V8 Weeping head gaskets under 100,000km?

[CraigH]

I've been looking at D2a's and spoke to a seller who has one with 98,000km on the clock. It's a 4lt V8 and he has already had to have the heads off cause they were weeping coolant. He said it cost him over $3k.

I know this is common at higher km, but does it happen a lot at such low km's?

Cheers

Craig

[sheerluck]

Does sound a little curious. Low mileage and not that old. I wonder if it was due to incorrect or mixed coolants? Or probably a major overheat - have you been to have a look at it to see if there are any signs of that?

[CraigH]

No it's in Vic and I'm in NSW. He's happy to take it to any LR specialist of my choice for inspection if I'm keen to go further, but first I'm going to check out a local one tomorrow. See how this one looks first...

[justinc]

Yes quite common, I once had 2 in the workshop at the same time, 1 with 70,000km and the other with 120,000km. Both external leaks.

JC

[Road Stone]

Yes would generally mean an over heat. New HG job!

Cheers Jerry

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I'm not sure Jerry,,
I reckon its to do with heat,, but more a temp the original gasket cannot put up with. Plenty of v8 owners on here that have replaced gaskets without boiling any water.
I reckon it should be a service item at 80K. and then use studs at 90lbs.

[GJP]

Yes I had the same problem at 95K a mechanic in the Territory (Adelaide River) quickly solved the problem and said the fix was a bottle of Bars Leak.
The clock is now 246K and no problems have been experienced and absolutely no weeping, same gaskets and heads.

[Road Stone]

I'm not sure Jerry,,
I reckon its to do with heat,, but more a temp the original gasket cannot put up with. Plenty of v8 owners on here that have replaced gaskets without boiling any water.
I reckon it should be a service item at 80K. and then use studs at 90lbs.

That's true....all areas should be checked.

I too use Bahrs leaks at the moment as my radiator has sprung a leak an I procrastinate over what Rad to order:angel:confused:

Cheers Jerry

[1976_michelle]

Yes quite common, I once had 2 in the workshop at the same time, 1 with 70,000km and the other with 120,000km. Both external leaks.

JC

What do you mean by 'external' leaks? Mine is like the above, had weeping gaskets at 90 000km (still weep 12 mo later, mechanic still playing it by ear, very little coolant usage but I do have to check)
and what is meant by use 'studs at 90lb'? (2001 D2 v8 auto)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

The V8 can leak coolant internally into a cylinder, rather than down the side of the block
and-
use these-
http://sandeepengineeringworks.net/DoubleHeadStud
instead of normal head bolts

[PhilipA]

I replaced the head gaskets on my 3.9 V8 because of external leaks at the block ends, used an Ehlring gasket with new composite heads and it leaked out the ends of the block again in 20KK.

I think the blocks may relax a smidgeon so that they are down at the ends.
I then said to myself that I would fix this and fitted special gaskets from TRS in Adelaide and ARP head studs.
The car used no coolant at all from then on for about 30Kk until it was sold.
Regards Philip A

[ozscott]

It curious Pedro. We have seen plenty of people recommending studs (with or without the background to support it). You and I have both experienced British Offroad and they know what they are doing. I said I was happy to go to studs when re-building and they said dont bother.

Cheers

[1976_michelle]

I thought I'd hold off till I got LPG on the belief they do something to the heads with gas conversions but apparently they dont? Given it runs hotter, I'd be advised to do the gaskets first wouldnt I?

[bee utey]

I thought I'd hold off till I got LPG on the belief they do something to the heads with gas conversions but apparently they dont? Given it runs hotter, I'd be advised to do the gaskets first wouldnt I?

Rover V8s don't need any special mods to run LPG, other than cooler running spark plugs. The difference in engine running temperature is insignificant unless your cooling system is in marginal condition.

If your head gaskets are weeping more than just a tiny bit they should be done regardless of having gas fitted. It's not a very complex job, compared to something like a Japanese quad cam V6 such as the Rodeo engine...

[1976_michelle]

yeh just establishing priorities; gaskets first, lpg next year I guess lol (might start commuting to work now I've got a day shift position and can't car pool with my better half and his 9l/100km economy....

[Pedro_The_Swift]

The engine builder said they actually pull it down with bolts and then replace with studs:confused:

[clubagreenie]

Thats a worry.

[Roverlord off road spares]

The engine builder said they actually pull it down with bolts and then replace with studs:confused:
:eek: pull it down with bolts, and then replace with studs? Once the bolts are removed to fit the studs wouldn't it lose it's "pulling down".:confused::confused::confused::confused:
Do these bolts exert so much tension that they straighten slightly bent heads and blocks.

[clubagreenie]

Not when you consider the bolts yield at what would be well below the force required to move the head.

[schuy1]

In all the time I have spent(misspent?) with all sorts of motors and those that play with them that "pull it down with bolts,then replace with studs" is the weirdest I have heard! :o Maybe we need some of what hes smoking? :D cluba, incorrect sequencing of bolts will warp a head , whether alloy or cast iron, albeit slightly but they will. Heads are actually not that strong longitudinally .
Cheers Scott

[clubagreenie]

I've done extensive testing (a few dozen sets) on TTY bots and found the only ones worse than V8 rover were UZ series toyota. The rover at least stretch mostly in the correct place albeit at random tensions. The toyota ones just stretch wherever and whenever they feel like it.

[schuy1]

Oh what a feeling.........................!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[Robgw]

I recall reading once that there were a batch of V8 Blocks cast when the tooling was quite warn and should have been replaced by the Engine Shop.

The effect this had was that the rear water jacket which already had a acceptable tolerance of 2mm could have been a little of 1mm thick either to the cylinder or the rear exterior of he block!. Making these engines more likely to weep coolant in or out at the rear.

Some of these blocks just kept leaking 20 -30k after the repairs. LR did not say how many were effected. I guess most of them would have died now or owners keep repairing..

[1976_michelle]

I recall reading once that there were a batch of V8 Blocks cast when the tooling was quite warn and should have been replaced by the Engine Shop.

The effect this had was that the rear water jacket which already had a acceptable tolerance of 2mm could have been a little of 1mm thick either to the cylinder or the rear exterior of he block!. Making these engines more likely to weep coolant in or out at the rear.

Some of these blocks just kept leaking 20 -30k after the repairs. LR did not say how many were effected. I guess most of them would have died now or owners keep repairing..

If you did end up with one of these engines, repaired it, then had the fault again - is the option pretty much just get different engine?

And having a fairly stable leak; would that be something that should be rectified before taking to an LPG fitter?

[acamato]

HG are common failures on V8. Does not mean an overheat. I am in the US and all we have are V8 DII's. If you check out some of the US based forums you will see how many threads there are on the topic. You need to replace the head bolts when the heads are done. They are torque to yield bolts and are not reusable. APR makes a head stud kit for the Rover V8.