HEAD GASKET??

[DiscoUser]

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HELP Please!!

On our way to The big smoke yesterday we refuelled with Diesel and after stopping the engine it wouldn't restart.
Turned out to be the plastic radiator reservoir had split with loss of water!! End result was a cooked engine which turned over ok after cooling down. Discovery was "lifted" home by truck, but my questjion is have I blown the head gasket?? On initial running after about an hour (5 seconds only) there was no white smoke or emulsion in the oil sump.

I'm p###d off because I really take care of my 300TDi and now this!!

Thanks for any advice in advance.
Disco User 1996 300Tdi 227,000 Kms

[sheff]

Discouser. When you stopped for fuel, was the engine"boiling", showing over hot on the guage, engine running rough or whatever?
The splitting of the plasic tank is common, it happened in mine some years ago but didnt loose all the coolant. Did yours loose ALL the coolant, at which stage the head/block would be almost sizzling.
Did the engine turn over when you say it wouldnt start or just nothing happen?
Some years ago mine did the same after stopping for fuel, turn the key-nothing, no click of solenoid, nothing. Then after a few minutes all systems go. Did this a few times till I jerried to what was going on. The starter wire to the solenoid, cunningly located behind the turbo was not making proper contact at the connection when the motor was pretty hot (like after a long trip). Fixed the connection and fixed the problem.
Hope this is what happened to yours, and not a major drama. I would use for a while at least to check oil/water contamination etc.

sheff

[DiscoUser]

Hi Sheff, Thanks for your quick response, to answer your queries:-

Prior to stopping the engine ran fine.
Temp guage remained on "low" region.
I can't confirm if ALL the coolant was lost but I (Mistakenly!!) filled it up with water.
After cooling down, the engine ran ok when the NRMA bloke was there and he filled up with hot water.

The system couldn't be pressurised as water splurted out the crack in the reservoir.

At home this morning, filled up with water, first turn over hesitant (3 seconds) then second start ok.
Engine running for 5 minutes but couldn't pressurise due to leak.
No emulsion in sump after overnight rest, no white smoke from exhaust when engine running.
But also engine not reached normal temperature, don't have a diesel compression guage to check cylinder compression.
Thanks for your help Sheff, will order new reservoir first thing tomorrow.
Hoping of no gasket or head damage!!

[shaunp]

I've said it before and I'll say it again if anyone has a old Disco or rangie and have not replaced the plastic tank do it now, particularly if the tank fitted is a black one, don't buy a clear one buy a white one they only cost $125. For your car I would fit a new tank and thermostat( these often fail after a cooking) and see how it goes. If its needs a head gasket it's not a drama, it's the head you need to worry about on a TDI as you can't always fix them.

[George130]

Mine seems to pressurise the water tank and thus pumps fluid out. No contamination in oil and no probs out the exaust but people have sujested I might have a head gasget prob. Once you have the tank replaced check your water consumption and do a pressure check. Mine passed a pressure check two months ago.

[incisor]

you can get an additive that will show compression leaks into coolant, i think redline amonst others make it.

[sheff]

Discouser. Another most important matter:: do NOT reuse the plastic plugs on the thermostat housing or radiator top. They will split and you WILL loose all the coolant. Replace with 1/2"bsp brass for no dramas.

To correctly fill the system takes quite some time, filling through the thermostat plug (with rad. plug out) then topping the res. tank and running the engine / topping up until all air is bled from system.

[sclarke]

you can go the hard way about this or the easy.
if i was in your shoes i would replace the header tank and thermostat. Refill after draining the coolant with the correct stuff and then run the engine until hot and see if you have pressure in the cooling system or fluid loss.

if not then just keep an eye on it daily until your happy it has no problems.

if it does then get the head gasket replaced.

its a high chance that the tank let go as you were filling or just before. the could not start could have been coolant on some elect compomnent that would not allow it to start or just a "Landy Glitch"

When you shut off an engine after a run it becomes hotter for a few minutes when you shut it off as the residual heat in the block and combustion transfers to the coolant. as the fan is not running then the pressure builds a smidge and that could have caused it to go pop.

Dont look to much into it until it has been diagnosed.

My Defender blows blue smoke bad on start and then a little when driven at 1/4 throttle. it can be so many things, but i'm not going to worry until it is using oil or really bad. Some say rings, some turbo.... time will tell. i'm going to replace the turbo with another to test it and see what happens.