**no10Chris:
Most head gasket fails seem to be caused by people not using the correct, if any, antifreeze.
It eats the gaskets away between the cylinder and waterways**.
Do you mean they don't use the correct antifreeze for ally blocks/heads Chris ?
(Bit of a long-standing argument with folks saying 'antifreeze is antifreeze' !!)
If there wasn't different ones, then I might say there the same.
Theres certainly a different antifreeze recommended for ally engines, the actual antifreeze doesn't really wear out, it's the corrosion inhibitors that break down, something to do with silicates ( if I remember correctly ) I use oat ( organic acid tech ) antifreeze, seems to be what is used in ally blocks,
Chris
PM sent.
Had a chat with my local 4x4 man and he says same thing about corrosion. Also reckons that it depends on which head gasket has been used s well as the anti-freeze. Later gaskets (composite?) and wrong or infrequently changed anti-freeze being bad in his experience.
Clive
On various places (forums) I've read many posts about HOATS and OATS. In the shop when buying stuff I cannot recognise which is what without knowing brands and the salesman just wants to sell coolant ready to use. I always buy good old anti freeze, the green stuff to mix 50/50 with water (purists say use demineralized water).
Found this - something to memorise to upset the chaps in Halfords... (?)
" For many years, since the demise of Methanol based antifreeze that was traditionally only added just before winter, blue/green or yellow Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) has been the mainstay of the coolant market. However Ford vehicles since 08/98 have been filled with coolant combining Monoethylene glycol with Organic Additive Technology (OAT) corrosion inhibitors.
There are important differences between standard MEG and MEG with OAT. It does not contain silicates, nitrates, nitrites, borates, phosphates or amines so that:
· Without silicates, silicate gel or "green goo" does not form.
· By eliminating phosphates, hard water scale is reduced.
· Without silicates, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites and borates, abrasive dissolved acids are greatly reduced thereby diminishing water pump seal failures.
· Without amines and nitrites, there is no potential formation of nitrosamines.
All of this results in a considerably longer life span, whilst providing improved protection of all cooling system metals, including aluminium. Benefits over conventional silicate based coolants are:
· Improved water pump life due to reduced water pump seal wear.
· Fewer abrasive dissolved solids.
· Reduced hard water scale.
· Virtually no deterioration of heat transfer capacity during service life.
· Excellent protection against high temperature and pitting corrosion.
· No silicate gel formation during storage or use.
· Effective long-term corrosion protection for aluminium, brass, cast iron, steel, solder and copper alloys.
· Long effective service life of up to 10 years or 150,000 miles.
The two types of coolant should not be mixed. Vehicles filled with MEG will have coolant coloured blue, green or yellow. MEG with OAT additives will have coolant coloured Orange (Ford) or red."
https://www.opieoils.co.uk/pdfs/tech-articles/coolant-antifreeze.pdf
(Starting to wonder now though if it is conspiracy to force us to drain/refill just to be sure.....)
Sorry about the hijack, probably should just have started a new thread (?)
Whut? The OAT red stuff lasts 10 years?
Shame mine was just pumped out of a cracked radiator stub :(
So Clive
Did you have a look at the Vogue that I passed you the details on? What did you think, in the flesh?
Hi Mark
Hopefully get to look at it next week if I can sort things out with Ben.
If I buy it plan is to have Chris do the heads then I need to find good home for my big red beast now that Mike has gone all funny and bought a VW Toerag. Sounds a OK ish buy and gets me off the expert (???) consultants seat. Which didn't stop him bending my ear on t'dog'n bone for half an hour this afternoon about the aftermarket tablet thingy its got in the dash.
What happens really depends on what the green one is like underneath. Big Red needs a good going over with a wire brush underneath followed by painting and his front disks skimmed to get the MoT man and his advisories off my case. Can get his headlining done local for £300 odd and he's pretty much set to go up to 100,000 miles on normal maintenance. Financially it looks close to a wash after budgeting for airbags et al that are certain to be needed on the green one in the next 5,000 to 10,000 miles. Going to boil down to how much I want Vogue creature comforts and how much I don't want to be crawling under on scrubbing duties.
Glad your wanderer has finally made it to safe harbour and looks to be sound.
Clive
I think Ben is a lamb amongst sheep in the digitally empowered world.
You could save yourself a few bob on skimming costs and new pads by going with something like these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Range-Rover-P38-Front-Brake-Disc-Mintex-Brake-Pad-Kit-/371537716372?
And for the headlining:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232160090471?
Hi Mark
Disk skimming is a DIY job for me as both my lathes can swing a Rangie disk. Probably use the Pratt & Whitney as that has a lower bottom speed. Just need to remove the wear ridge really. Got new factory disks and new pads for front and rear at a very good price shortly after I got the car but front pads are lasting very well. Rears were shot.
Saw the headline refurb service on E-bay. Very good price but by the time I've driven down there and back fuel costs for 400 odd miles means it comes out about the same.
Clive
Random question, but did anything come of the ebay Rangie? I'm vaguely in the market for one now.
I'll be vaguely selling one of mine in a couple of weeks!
mace wrote:
Random question, but did anything come of the ebay Rangie? I'm vaguely in the market for one now.
mace wrote:
Random question, but did anything come of the ebay Rangie? I'm vaguely in the market for one now.
Good to see you on :-)