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beforethevision
15th June 2008, 06:57 PM
Gday all,

As many of you may know, my freelander (1.8L petrol) loves major repair work. Anyhow, recently i blew the head gasket, and was taking in water, etc. Pulled the head to get it cleaned up, ordered new gaskets of everything, and alloy timing wheels.

This is the second time i have done this.

Now i have it back together, it wont start. What things can i get wrong? As im screwed for ideas for what ive done wrong. the engine turns, but turn smoothly, not like it would previously, like there is no resistance to turning over. Cams and crank are all turning.

Any thoughts? what have i missed?


PS. Im doing compression tests tomorrow.

djhampson
15th June 2008, 09:48 PM
Ya put the spark plugy things back in? :p Thats my useful suggestion out of the way.

So I guess this means that you won't be coming on the http://www.aulro.com/afvb/upcoming-events/56092-noosa-nth-shore-cooloola-beach-run-sun-june-22-a-2.html#post763497 trip next Sunday?

101RRS
15th June 2008, 10:30 PM
I told you before to ditch that engine and put in an L series diesel:).

Seriously though can only be one of two things - head gasket is still stuffed ie head not tightened up/cracks etc or most likely you have stuffed up the installation of the cam belts and the valve timing is all wrong so valves are open when they should be closed.

Sorry to here your problems.

Garry

beforethevision
16th June 2008, 08:47 AM
Ya put the spark plugy things back in? :p Thats my useful suggestion out of the way.

So I guess this means that you won't be coming on the http://www.aulro.com/afvb/upcoming-events/56092-noosa-nth-shore-cooloola-beach-run-sun-june-22-a-2.html#post763497 trip next Sunday?

hahahaha plugs are in. And no, i wont be going i dont think, unless im with you.

'Spark pluggy things' are a new concept to you arent they davo? if theres any in your car theyd be in the passenger footwell :P

beforethevision
16th June 2008, 08:50 AM
I told you before to ditch that engine and put in an L series diesel:).

Seriously though can only be one of two things - head gasket is still stuffed ie head not tightened up/cracks etc or most likely you have stuffed up the installation of the cam belts and the valve timing is all wrong so valves are open when they should be closed.

Sorry to here your problems.

Garry

Yeah, i have checked and rechecked the timing, and it seems ok. The head has been entirely rebuit by a reputable engine builder. I am concerned about the gasket, i ordered the heavy duty one, not the std one I used last time. I also washed the injectors in acetone, but i cant imagine that having such major effects on the engine.

djhampson
16th June 2008, 10:57 AM
hahahaha plugs are in. And no, i wont be going i dont think, unless im with you.

'Spark pluggy things' are a new concept to you arent they davo? if theres any in your car theyd be in the passenger footwell :P


I've looked for them in my car but stuffed if I can find em... Typical Land Rover Quality Control :p

I'll check the footwell this arvo.. thanks for the suggestion....

beforethevision
16th June 2008, 03:27 PM
Yeah, i have checked and rechecked the timing, and it seems ok. The head has been entirely rebuit by a reputable engine builder. I am concerned about the gasket, i ordered the heavy duty one, not the std one I used last time. I also washed the injectors in acetone, but i cant imagine that having such major effects on the engine.

I re-re-rechecked the timing today, this time from the crank and cam lobes themselves. I had the exhaust cam 180deg out of phase. My engine was reduced to a giant air pump.

The gasket is stil leaking a little water to the outside, but luckily cylinders dont seem to be taking on any, and it runs somewhat smoothly. Lifters chatter a bit, but last time it took 15 mins of idling to get them to quieten.

Im still not sure how to proceed, but im getting there.

101RRS
16th June 2008, 10:00 PM
Figured it would be something like that - good luck with it.

Garry

beforethevision
26th June 2008, 06:44 AM
Hooray!!

She runs, smoothly, doesnt leak (musnt be an LR) and doesnt use oil or water.

The head wouldnt pull down on the new metal multilayer gasket with steel dowels, simply a longer bar and more grunting and its all sorted :P

Drilled out some of the thermistat too !

djhampson
26th June 2008, 06:49 AM
Hooray!!

She runs, smoothly, doesnt leak (musnt be an LR) and doesnt use oil or water.

The head wouldnt pull down on the new metal multilayer gasket with steel dowels, simply a longer bar and more grunting and its all sorted :P

Drilled out some of the thermistat too !


Yay! When and Where are we going to test it out again? :D

101RRS
26th June 2008, 12:44 PM
Drilled out some of the thermistat too !

I assume you have done the cooling system/themostat mod:)

beforethevision
26th June 2008, 01:27 PM
I assume you have done the cooling system/themostat mod:)

No! lol. I just took the thermistat out and drilled 4x 3mm holes around the edge. It works a treat. Its slower to warm up, and when i flog it, cooling fans come on waay less often.

101RRS
26th June 2008, 08:39 PM
Risky:o

beforethevision
30th June 2008, 06:54 AM
How so?

I cant imagine any issues, apart from giving it a little longer to warm up.

101RRS
30th June 2008, 11:42 AM
If the fix was that simple - I would have thought Landrover would have done that rather than the mod they brought out.

However, I do know that you know the insides of your car pretty well - so I guess - father knows best.

What I do know is that the used car sellers in Canberra used to remove the thermostat completely while they had the 1800 on the block and put it back when they sold the car - that way they know it would not suffer from the theremostat driven thermo shock that would kill the engine. They did that so that the engine would not pack it in when they had it. test drives always had to be booked in so the car was warmed up first.

Garry

beforethevision
1st July 2008, 09:17 PM
I know its not the best option, the best is the remote kit. However it severely lessens the fluctuations in collant temperatures, and should reduce thermal shock. So far im very happy with it.

Much more reliable and stable in temperature.

camel_landy
13th July 2008, 05:39 AM
Weellll....

Remember that the head gasket is actually just a symptom rather than the cause of the problems. The cause of the problem are hotspots in the engine which in turn cause the liners to slip as the tolerances it's built to are so small.

So modifying the cooling system does help but it doesn't always cure...

HTH

M

beforethevision
13th July 2008, 06:27 PM
Weellll....

Remember that the head gasket is actually just a symptom rather than the cause of the problems. The cause of the problem are hotspots in the engine which in turn cause the liners to slip as the tolerances it's built to are so small.

So modifying the cooling system does help but it doesn't always cure...

HTH

M

If you are referring to the low grade sand castings around the water ports in the head, i ported them out to ensure high flow around the head. I thoroughly recommend it. The castings around the ports is very poor, and blocks over half the diameter with slag. Easily removed with a dremel or die-grinder.

I am still happy with the thermo mod, it has me much happier. I know it runs cooler, as i tried my heater the other day and its **** poor compared to previously.

Cheers!

101RRS
13th July 2008, 08:02 PM
Did you see that complete 1.8 body sold on e-bay for only $1200 today - same as yours - colour and all

beforethevision
14th July 2008, 11:57 AM
Did you see that complete 1.8 body sold on e-bay for only $1200 today - same as yours - colour and all

HEHEHE yep. thats what i intend on buying when i get rid of mine. My engine is good, but the body etc is not so good.

On the upside, does that mean my engine/GB combo is worth $5K??? hahah

thanks for pointing it out.

Cheers!

djhampson
14th July 2008, 12:13 PM
My engine is good


Ever the optimist Col!

beforethevision
14th July 2008, 05:49 PM
Ever the optimist Col!

/relatively/ good!

101RRS
14th July 2008, 08:41 PM
On the upside, does that mean my engine/GB combo is worth $5K??? hahah


try buying one in a hurry and yours will be cheap:)

beforethevision
28th September 2008, 04:02 PM
After 10,000kms, this is an update to the thread.

When i had the head off, I got it reconditioned, and ported the water channels, in particular cleaning out the edges from the poor sand casting.

It also had 4 x 3mm holes drilled into the steel edges of the thermistat, and the multilayer steel HD head gasket (the one with the head protector shim).

So far, its well bahaved. It takes a little longer to warm up on cold mornings, but stays much cooler on highway drives, and under bonnet temps seem lower.

Here are some pics of the head mid clean up...

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/4472/30052008059zo6.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/3783/30052008061mb3.jpg

Cheers!

Ace
17th June 2010, 12:13 PM
have you got any picks of the water ports that you touched up with the dremel before and after the work?