I have recently put my rangie up for sale.
A buyer came today to have a look and tells me my head gasket is about to fail.
He says (with the help of a mechanic on the phone) that when the engine is hot if you remove the expansion bottle lid and water/steam comes out then the head gasket is going. Is there any truth in this as I don't want to sell a car that could be faulty.
My range rover is a 2002 4.4 v8 with a lpg conversion.

Thanks for any help

Is he for real? Its my understanding that if you remove the cap on the expansion tank on any car you will get steam etc?

Am I wrong? 405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown

Not necessary so.
If you have been for a run in it and it is up to temperature, any vehicle will emit water/steam when you remove the expansion bottle/radiator cap. Common sense should tell you that much.
A vehicles water system works under pressure, whilst the coolant temperature my be 90 or 95 degrees, this is under pressure, when you remove the cap you open the system to atmosphere and the coolant boils and ejects from the system.
Most modern vehicles have a warning sticker near to the rad/coolant cap warning of this.
A way (though not infallible) to check the coolant system is to run the vehicle until it reaches operating temperature, then check the squeezability of the top and bottom hoses (the main two to the radiator). If they are very hard to squeeze, this might indicate over pressurisation, if you just need moderate pressure to squeeze, then all would appear to be fine.

HTH,
Steve. 1968 Series IIA Pastel Green, nearly there project

The cooling system is pressurised. Ergo, if you remove the filler cap when the system is still hot,ie pressurised, you get steam or water ejecting. There is a warning on the filler cap.

Seems to me there may be an agenda somewhere?  John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Yours has a 110deg thermostat so the water will be hotter than boiling anyway, the reason it doesn't boil over is that water boils at a higher temp when under pressure, if you remove the cap it will boil immediately as it's hotter than 100deg C....

Guy and his mate know nothing so don't worry about it..... Pete
I now have permission from the boss to use Y.O.L.O. Enjoy life
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Its probably a slimy motor traders trick!

If you fall for it, you may well sell the car to them cheap (thinking you have imminent failure round the next corner)

Good scam if it works! Despicable though!

Thanks all for the quick replies. You have put my mind at rest.

Your welcome sir

I'd make sure you check levels when cold. You can lose quite a bit when some bell end takes the lid off when hot  My Previous RR's!
2018 P400e Autobiography
2008 TDV8 Vogue
2006 TD6 Vogue
2007 TDV8 Vogue
2007 RRS (I know, it doesn't count!)
2005 4.4 Vogue on LPG
2005 TD6 Vogue
2003 4.4 Vogue
2001 4.6 HSE
2000 2.5 DHSE
1999 4.6 HSE
1997 4.6 HSE on LPG
1995 2.5 DSE
1989 3.9 EFI classic
1988 3.5 EFI classic

I'll take it if he doesn't want it.

Will expect a discount for those black tyres though - they're well out of fashion.

What a knob! Maybe you could have countered him, by removing his cap on the car he came round in.

Maybe he just wanted to burn himself!

I kind of love it when buyer gives you a running observation commentary on anything untoward, and you tell them that is normal.

Driving down through France on the motorway once when I was younger and having stopped at a rest area I remember seeing a young man remove the cap on the radiator not long after he pulled in.
As he removed the cap the contents just exploded upwards into his face and arms severely scalding him. I still remember his screams to this day.
Once it's done I'm afraid there isn't much you can do about it. Stayed until the ambulance arrived, never did find out the outcome.

OUCH!!! lesson to be taken onboard there by all

Saw somebody do the same outside my house about 15 years ago, tried to open the window to shout him to stop when I saw what he was trying to do but I wasn't quick enough - tank erupted all over his face and arms - his passenger quickly bundled him into the passenger seat and drove him away, sounded painful, didn't even refit cap before driving off.