Running Out of Coolant and Hot

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ju1rz

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We (wife and I) purchased a 2008 Range Rover Supercharged with 114,000 miles. Three days after purchasing the Range Rover my wife and son were waiting line to buy food when the front windshield fogged-up. My wife turned on the front defroster (heat) to clear the front windshield. At that point my wife advised smoke started bellowing from the front right side of the truck, which is near the antifreeze reservoir and the temp gauge went to the red for a short time. She then left the restaurant in a hurry to return home. We only live a couple blocks from the restaurant. While driving home the temp gauge dropped back down below the red.

Upon arriving home I immediate added radiator fluid because it was low. The next day I changed the thermostat with an OEM part. The Ranger idle twenty minutes with no problems. After about five minutes of test driving the Ranger the temp gauge went back to red. I immediately stopped the Ranger and brought it home after it cooled off. Upon returning home the coolant was low again.

The next day I ran the Ranger for twenty minutes before using Lisle 75500 Combustion Leak Detector, with negative results for a blown head gasket. The chemical stayed a dark color blue and never turned yellow. I then ran a dye through the radiator, with negative results for leaks. I then flushed the radiator to get all the dye out and clean the radiator the best I could. After filling the radiator back up with the Land Rover antifreeze I conducted the combustion test again with the Lisle Leak Detector, with negative results for a blown or leaking gasket. After driving the Ranger for approx. 20 minutes the temp gauge stayed good but I received a message that coolant needed to be added. The coolant was low again.

I'm not sure if it's the water pump, radiator, throttle body, heater plate, relay, auxiliary Electric Water Pump or it just needs to be "burped" better.

Thanks for your thoughts and help!
 

joey

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I would start by making sure it is properly "burped" normally this can take an hour or so. But I have to assume that you see no leaks.

Did you buy from a Land Rover dealer or individual? You can always call and ask if previous known issues.
 

ju1rz

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Thanks Joey for your response. I purchased the Range Rover from a used car sales business. I thought about contacting the previous owners listed on Carfax.

I did a pressure test on the coolant system with no leaks. The system maintained 16 psi for approx. 20 minutes. I then tested the plastic radiator cap, which failed. I'm going to purchase a new reservoir tank, cap and keep my fingers crossed.
 

joey

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Make sure to bleed the system well... fill with a good 50/50 mix run with heater on full till the engine is warm, shutdown and let cool. Refill repeat until you don't have to add anymore fluids.
 

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