Jeep cooling issues.

[Great War truck]

I took the Jeep out for a drive yesterday, I had not taken it out for a while. Topped up the rad as per usual and headed off. After about a mile and while going up a steep hill I quickly lost power until it stalled and had plenty of steam coming out from under the bonnet.

Under the bonnet everything was drenched. All the spark plugs were sitting in water and water was sprayed everywhere. Now it appeared that the rad cap had failed, water had come out and then been blown over everything by the fan. I let everything cool down. Wiped up the water, cleaned the plugs and dried everything off. The Jeep started up easily enough I took it the mile home and after it had cooled down put another litre of water in.

I have ordered a new rad cap today to replace the original which has always leaked water a bit. So my questions is what might have caused this? Head gasket? Any thoughts anybody?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

Edited August 8, 2016 by Great War truck

[Ian L]

I took the Jeep out for a drive yesterday, I had not taken it out for a while. Topped up the rad as per usual and headed off. After about a mile and while going up a steep hill I quickly lost power until it stalled and had plenty of steam coming out from under the bonnet.

Under the bonnet everything was drenched. All the spark plugs were sitting in water and water was sprayed everywhere. Now it appeared that the rad cap had failed, water had come out and then been blown over everything by the fan. I let everything cool down. Wiped up the water, cleaned the plugs and dried everything off. The Jeep started up easily enough I took it the mile home and after it had cooled down put another litre of water in.

I have ordered a new rad cap today to replace the original which has always leaked water a bit. So my questions is what might have caused this? Head gasket? Any thoughts anybody?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

Headgasket :cry::cry: I'll be round Wednesday evening mate.

[Gordon_M]

Thermostat and / or head gasket, but while you are checking, pull the radiator, turn it upside down, and give it a severe back-flush with a hose too.

[Great War truck]

Thanks. You are a good chap Ian. I will put the kettle on.

[Pete Ashby]

You don't say what the temperature gauge reading was Tim.

 

If it was reading 212F when your rad cap blew then it could be the result of one or a combination of the following:

 

Failing/stuck thermostat

Blown head gasket

Blocked radiator

Slipping fan belt

Failed water pump

 

If the reading was below 212F:

 

Blown head gasket

 

A compression and leak down test coupled with a vacuum gauge on the inlet manifold will confirm this.

 

Failed or missing rad cap gasket

 

Blocked or restricted overflow pipe

 

Pete

Edited August 8, 2016 by Pete Ashby
couple more options added