Changing a cylinder head gasket

[Ace]

Hi all, i have just noticed a nasty oil leak down the side of my engine, on the turbo side, and it is coming from the head gasket. I am going to change the gasket myself, but just want to know if there are any precautions i need to take, and parts that i should replace while the head is off, that sort of thing. Do i need to get the head machined?

Matt

[loanrangie]

Dont machine it, if its only leak just replace the gasket - some say not to machine a tdi head, some say you can but i wouldnt unless it was warped or overheated badly.

[Psimpson7]

You dont say what car you have?

Common stuff to change would be:

Headgasket :)
Cam belt and tensioner (if it has one)
Waterpump
head bolts if it specifies they should only be used once
all the other related gaskets

I would also probably change any water hoses if the car is a few years old.

No real reason to get the head skimmed if it hasnt been overheated etc.

Cheers
Pete

[Ace]

Sorry, i thought it had what i drove in my sig, its a 300Tdi Disco.

It has just had all new hoses and water pump and the timing belt shouldnt need doing for another 20000km or so, so im going to leave it till then cause i dont have the cash to do that aswell, cause the kit is something like $350. Matt

[Psimpson7]

maybe worth doing it if the leak is bad... only likely to get worse. Cambelts aren't too expensive are they?

if the hoses and water pump have already been done it wont be too bad.

would you do it yourself?

cheers
Pete

[Ace]

dont worry guys, i have had a more detailed look and it appears its the manifold gasket leaking. So no head gasket issues. False alarm

[vnx205]

dont worry guys, i have had a more detailed look and it appears its the manifold gasket leaking. So no head gasket issues. False alarm
That's good news, but I have to say, I'm upset.

As I was reading down the posts in this thread I was mentally preparing a post to show not so much that I knew what I was talking about but to show how carefully I had read other posts by more knowledgeable people.

I was just about to type something along the lines of:
"Are you sure it's the head gasket? It seems to be pretty common for a 300Tdi to leak from the manifold gasket."
Then I got to your final post.

I'll just have to be quicker next time won't I.:p

Seriously though, it can be very difficult to correctly diagnose the exact source of a leak. I haven't tried it yet, but someone's suggestion about cleaning and then dusting with talc sounds good.

BTW You did have your vehicle in your sig, but inc has temporarily turned off the sig for non-subscribers in the never ending search for better performance.

[Ace]

That's good news, but I have to say, I'm upset.

As I was reading down the posts in this thread I was mentally preparing a post to show not so much that I knew what I was talking about but to show how carefully I had read other posts by more knowledgeable people.

I was just about to type something along the lines of:
"Are you sure it's the head gasket? It seems to be pretty common for a 300Tdi to leak from the manifold gasket."
Then I got to your final post.

I'll just have to be quicker next time won't I.:p

Seriously though, it can be very difficult to correctly diagnose the exact source of a leak. I haven't tried it yet, but someone's suggestion about cleaning and then dusting with talc sounds good.

BTW You did have your vehicle in your sig, but inc has temporarily turned off the sig for non-subscribers in the never ending search for better performance.

thanks mate, i can have someone remove my post and your post and then you can reply with your insightful info if you like :D

[vnx205]

thanks mate, i can have someone remove my post and your post and then you can reply with your insightful info if you like :D
That would be great! :p

However there are now two more posts that would have to be removed.

Perhaps we had better forget the idea.

It's just possible that the moderators have more important things to do.:D

Anyway, I've just decided that I am satisfied just knowing myself that I had been able to use something I had picked up from the forum to make an accurate diagnosis of what appears to be a fairly common problem.