Help Guys! Coldest weekend to date and my heating decides to pack in! Not much use when you have to drive to work at 6a.m. Now that I've thawed out...sometimes it's working, sometimes not. Not much use when you are trying to defrost the windscreen [inside as well as out!!]. When I switch the engine off, I hear a gurgling from the expansion tank..Q. how full should the expansion tank be? Is this the cause of my problem? Not enough of a mechanic to know about these things! Any help appreciated...as usual. - (#1646) Phil Jones, 17 Dec 01

Gurgling from expansion bottle doesn't sound good! When the engine cools, take off the rad cap and see how much water it takes to fill the system to the neck. Then ensure that the expansion bottle is half-full also.
Take it for a run, let it cool, check again. If the filler neck is again empty, you've got (at best) a duff rad cap, and at worst a leaking rad/ head/ gasket etc. - (#1647) david Miller, 17 Dec 01

Phil,
It sounds that you have the dreaded cooling system problem that all townie owners need to sort out. My first bit of advice would be to stop using the vehicle until you get it sorted as you are bound to exasberate the problem. Secondly the remedy is bound to be on this web site somewhere, things to check are:
Rad Cap - Must be completely airtight
Viscouse Coupling on Cooling Fan - does fan stop at high speed, take for a drive with engine cover up and watch.
You will be low on coolant hence the intermittent heating problems and tell tale gurgling sounds.
At worst it will be a head Gasket replacement and Head Skim. Good luck! - (#1650) Steve Vale, 17 Dec 01

- (#1651) Steve Vale, 17 Dec 01

Thanks for the input. I think I have a leak somewhere. Topped up before going home last night, nice & warm. Got cold again coming into work this morning! Difficult to find a leak at the moment, seeing as I get up in the dark and get home in the dark! The rad. cap upper rubber seal is pretty solid, not soft as I'd expect, so that's a possibility... failing that, I'm going to try Radweld and hope it lasts till I get under the beastie! - (#1665) Phil Jones, 18 Dec 01

DON'T put radwels in you cooling system, most of the cooling system sealants rely on clogging up whatever is causing the leak, unfortunately they also clog up the tiny waterways in the radiator, and as we all know, the Townies suffer with their cooling at the best of times. Go to your local motor factor (I don't know where you live, but if you e-mail me I might be able to tell you who stocks this product) and ask for WYNNS PROFESSIONAL COOLING SYSTEM STOP LEAK, it comes in a white metal tin, don't get fobbed off with the one in a blue plastic bottle, it isn't as powerful and this one doesn't clog up the radiator, and stands the best chance of at least temporarily curing your problem. HTH. Regards Rob. - (#1666) Rob drinkwater, 18 Dec 01

Thanks Rob...I checked the wagon out last night..I had a hose come off, so it wasn't as bad as expected [having already suffered the well known blown head gasket a couple of months ago!] - (#1669) Phil Jones, 19 Dec 01