys]

some very early DG's had a normal "radiator" type cap.. not a problem if quality one is used.. But it sounds like you garage are a bunch of halfwits.. "loose battery terminals" my frigging ass........

Forget them for anything in the future (for any vehicle).. go a see someone that actually knows something about vehicles...

BUT.. as said.. the system needs to be bled correctly.. (its in the wiki) and you need a good quality pressure cap.. if the "chemical test" was inconclusive, either they didnt do it right or there isnt a head gasket problem.. difficult to diagnose an exact cause, but could genuainly be overheating if the rad is blocked or water pump not working properly (or a combination of other factors.. )

[Hacksawbob]

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php?p ... t&Itemid=6

[dominicgg]

So the general concensus is that it is not necessarily head gasket?

I have contacted the garage and they are going to have another look - I appreciate the comments about using this garage but they did the initial inspection and have done various work so would like them to finish off.

Pointers on what to investigate next would be greatly appreciated.

[rick]

So the general concensus is that it is not necessarily head gasket?

I have contacted the garage and they are going to have another look - I appreciate the comments about using this garage but they did the initial inspection and have done various work so would like them to finish off.

Pointers on what to investigate next would be greatly appreciated.

the general concensus is that it could be a problem with any componant in the cooling system along with the coolant itself.
however, it sounds like this so called garage are taking your wallet for a walk. cut free before they bleed you dry and take it to someone that actually knows about engines .
one common sign of a head gasket problem is easy to find. its not set in stone but an easy one to check yourself.
remove the oil filler cap and see if there is any emulsified oil on the under side of it. try and deal with the minor problems first. so making absolutely sure the system is bled propperly is the place to start. if after that you still have a problem then you need to start checking all the componants in the system. process of elimination.
far better to do it yourself if possible. its not rocket science, you learn stuff and save a fortune at the same time.

[dominicgg]

Hiya,

Yes agreed but the garage ok'd the vehicle in the first place so I am asking them to do further investigations FOC. As they should have diagnosed in the first place - I think as they failed to spot it they should at least help in diagnosing the exact prob