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2006 LR3 4.4L Coolant Steam and Overheating

27K views 31 replies 5 participants last post by  Winnmachine73 
#1 ·
Good morning.
This post has helped me tremendously over the years, thanks for all the input and experience.
I have a 2006 LR3 4.4 L with 225,000 miles on the engine and running strong thus far. Couple days ago, I started the vehicle, noticed the engine revved up to about 1000RPM, and stayed there. On driving, the truck seems sluggish didnt want to change gears, so I switch to sport to manual changed gears. About 20 mins into the drive, smoke coming from the engine and the temp gage shot up in the red. I pulled over, shut down the engine and had the vehicle towed home. Next morning, I was able to start the vehicle, popped the hood and looking for coolant leak. After about 20 mins, the temp gage was in the mid range, I noticed puff of steam from the T-Stat housing where it connects to the engine on the right side of the block. It wont steam consistently, only intermittently. I am thinking the housing is cracked and as the thermostat opens and closes to regulate the temperature, resulting in the intermittent steaming of coolant. I know I have to replace the T-Stat housing assembly and flush the system. What else could have caused this and I would appreciate any advice from you. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
#2 ·
220K is alot of miles. I would imagine most of your cooling system is pretty tired if you haven't replaced some items. There's a good chance something is leaking. You'll have to do a pressure test to find out. Make sure the cooling system is full and the engine up to operating temp. You can use water as it will all be coming out shortly. That is, unless you're doing it outside and it's cold where you're at. make sure to use the proper antifreeze on refill. It's not all the same.

Once warmed up, the entire cooling system is pressurized. The thermostat opening and closing most likely isn't contributing to an intermittent leak.

It sounds like you got the engine pretty hot. That engine does not like that. I would do as little as possible to resolve the leak and then see where you're at. There's a possibility you warped a head and popped a head gasket. If you can find the leak and get it fixed, you can do a combustion gas test on the cooling system to see if you have a head gasket problem. If you're in the clear, I would replace the radiator and every hose and repeatedly thank the automotive gods that you don't have to do head gaskets on that engine.
 
#3 ·
Good morning and thanks CTO90 for your feedback. I have regular maintenance on the vehicle and it is in good shape, I try to stay ahead of the maintenance. The radiator coolant system was flushed and new fluid added, in addition all the coolant hoses were replaced at 200K miles. After the vehicle was towed home, I wash it down and let it dry, started it up and the engine ran fine for about 10-15 mins until the temp gage in the mid range. Right about then, I can see the intermittent puff of steam/coolant from the right side of the T-Stat housing around the area where it connects to the engine block, and subsequently, the temp gage would start climbing.
 
#5 ·
The temp gauge in the dash does not accurately reflect true cooling system temperature. The needle will sit at mid-point over a pretty broad temperature range. To get true temp, you'll need either an infrared thermometer or an OBD2 tool- either a basic scan tool or one of the plug-in gauge display units.

You'll need to do the pressure test, then once you find and repair the leak, determine if further damage has been done. Auto Zone and Advance have pressure testers in their loan-a-tool inventory.

Many people, including more than a few "professionals" will dump just any coolant into any vehicle. And you will find coolant labelled as "universal" when it isn't. Yours requires a specific coolant. Make sure you use that. Radiators don't last forever. The unit on your truck operates at a somewhat higher pressure than those of years past. This puts additional stresses on it. They also will corrode internally and often begin to clog. At that age and mileage, your radiator may not be performing well. If I lived somewhere that hot, I'd consider replacing it as a precaution. It's cheap insurance. A head gasket job on that truck would be likely cost more than half the vehicle's value.
 
#7 ·
Ian, thanks.
Here is an Update - I replaced the T-stat housing and restore the system. I started the vehicle and the temp stayed in the mid range on the gauge. I decided to take it for a spin around the block and noticed that the temp would climb as the vehicle is accelerating in speed. I turned the heat on and the temp came back down in the mid range. I stopped at the store, shut the rover down and got some water, started it again and came home. I noticed when accelerating, the temp climb, slowed down and the temp back in the mid range and stayed there until I got home. I open the bonnet and no leaks. I have to replaced the bleeder valve, a while back the plastic bleeder broke and I used a straight piece of pipe to connect the hose. Is this indicative of air in the system? I back off the bleeder on the reservior as well, it ran for about 5 mins at idle and stayed in the mid range.
 
#10 ·
Some times it takes a while to get the air out of the system. Having air in it can cause the issues you are describing. Try going for a run and then releasing the reservoir cap straight away after stopping the motor. Watch out that you do not burn yourself on the coolant if it escapes. But the release of pressure from the system will "burp" it and get a lot of the air out.
If you have water in the system rather than glycol coolant, you will notice more rapid heat increase when accelerating.
Turning the heater on is just adding additional cooling capacity. It could highlight a thermostat or radiator issue.
 
#12 ·
The bleed screw in the tee is the high point in the cooling system. Without it, the system will probably continue to trap air. BMW uses the exact same piece and it's not unusual for trapped air so block the circulation of coolant at higher temps. In short, you need it.

Part of the coolant refill procedure is to turn on max heat and once warm, run the engine at higher rpm for a bit. Then bleed. You may have to do this a couple times to get it all. I have a fixture that screws into that tee that I connect to a venturi vacuum source. It lets you power-fill the cooling system in one shot.
 
#15 ·
Good afternoon and thanks for your advice and recommendation CT090 and Ian. Ian, I am please to report that I followed your recommendation regards to bleeding the system. After popping the coolant reservoir cap, it gurgled for a bit and the fluid level dropped. I ran the vehicle between 2500 and 3000 RPM, the gauge fluctuated between the mid range and about 3/4. Cold air was coming out of the vent system. I popped the cap twice and the fluid gurgled and the level lowered. I refill about 1.5 gals and about the 2nd time, warm/hot air started to come out of the vents. The needle stabilized and stayed just below the 1/2 way mark on temp gauge. I took it for a spin and got up to about 70/80 MPH, the gauge stayed steady. Got back home and checked for leaks - none. Popped the cap on the reservoir again and it stayed just above the fill line. I appreciate all your help and the time you take to review and provide feedback - you are both amazing individuals helping to guide us novices and give us a bit of piece of mind, even when the news is not that good, however, at least we have an idea what we are into. God bless you both and your families. Now, the next job I need to do is to replace the reservoir, reading from the posts, I may have a float switch that is saturated and lowered in the reservoir. Thanks again for all your time to review and provide feedback. I know it is very much appreciated.
 
#16 ·
Also, on a another note, I will be doing my rotors and brakes on this vehicle...2006 LR3. I would like to go a bit on the performance side, with minimal brake dust. I see there are some compatible rotors with the holes drilled and ceramic brake pads. Would you kindly review and give some recommendations. Thanks in advance.
 
#21 ·
It really depends on what you class as a performance brake. For example, brake pads used in race cars are useless when cold, yet they are the ultimate "performance" brakes. Holes and slots give better performance on-road, but fill up with dirt and mud off-road. Brakes are not a one size fits all situation. You need to better identify in what situations you want them to "perform".
For example, in my ute I use a hard pad that will not overheat when being used a lot off-road. They are not particularly good for the first few stops of the day until they get some temp into them. In my wife's disco I use softer pads that give better stopping when cold and around town, but can get too hot off-road.

Then you have to think about all your electronic controls that were designed for the standard brake setup. Like traction control, ABS, hill descent, stability controls, etc. What affect will making dramatic changes to the braking system will have on these. Down here it would actually be illegal to change the braking system on a vehicle with stability control.
 
#17 ·
You'll probably have to pick one or the other- power or dust.

The Akebono ceramics work great and they're not too bad on dust. I've never had any sort of luck with drilled or slotted rotors on anything other than a performance vehicle. We tried them on our f250's and all we got was pulsation and poor wear. I've put them on my M5 and got exactly the same, plus grabby performance unless really hot.

Your best upgrade would be to replace the rubber lines between the frame and calipers with braided stainless. You'll see a marked improvement. And, they don't put off dust, wear out or cause pulsation.
 
#19 ·
Ian says he knows more than LR engineering and he's probably right.

Ian, being a professional mechanic, when you're done with a customer's car, do you give them back a little package of all the extra parts that you figured weren't necessary, or do you just hang onto those?
 
#20 ·
Your a real dick. Every post I state that it is desirable to have the bleed screw. I certainly do not recommend removing it or that it should not be there. I have just said, and proven to be correct, that you can still get the system bleed without it. It just takes longer. My solution is not good for a dealer or other mechanic who wants to get it bleed in one go and get it back out of their workshop.
 
#23 ·
So when I refer to performance, I meant braking with a trailer in tow. I have a construction company and tow a trailer at least once or twice a week. However, I am more interested in minimizing brake dust more than anything. The pads I have on the truck work just fine. The rotors and pads were replaced in 2014, so I would like to be proactive and replace now rather than wait to hear the grinding noise. So I would like some recommendation on pads and rotors that would minimize brake dust.
 
#27 ·
Good morning and thanks for the feedback. Got it on the brakes/performance/dust issue. The brakes I have on the LR3 now worked just fine. Also, I found the crack on the T-stat housing, it was on the lower right side where it connects to the engine block. This is where I was seeing the intermittent puff of steam. All is good and thanks again for all your reviews and suggestions.
 
#28 ·
A couple of parting suggestions:

I would keep a close eye on temps and coolant reservoir levels over the next few weeks. These engines are notorious for losing head gaskets when overheated. With luck, you dodged the bullet and all will be fine. But, if you have a problem, it's better to catch it before it becomes a much bigger one.

I would also recommend one of the multi-gauges that plug into the OBDII port. They have a function that allows you to set an alarm. The temp gauge doesn't begin to move until you're already deep into a problem. The early warning might save you an engine- for under $100.
 
#29 ·
Good morning. Good point CT090 and Yes, everytime I drive since the replacement of the T-Stat housing, I have been keeping an eye on the gauge. Thanks for the advice for the gauge on the OBDII port. Is this the same as the scanner tool or is there a different gauge you recommend. Any brand name?
 
#30 ·
A scan tool is for extracting codes from the engine ECU. The more advanced one's are capable of reading live data coming from various sensors, including temperature.

The gauge I was recommending plugs into the same port and does some of the same things, but its primary purpose is to supply a dynamic readout and warning alarms to the driver.

The one most people on this board recommend and use is this: https://www.scangauge.com/ Another is the Ultragauge.

Rover, as with their previous parent, BMW, uses a gauge that really isn't a gauge. It's an indicator light with a needle. It is not displaying a dynamic readout of the true engine temperature. It sits in the middle once up to operating temperature. Your engine could increase by 20 degrees and the needle won't move. If you popped a lower radiator hose on the highway, you probably wouldn't know until your motor was cooked. The Scangauge gives an audible warning on any input you select at whatever setpoint you choose. I'm not sure, but the LR3 may be able to provide trans temp data. That would be of particular use to you, pulling a trailer.
 
#31 ·
Hi, everyone

First of all, I love my 2006 Range Rover 4.4 HSE. so far 140000 miles on the one I am using since 2012. Besides the usual maintenance which, I am able to do because of previous mechanical knowledge; I practically have no major problem with it.
I have gone thru the most common codes and even air suspension leaks. Some I come to understand and deal with. I am currently replacing most of the cable: Door, hood, tailgate etc... when they fail

I love the car so much, that I recently purchased another one from a friend with an overheating problem. So far, the radiator seems to be fine. The Thermostat is replaced. There is no leak that I can detect, The car has 147000 on the clock. I am told that the initial problem had to do with the water pump and was replaced.

Symptom: The car will run for 20-30 minutes at normal temperature before the fan accelerates and the temperature gauge starts moving very fast to the red zone." I usually turn off the car by then"

I do my best to bleed the system correctly on a few occasion

I am afraid that I am dealing with a blown head gasket. Any comments or advice will be greatly appreciated.
 
#32 ·
I want to thank you as well and Ian and the other people who helped with this. I can into the same issue. I had a coolant leak and it was a broken bleed valve. I am not a car guy. I'm the first to admit that cars are an area of expertise that I am sorely lacking in. A friend of mine who is quite handy when it comes to fixing cars came over and we found the broken bleed valve. We replaced it with a brass connection and skipped ordering in the specific Land Rover part. After we got done, it looked like the job was finished so my buddy went home. On my 2nd errand out, the LR3 overheated. I thought perhaps the heat had damaged something else but i came across this thread. It look me several cycles of driving and then "burping" air from the coolant reservoir cap. I have an insulated neoprene glove but I didn't need it. I was careful and I didn't allow any coolant to bubble out and it didn't get too hot because I bleed it slowly. I hadn't tried by heater because we've had a warm spell here in Utah but after reading this thread I turned it on and - sure enough - no hot air. After 3 or 4 cycles, I started feeling hot air. On the final one, it sucked all of the coolant from the reserve reservoir (sorry if that is the wrong term). I added a bit more coolant and ran the cycle one more time to be safe - no air came out. I've drive for over 50 miles running some errands and I am happy to report everything is running smoothly. I really appreciate the time that people take to help out others. We hear a lot about how people don't get along and how divided we are and that may be true in certain areas. But this shows that there are still plenty of people willing to help out one another with no expectation of getting paid or compensated with anything more than those people's appreciation. I know you all have mine. Thanks and I wish you all the best!
 
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