rover trip

[siii8873]

I took my rover on a 600mile round trip. Did a little off roading retriving a deer. Washed the thing down and checked all fluids befor the return trip. The OD needed about a pint and the rear diff needed quite a bit, seal leaking bad. The radiator level was below the fins. Topped it off to rim of fill spout. I started on my return trip and didn't have any guages or turn signals worked. Found a blown fuse, replaced it all OK until I hit turn signal, blew again. Oh well started for home. Pulled over at first rest area and checked under hood, radiator fluid everywhere. Oh $#!+ !!!
The temp gauge was not working because of fuse. Replaced fuse again but avoided using turn signals. Started truck and temp looked good. Started again for home and the temp stayed good. I'm thinking that the radiator spewed fluid out the cap because it was too full and didn't have any expansion space?? I don't understand why it did't go into the overflow bottle. My wife followed me home in her car. We learned a lesson about this. Don't follow a rover with an overdrive and leaking rear diff it forms a film on your windshield.
Other than the radiator thing truck did great. Will a radiator spew the fluids if too full? What is the correct fill level cold?

[albersj51]

Could it be a bad radiator cap?

[siii8873]

I was wondering about that also. I'll have to borrow another part from my project rover!!

[albersj51]

That may explain the lack of overflow since the cap isn't opening creating boil over. Can you get a cap from an auto parts store or is it rover specific?

[SafeAirOne]

Don't follow a rover with an overdrive and leaking rear diff it forms a film on your windshield.

I suspect that the film on the windshield was your coolant. That stuff is pretty greasy and atomizes pretty easily when exposed to strong air current. Plus, it was probably already coming out in spray or gaseous form.

[siii8873]

After away from the heat of the troubles I think i know what happened with the radiator. I suspect that I didn't completly close the cap when I topped it off. I think this because when I opened the cap at the rest area it was not steaming all over the place just overflowing. With the gauge not working, radiator fluid all over, and 250 miles from home the thought process was clouded with worse case senario. I had no problems after I put the cap back on.