So I've happened upon a '96 transit.
Went to look at it one week, picked it up the next... I drove it home to Derbyshire from Birmingham.
Got home (85miles) and realised itd got no coolant (well, it had, when squidgying the pipes it'd pump through to the res, so some in system, just nowhere near full). Immediately I go and pick up some coolant. Fill it up. Leave engine running a while. Notice there's seepage from the coolant housing. Not peeing out, just seeping.
Fast forward a few days, I drove it up and down a nat speed road, just to give it a run out, eyeball the coolant & refuel. No issue.
Fast forward to yday, I had an errand, so drove it to the mother's to give it a good run (21miles).
A definite seepage from coolant housing, but has made very little difference to coolant levels, a millimetre if that. So I'm thinking, woman I got the van from has been running it low/empty for some time & not noticed as if it was peeing from someplace after a 42mile in total journey to the mothers and back it'd have been low again.
Just replace the Thermostat and housing I hear you say??
Here comes the concerning bit. After the 21miles run to my mothers, 2hours later after she'd plied me with food & , told me about myself etc, under the bonnet was still warm.
Then I took it the 21miles back home and popped the bonnet (again to check coolant), coolant hardly moved, but everything was SO hot to touch, like an oven, all of the coolant pipes where scorching.
The temp gauge needle inside the cab had risen from stone cold, creeping up a 1/4 into the 'normal' range as I was driving and I would imagine would continue to rise as I drove. Never offered to go into the 'hot' or 'red'.
So my immediate worry - headgasket. My secondary worry should it not be headgasket, is at these temps, is it soon will be...
I know the cooling system has so many parts to it, it could literally be anything. Thermostat, housing, radiator, fan switch, water pump, a fuse... Could the seepage from the Thermostat be the reason under the hood is so hot?? Something so tiny??
My usual (trusted) mechanic is away for the week and then can't get me in til 28th.
I'd really have liked to get out before then but obvs don't want to risk it.
If I'm taking it to a new mechanic I don't know/trust, where do I start with asking them to look??
There's none of the usual signs of head gasket failure, no white smoke in exhaust, no milky residue in oil... What do you all think??
Also, the heaters in the cab are dicky, related?