Land Rover Repair: discovery 200 tdi water leak, head gasket problem, radiator problems

Question
i have a disco 200 tdi i noticed that water seems to be disappearing from the expansion tank down to a level at the bottom of the tank the rad looks a bit rough but appears to be full ??i havnt had the vehicle long and am hopeing its not a head gasket problem not got mayonaise in the head so may be ok can you shed any light on the problem please  thanks  the year is 1992 its a 3 door series 1 tdi discovery with naff all history  

Answer
Hello Julian,

water loss can be a result of a blown headgasket, leaking hose or radiator problems.  If your oil is not milky (or mayonaise as you suggested) look to your rad for the problem.  It may be possible that a blockage is causing the water to boil over and evaporate.  It is also possible that your thermostat may be contributing to this problem as well.  
Have your radiator flushed at a local garage. For that matter, you could have your entire coolant system pressure checked and flushed.  If at all possible, be onsite while they perform the flush.  Watch to see what gunk comes out ... lets hope its just a blockage and that you don't need a new rad.

Best of luck,

JohnMc