jim6669jim
LVC Member
2000 LS V8 115K miles.
Began sporadic overheating about 2 years ago, once every few months.
Replaced the thermostat housing "T" (high pressure leak) , thermostat (broken ), coolant overflow tank cap / '"radiator cap" ( leaked at 5 psi). Finally replaced the over flow tank itself. The metal coolant pickup tube had fallen down inside and it was just sucking air in after cooldown.
The car would not overheat until after several cool-downs over a day or two.
With the new coolant tank, the coolant level drops 1-2" within an hour or two of shutting off the hot engine. The old one, the level stayed the same.
I also could see the missing metal "L" shaped tube once the rubber coolant hose was removed from the upper inlet nipple. The metal tube extends to about 2 or 3" below the lower coolant mark in the tank. This is how it is able to suck coolant back out.
Another poster said they didn't get any coolant out the air bleed when doing th eair bleed procedure. That happened to me once too when I forgot to put the coolant reservoir 'degas' tank cap back on. Pressure in the tank must be needed to push coolant out the bleed. The cap could also have a leak, or a crack in the tank.
The only hard part of tank replacement is the lower hose.
I found a metal tool , 1 foot long with a 1/8" hole at the end.
I held the tool on the tab of the firewall hose-clamp, and with Vise-Grips, rotated the clamp 30* to get access with pliers.
A hacksaw blade would work.
Thanks very much to all the LS owners who have posted detailed threads and pictures. I could not have fixed this problem without your help.
The poster who advised replacing all plastic coolant parts at the first sign of trouble is wise.
Began sporadic overheating about 2 years ago, once every few months.
Replaced the thermostat housing "T" (high pressure leak) , thermostat (broken ), coolant overflow tank cap / '"radiator cap" ( leaked at 5 psi). Finally replaced the over flow tank itself. The metal coolant pickup tube had fallen down inside and it was just sucking air in after cooldown.
The car would not overheat until after several cool-downs over a day or two.
With the new coolant tank, the coolant level drops 1-2" within an hour or two of shutting off the hot engine. The old one, the level stayed the same.
I also could see the missing metal "L" shaped tube once the rubber coolant hose was removed from the upper inlet nipple. The metal tube extends to about 2 or 3" below the lower coolant mark in the tank. This is how it is able to suck coolant back out.
Another poster said they didn't get any coolant out the air bleed when doing th eair bleed procedure. That happened to me once too when I forgot to put the coolant reservoir 'degas' tank cap back on. Pressure in the tank must be needed to push coolant out the bleed. The cap could also have a leak, or a crack in the tank.
The only hard part of tank replacement is the lower hose.
I found a metal tool , 1 foot long with a 1/8" hole at the end.
I held the tool on the tab of the firewall hose-clamp, and with Vise-Grips, rotated the clamp 30* to get access with pliers.
A hacksaw blade would work.
Thanks very much to all the LS owners who have posted detailed threads and pictures. I could not have fixed this problem without your help.
The poster who advised replacing all plastic coolant parts at the first sign of trouble is wise.