300Tdi possible head gasket failure??

Remember that if you put a new head on it will still be running on a used bottom end, its very easy to drop the sump and replace the mains and big end shells at this time, if your bores are in good shape you could also re ring while the head is off[refresh not recondition], also when was your timing belt done[while your there?], not trying to create extra work for you but what im mentioning is very easy to do.

gday there almost bet its a cracked head when you take inlet and exhaust manifold of look for a green streak of coolant in the inlet port of number 3 piston from the front. hope this hasn't been sitting around for weeks in this condition cause you could bend the con rod on start up like mine did best of luck and replace it with the good head from the u.k oem i think about a grand for the kit:

400k on it. I'd be looking at the injectors & pump just quietly.......

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Originally Posted by Defendozer

The main reason I am thinking of going with a complete new head is that when my Dad got the head on his 300Tdi completely rebuilt 3-4 years ago it cost him close to $600 so I figure it would be worth it to spend a bit extra and get a performance head from Turners which I've liked the look of for a while.

Sure I don't have to replace it at all but I'm just thinking that given the amount of miles on the car and seeing as I will have it apart anyway I may as well go all out and do it all at once.
It may seem silly but that's the way I look at it.

What else should I replace while I have the head off? Are there any precautionary maintenance things made easier with the head gone?

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We recently went through this exercise and purchased a standard Turners head (w/valves etc), Elring kit and new bolts - less than $AU900 incl freight, 3 days from the UK (I was pleasantly surprised).

the lady who took the order (a mrs Turner !) was very helpful & seemed quite knowlegeable.

We installed new fuel spillback hoses and the difficult to reach heater hoses at the same time & obviously used a new manifold gasket (your defer will have more room to work at the rear) - if you want to chat send a pm with your mob no.

(We learned some little tricks like the initial locating of the rear bolts, cleaning of the deck and limited decoking, clean the hummel valve and install a new o ring, oiling the CH bolts, the right order to assemble bits incl the thermostat housing to the head etc).

The kit comes with instructions as to the specific tightening procedure and a $20 angle gauge will help you - some say use the bolt flats as a 60° reference (which would be fine if you could see the boltheads while you're turning them - unfortunately the socket covers them up !).

there is a discussion here :

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-...ad-gasket.html

Hi
I just replaced my head after i found coolant in one of the air pots.
I didnt replace the rocker shaft or the push rods only the glow plugs and valves as it came with the head anyway and off course the head bolts.It seems to be running alot smoother and quieter then it did before and more power.
I also replaced the turbo but thats the reason i took the manifolds off in the first place.
keith

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Originally Posted by redrovertdi

Remember that if you put a new head on it will still be running on a used bottom end, its very easy to drop the sump and replace the mains and big end shells at this time, if your bores are in good shape you could also re ring while the head is off[refresh not recondition], also when was your timing belt done[while your there?], not trying to create extra work for you but what im mentioning is very easy to do.

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So what is involved in replacing the mains and big end shells? How hard is it and do you need any special tools or something?

And yes the timing belt is due for a change as well so another worthwhile thing to do at the same time.