Hi my magna tr efi manual 4 cylinder 2.5 wagon is overheating.
I have noticed that the overflow bottle is almost full of water and if I fill the radiator it only takes about what the overflow bottle contains.

According to the manual the bottle is only supposed to be 1/4 - 1/3 full so it looks as if the water isn't going back from the bottle to the radiator.

The bottle has always had a big hole in it at the top near the filler cap but I haven't bothered replacing it because it should never get that full, however now I have to ask if that is part of the problem?

1 year on the road since replacing the clutch and rego due in a couple of weeks.

Is the water boiling? Ie you're getting steam from under bonnet?

you are having no luck with your brumm this year

the expansion bottle would work better if it didnt have extra holes

but its sounds like a cap problem if the cap is working properly is should let the water out when hot/cap reaches pressure release point and back in as the block cools

oh it's ok as long as I don't go over 60 and most times I don't. Occasionally I do and that's when I have a problem. Like yesterday when I went to the docs and today I want to go fishing. It's only just started to be a problem though the hole in the bottle has been there ever since I first got the car. That's why I can't understand why it has suddenly started happening. Are you talking about the cap on the water bottle or the radiator? The radiator cap was new at rego last year. The cap on the water bottle is fine but of course the hole in the bottle is just under it.
I have been looking for a new bottle but don't want to pay $50 for a new one.

No there is no steam just the temp gauge runs right up to the red

if not steam can you afford the temp sender maybe just that is faulty

giving you a faulty reading

if not steam can you afford the temp sender maybe just that is faulty

giving you a faulty reading

No it is definitely overheating. The last time I went to the docs, about a month ago, I was on the freeway doing 80 and it went up to the red. I pulled over and added a liter of water and was ok for another k but it went up again. Fortunately I was near my exit so I took it and pulled into a servo. I gave it a bit of time to cool off and then loosened the radiator cap and it was like a volcano erupting, water everywhere.
15 mins later I filled it with water and it was fine for another couple of weeks, except now the water isn't going back into the rad, the bottle is full and the temp gauge starts rising at 70-80ks.
This time though I slowed down a bit and the temp dropped back so I managed to get to the docs without issue and filled it with water and got home fine because I didn't take the freeway and was stuck most of the time below 70.
It's like having a speed regulator grrrrr.

I tink it may be because there is not enough oil in the engine. The rocker box cover is leaking oil again so I will have to fix that first.

it won't be low oil causing this.

thermostat,blocked raditor cores or faulty water pump would be areas I'd look at. thermostats do fail and can get stuck either open or closed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f45kAmjAOYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGkSfPbGr3Y

Water pump defective and/or slipping pump belt. Possibly a lazy thermostat that doesn't fully open. Radiator fans not working.

Let me be the first to say this: Your TR is a problem child. Can you afford to buy a newer car?

Water pump defective and/or slipping pump belt. Possibly a lazy thermostat that doesn't fully open. Radiator fans not working.

Let me be the first to say this: Your TR is a problem child. Can you afford to buy a newer car?

won't be fans, that's more of a stationary problem, more than enough air will be flowing through whilst driving.

checking from your cars past problems since 2010

this is the first engine overheating topic in four years

"up to the red. I pulled over and added a liter of water and was ok for another k but it went up again"

4 cyl engine doing this is strange ...Question : is water going into the sump ? grey oil on dipstick

not bad enough to stop it or run rough... adding a liter coolant worries me

its not popping hoses / no steam / still starts and runs ok / gets hot /

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
No I don't have money to buy another car. I am on a disability pension. If the car doesn't get through rego next week or needs too much money spent I will have to scrap it. If that happens I will become virtually housebound due to bad health.
Every year I get to borrow $1,000 interest free and that will be going on rego.
It's not really a bad car. The things that have gone wrong happen with every car of similar age. If I can repair it by spending a couple of hundred every couple of months I can manage that.
The clutch has been done.
The shocks were replaced last year.
I now have a new starter motor.
The water pump may or may not need replacing but that isn't a biggie
I don't want a newer car without a bumper that falls apart if a cat pisses on it.
I don't want heaps of electronic parts that cost thousands to replace.
I don't want a car made of fibre glass and plastic.
I don't want a wagon that has half the boot space.
I don't want a car with huge lamp lenses that cost $300+ to replace if someone backs into one.
In short I don't want a modern piece of expensive crap that is designed to keep mechanics and insurance companies ripping me off.

Doesn't sound good..

If I had some 2nd gen stuff I would send it your way.

Any luck finding the problem?
When car is cold open the radiator cap and see how low the level is.. fill it up of course if needed. A new radiator cap is pretty cheap and worth a shot, just pop into Repco or similar and match up a cap to suit a 2.6L engine (should be able to get help if needed).
Always try not to let the temp get close to the red.. hopefully no further damage has occurred.

Did you check the condition (and level) of the engine oil (colour)? Hopefully is not a failed head gasket, costly fix.

all I can think of is the bottom /top hoses are too soft and collapsing when hot
or its the water pump ..I say this because there is no steam

Forgot if its Carby or EFI

In the area you live in NSW are average temp days very cold /very hot / frost in the mornings ??
if you dont use the car often now days .......could you run without the thermostat

Random overheating tends to be the thermostat. Overheating when the revs and roadspeed are high tends to be waterpump. Hoses sucking shut are a high engine-speed thing and can usually be diagnosed when up to operating temp by holding 4k rpm and looking at the hoses.

When you can afford it Sarah_au fit a water pump ....not a half... a full pump

hope you can get it cheaper than $ 50 locally

ebay prices don't quote accurate postage

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I went fishing the other day but rarely went over 70 for the 17k trip so no problems.
I had to fix up a little rust to get it through rego inspection tomorrow. I had a bright idea and used the filler and a piece of plastic milk bottle to fill the hole in the reservoir or overflow bottle.
Also I read in the manual that one is supposed to squeeze the top hose while putting the radiator cap, which was new last year for rego, on. I have never done that before so maybe that is part of why it wasn't working properly. I will take it for a run at speed after rego tomorrow.
I think the thermostat is ok but will try buying one and fitting it after rego, they are only about $15 but annoying to fit.

One thing I did notice is that when I emptied the water out of the bottle it was really red and clunky. Took a dozen flushes to clean it out. So the radiator is probably the same way and needs a good flush which I will do after rego.

I doubt if I have done much more than a thousand ks since last year so I am hoping it will pass easily because I haven't found anything else that's wrong but then that's why we have rego inspection so will let you know tomorrow.

Oh yes it's an EFI. I don't usually start the car before midday and it's been nice, mostly around 23.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I went fishing the other day but rarely went over 70 for the 17k trip so no problems.
I had to fix up a little rust to get it through rego inspection tomorrow. I had a bright idea and used the filler and a piece of plastic milk bottle to fill the hole in the reservoir or overflow bottle.
Also I read in the manual that one is supposed to squeeze the top hose while putting the radiator cap, which was new last year for rego, on. I have never done that before so maybe that is part of why it wasn't working properly. I will take it for a run at speed after rego tomorrow.
I think the thermostat is ok but will try buying one and fitting it after rego, they are only about $15 but annoying to fit.

One thing I did notice is that when I emptied the water out of the bottle it was really red and clunky. Took a dozen flushes to clean it out. So the radiator is probably the same way and needs a good flush which I will do after rego.

I doubt if I have done much more than a thousand ks since last year so I am hoping it will pass easily because I haven't found anything else that's wrong but then that's why we have rego inspection so will let you know tomorrow.

Oh yes it's an EFI. I don't usually start the car before midday and it's been nice, mostly around 23.

Red and clunky is probably giving a clue or two. means rust and corrosion, so I expect since you're repeatedly topping up with water there's little or no coolant/corrosion inhibitor in mix. recipe for disaster.

Everything will eat itself out, welch plugs, waterways in the head etc. so you could very well have some blocked cores in the radiator and that will reduce the cooling capacity of the system.

Well I just had a problem with the clutch, I will start a new thread, but at the top of the radiator where the overflow hose used to be attached it has broken off.
So now I don't have water going into the overflow bottle or coming out.
I suppose I will have to get a whole new radiator just for that stupid little connection unless someone knows another way ?

Sounds like it is due for some much needed maintenance. Just the poor quality water alone ccan be part of your issue. Try to scrape together the cash to get a qualified mechanic to do a major service and a cooling system pressure test / flush & refill etc.. it will make the world of difference. You can't expect the car to go forever without maintaining it properly and all that gunk in the overflow bottle is be a sign of more problems ahead if unattended to, maybe not in the short term but almost certainly will happen. Too much corrosion will eventually eat away at numerous areas, and not limited to the timing cover which can develop a slow leak and is a pain and costly to replace. Coolant isn't that expensive either, the flush should be the first thing you do even if it's just yourself (if confident enough) by buying a bottle of Nulon and mixing it between 33-50% coolant to quality or demineralised water. Hell even the pre-mixed coolant brands have to be better than what's in there but I still wouldn't cheap out on the coolant.

You must be careful if you top up the water while the car is still warm. I have blown 2 head gaskets doing that, and the problem can lay dormant until the next day, so you may not know anything is wrong until later on.

second hand radiator from a wrecker will best suit you budget constraints

the clutch again .. when will you get a break

You could even use a good glue to fix it. Like JB weld or RapidFix, something that can handle the heat and is strong enough. RapidFix tends to melt though.