Renault Espace (2002 - ) - 04 3.0 help fast!!! engine not cooling well | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Tue 25 Aug 2009 20:29

04 3.0 help fast!!! engine not cooling well - punchbag

Hi, (and help) My 54 3.0 v6 initial GE with 67k on, is boiling water better than a kettle! It is not showing fault lights tho and i only know because you can see where its spitting out from the water filler cap on the expansion box. the dashboard shows normal heat of 5 bars. Its getting rid of it fast under load (ie MWay driving) but not from anywhere else, just the filler cap. its on tight and im assured its not faulty. Renault garage (and im in cz rep on hols so its all going through the wife as translator.....) cannot find a fault yet as its not actually leaking from anywhere when cold but they seem rather keen to change the cylinder head etc. why would they want to do that?
could it be something simple like a dirty radiater from motorway mileage? unlikely i think. normal daily routine back in uk is pootling about to the rellys who only live up the road + we only do abou 7000 miles a year. HELP!!!! got to get back to uk on tuesday next week.
and also, does anyone want a great second hand car............only joking.

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Tue 25 Aug 2009 21:42

04 3.0 help fast!!! engine not cooling well - SpamCan61 {P}

Sounds like your head gasket ( well one of them) has failed between cylinder and coolant system, pressurising the latter. Get the coolant header tank checked with an emissions tester for exhaust gasses to make sure.

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Tue 25 Aug 2009 22:21

04 3.0 help fast!!! engine not cooling well - punchbag

have to say I noticed, and wiped out with a cloth, some blackening in the expansion tank (water filler) yesterday before it went into garage. Could point to your theory of exhaust gasses getting into the water cooling system. So what we are saying is that the car is not actually overheating as such just that the water is being pressurised and blown out of the filler cap. This would explain why the temp gauge isnt registering an increase in temp (as there isnt one). If left to fully discharge it would of course once all water has been pushed out of the system; so its not a cooling system fault as such but a head gasket. Would you like to ruin whats left of a miserable day by suggesting how few ice creams i will be able to buy the kids now as these tend not to be cheap fixes? But actually, thanks for the quick input, much appreciated.

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Tue 25 Aug 2009 23:08

04 3.0 help fast!!! engine not cooling well - Victorbox

Blackening of expansion tank could be oil in coolant, again pointing to a failed head gasket.

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Tue 25 Aug 2009 23:18

04 3.0 help fast!!! engine not cooling well - punchbag

thanks again men, not good news but i appreciate the input.

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