still have coolent problem with Nanni

J

jamie langstone

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 Dec 2013
Messages
526
Visit site
Still have a coolent problem with my Nanni 4.390TDI basically i fill coolant level to the correct level and i go for a day out in carm weather the coolant stays in the heat exchanger but if it is a rough day it dumps some water out of the Heat exchanger which leaves it very low.The engine never over heats when this happens.
There is also no water in the oil and i have changed the heat exchanger cap as this did not look its best for a new one . I have read past post with this engine that the water was getting dumped out of the heat exchanger at 2200 revs but this is not happening to mine and the reason that was happening was due to a cracked head but if my head was cracked then surely it would happen every time i go out. Another report i have read is that sea water was getting in to the heat exchanger and pressurizing it which then dumped the coolant water. But again surely if this was the case then it would happen every time and also the coolant level would be full and not empty.

My thinking is that when it is rough the engine is under more strain which generates more compression and then which forces gases to enter the heat exchanger and end result a pressurized heat exchanger.

what thoughts do people have or has any one had the same issue.

Thanks Jamie :confused:
 
jamie langstone said:
Still have a coolent problem with my Nanni 4.390TDI basically i fill coolant level to the correct level and i go for a day out in carm weather the coolant stays in the heat exchanger but if it is a rough day it dumps some water out of the Heat exchanger which leaves it very low.The engine never over heats when this happens.
There is also no water in the oil and i have changed the heat exchanger cap as this did not look its best for a new one . I have read past post with this engine that the water was getting dumped out of the heat exchanger at 2200 revs but this is not happening to mine and the reason that was happening was due to a cracked head but if my head was cracked then surely it would happen every time i go out. Another report i have read is that sea water was getting in to the heat exchanger and pressurizing it which then dumped the coolant water. But again surely if this was the case then it would happen every time and also the coolant level would be full and not empty.

My thinking is that when it is rough the engine is under more strain which generates more compression and then which forces gases to enter the heat exchanger and end result a pressurized heat exchanger.

what thoughts do people have or has any one had the same issue.

Thanks Jamie :confused:
Click to expand...

Have you got an expansion bottle fitted ?
 
Taste the water in the header tank, if it's sweet then then that is your anti freeze/inhibitor, if it's salty then there's your answer. Also to check head gasket, remove filler cap start engine ans watch the flow of water, it may fly up out the filler hole as soon as the engine fires (residual pressure) or as the thermostat opens you will see needle bubbles crossing the tank, if so then suspect head gasket Can you see where the water might be going? i.e stains on block or cooling system parts, even a loose or broken clip? or perished rubber tubes and pipe work. On our ancient Fords the book says fill to within 2 inches of filler neck.
 
Last edited:
omega2 said:
Taste the water in the header tank, if it's sweet then then that is your anti freeze/inhibitor, if it's salty then there's your answer. Also to check head gasket, remove filler cap start engine ans watch the flow of water, it may fly up out the filler hole as soon as the engine fires (residual pressure) or as the thermostat opens you will see needle bubbles crossing the tank, if so then suspect head gasket Can you see where the water might be going? i.e stains on block or cooling system parts, even a loose or broken clip? or perished rubber tubes and pipe work. On our ancient Fords the book says fill to within 2 inches of filler neck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info a few things to try . The manual does not specify where the level of water should be on the 4.390TDI but it does on the T4 which i think is the later engine.
 
just had a chat with a technical guy at peachmant and he seems to think i could do with expansion tank to allow for the expansion and he said they should have fitted one when they designed the engine. Or do think it is another way of getting a few pennies off me.
 
jamie langstone said:
just had a chat with a technical guy at peachmant and he seems to think i could do with expansion tank to allow for the expansion and he said they should have fitted one when they designed the engine. Or do think it is another way of getting a few pennies off me.
Click to expand...

this sounds a logical step to take, and surely one of the cheaper mods to do, shouldn't be that expensive...


any good? You can get for half the price, but this has a slight glass, something you might find helpful!"
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5L-Universal-Aluminium-Alloy-Radiator-Header-Expansion-Tank-/251466308005?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a8c8f59a5
 
Last edited:
Well it seems that after trying a few things with regards to my coolant problem it looks like i have a failed head gasket or a cracked head. Looking at a few 4x4 forums it seems that the Toyota 1kz engine is well known for having cracked heads on the forth cylinder and my nanni is based on this engine. There are plenty of air bubbles in the heat exchanger when i looked in the filler neck. So as they say off with the head.
 
head is off

jamie langstone said:
Well it seems that after trying a few things with regards to my coolant problem it looks like i have a failed head gasket or a cracked head. Looking at a few 4x4 forums it seems that the Toyota 1kz engine is well known for having cracked heads on the forth cylinder and my nanni is based on this engine. There are plenty of air bubbles in the heat exchanger when i looked in the filler neck. So as they say off with the head.
Click to expand...

Well i have taken the head off and i have done a dye test to see if there is and cracks on the head face but none were found. Not the beast picture of head.
photo(1).jpg
I now am going to send to an engineers to have it pressure tested to see if there are any internal cracks and also have the head skimmed if there are no internal defects found. I have found by looking at several forums that the AMC heads have a good reputation and are a lot cheaper that the nanni dealer so if all else fails I can get a new head for a around £850 . But hopefully the head will be ok and it will be just a matter of getting a new head gasket set and fitting the head back on.
 
Good news with the head i took it to Banda engineering and they done a pressure test and confirmed there was no crack. They completed a full overhall of the head for a small sum of £120 . I managed to source a head kit and head bolts and also all the service parts for my engine from http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/?doc=16&cid=1030&vid=1368 with out the Nanni dealer prices. The head is back on and all bolted down but i am waiting for a few gaskets from the Nanni Dealer for the heat exchanger and intercooler. I hope to run the engine early in the week .
 
jamie langstone said:
Good news with the head i took it to Banda engineering and they done a pressure test and confirmed there was no crack. They completed a full overhall of the head for a small sum of £120 . I managed to source a head kit and head bolts and also all the service parts for my engine from http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/?doc=16&cid=1030&vid=1368 with out the Nanni dealer prices. The head is back on and all bolted down but i am waiting for a few gaskets from the Nanni Dealer for the heat exchanger and intercooler. I hope to run the engine early in the week .
Click to expand...

Hope all goes well.

John G
 
All resolved the engine runs a treat and for a lot less money than i budgeted for. I went for a test run and all seemed ok so i am back in action. so bring on those weekend away with the family and friends and a few beers to go with. :)
 
Good result, well done :)
Milners off-road is another good company to deal with, I used to use them as well as Roughtrax when I had a Toyota Surf.
 
Hi Jamie

I think I may have the same problem - ten hours voyaging at 1200 rpm, coolant all still in place. Two hours voyaging at 2800 rpm - best part of 3 litres of coolant spat out of overflow tube. It's burning a bit of oil over time, too. When you took the head off, was there any sign that the gasket had blown? Also, forgive my mechanical ignorance, did you have to take the head apart (camshaft, valves etc) to have it serviced - or was it a relatively simple procedure - head off as a unit/head back on as a unit. I could handle that ok but I've been looking at the Nanni workshop manual and it makes things look very complicated! Is it something a reasonably practical person could manage? Finally, did the repair work long term - is it still ok?
 
Hello Jamie, i just found this thread because a mate has exactly the same problem and we are hesitant to remove the whole Head if it’s not the problem. Can you please let me know if the repair worked in the long term and/or if it was just an expansion tank problem.
 
I have recently had the same problem, see the October 13 message. I had replaced the thermostat and the header tank pressure cap - still pumped out coolant. So I reluctantly took the head off. Two cracks in the head at cylinder number 4. But worse than that, the coolant had obviously been sucked into the cylinder because the head, the piston and the bore are all corroded. Unfortunately so badly that I am now faced with having to take the whole engine out to see if I can get the bore rebored or sleeved. So, based on that experience, I would say probably take the head off sooner rather than later?
Big thanks to Jamie Langstone for your practical encouragement, by the way!
Nanni-4.390_cracked_cylinder_head.jpg
 
The dreaded four cyclinder cracks hits again.
As said over the phone i think that AMC do a head for the engine and if you are geeting new valves there are 2 types , the valve stem length are differant in size.
Is it worth thinking about getting a second hand engine as they are the same as the engine they used in the Toyota hi lux and pardo 4x4 -1kz engine .
It may work out cheaper if you just bolt on the marinised parts from your engine.
best of luck on the repair.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

ianc1200
Sureseal shaft seal.
2
Replies
20
Views
506
ianc1200
ianc1200

Share this page

Top