i got my petrol 2.0 auto townace only ten days ago,and found this excellent site shortly after.i was ignorant of the overheating problem when i bought it,and consequently drove it 35 miles home down the m1,at up to 90mph!!i wouldn`t have done this if i knew how much i was tempting fate!!no problems getting home though.it`s an E reg,imported in 1997 with 2 owners and 145000 km,£800 it cost me,after knocking the guy down from £1000.he only sold because he`s got a newer one on his drive.it had various small faults with doors,central locking,missing trim,etc but it has tidied up quite nicely,and i`ve got the minor faults sorted.it starts first time,doesn`t smoke.the coolant level dropped an inch or so,with the level in the expansion tank rising accordingly.it doesn`t siphon back in,though when the engine cools,so first thing will be to check the seal of all relevant pipes,then the rad cap.has anyone tried the toyota rad cap for vehicles before 1990?
thanks
jamie white

- (#8695) jamie white, 21 Feb 04 12:49

May be the rad cap, but check that the inner pipe in the expansion tank does not fold up when the engine tries to draw back, or indeed if there is a tube there at all? If it is soft and slimey change it.
Petrol Aces are not as likely to have an overheating problem/knackered head/hole in wallet as the Diesel ones.

- (#8695) Clive (Bristol), 21 Feb 04 13:38