Four-year Dorset owner, new to Forum

[BoneHunter]

Hi everyone,

I've owned my 1997 2.4 Petrol Largo for four years (today!) and it has always been 100% reliable.

As soon as I got it, I took the rear seats out, as I wanted it as an upmarket workhorse, able to carry custom bicycles, motorcycles etc, as well as for the occasional camping trip.

Two days ago, I drove from Poole to Stratford to collect a bike, but just short of my destination, the Largo misfired briefly, the engine light came on, and I noticed the temperature gauge was high.
Luckily I was able to pull into a carpark and stop almost straight away, where I saw the coolant dripping out underneath.

The Britannia breakdown guy was very helpful, diagnosing and replacing the short rubber section between the two metal pipes on the top hose.
However, despite his best efforts, he was unable to bleed the system again, as he was unfamiliar with the Largo's particularly infamous 'issues'.
He suspected another hidden bleed point somewhere, or maybe a blown head gasket, so I had to be recovered 150 miles back home, still unable to collect the bike from nearby too, meaning yet another trip back up to Stratford soon!

The car is booked into a Poole garage shortly, with worries of expensive 'head gasket / engine out' type repairs in my mind.
However, from browsing the restricted posts on here, I'm now hoping it might simply be a bleeding problem after all?

I look forward to any more tips or solutions, and to finally be allowed to read this 'helpful bleeding guide' on here somewhere?
Once I'm sorted, I'll come back with some more details and photos of my Largo, as it's a very tasty Japanese customised example.

Thanks guys!

[Hutch]

There is numerous bleeding solutions on here, from 4 years + ownership of the petrol largo I would say its not just the system bleed that is the overheating fault.
From experience, the water pump is siezed or you have a leak somewhere.
Hutch

[BoneHunter]

Thanks, Hutch; I've now copied the various methods used by other forum members for clearing airlocks and I'll pass those on to my mechanic tomorrow.
The breakdown guy didn't know about the second cap on the engine under the driver's seat, so maybe that's an issue?
There was a major leak from the blown hose, so plenty of chance for air to get in to the system, but the water pump appeared to be working fine.
Hopefully all will be easily sorted, with some clued-up guys on the job soon.
Thanks to everyone for posting such useful info on the forum!

[N.r.g]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Plenty of help here especially for cooling issues.

[Hutch]

Sometimes the rad cap on the engine perish and pass water into the overflow tank in turn filling up and flooding on the floor

Hutch

[Cueball]

Welcome to the club.

Buy a new cap for the engine as the heat perishes them as Hutch mentioned. Even if this isn't at fault it's worth replacing.

Cueball from Cumbria

[BoneHunter]

Thanks for the great welcome, and the helpful advice!

The leak was definitely from the split hose and that was repaired OK.
The expansion tank had neither lost nor gained coolant from what we could see.
However, the 'secret' cap on the engine was a complete mystery to us until now, and will certainly be targeted/replaced after your advice.
The car is in great condition, but I'd almost guarantee that's it's still got the original 16-year old cap on it.

I'll keep you posted on what happens next.....

[Dalesman]

Hi welcome along to the club, lots of help on here from long established Largo owners.

[Subsoil]

Hi and Welcome , i hope your back on the road soon, always interesting these largos

[Go Lar Go]

We had an issue with a split pipe and it was just a case of bleeding the system afterwards. Good advice [as always] to replace the cap though as ours was perished/split when removed. Luckily I had a spare for my Nissan 200sx [S13] which happened to be the same. Don't forget the bleed nipples between the pipes to the front and rear air con pipes and the one hidden near to dipstick. As you pulled over quickly I doubt any other damage was done.

Good luck !