Thread: DIY head gasket replacement! Yes or No?

Just do it ! ! !

Mine died just before last Christmas and the usual mechanic wasn't interested ... too much easy money for him to be made right before Christmas.

Armed with RAVE I set about doing it and it's all been good .... Hmmm should I have said that

working out the degrees is easy ... mark the bolts with white texta/paint, from the centre to one of the points. All towards the same direction (front of car, drivers side, passenger side or whatever) Tightening the bolt so the next point is in that position you've done sixty degrees. (six sided bolt divided by 360 deg = 60 deg)

I also hadn't done a diesel, just Holden and Ford sixes ... the Tdi head is tiny in comparison (and light). I replaced all the bolts and sent the head out for checking/testing ... probably cost me under $500 all up, plus a bit over half day out and half day back in. (wasn't rushing, double checked everything)

Stevo

Only thing I can suggest is source some ARP head studs instead of the TTY bolts. There's just too much potential for variation from assumed torque,

Originally Posted by clubagreenie

Only thing I can suggest is source some ARP head studs instead of the TTY bolts. There's just too much potential for variation from assumed torque,

Now, you see, this is the sort of stuff that scares me about high compression motors.

Just don't know enough to take the chance.

What, prey tell, is the difference between ARP and TTY?

Save the money and do it yourself. Give yourself a day just to be on the safe side but you will probably do it quicker.

I hadn't done a head gasket before and it wasn't all that hard. A little awkward at times.

Just did mine when fixing a slipped timing belt. I did get the head checked by a specialist which was found to be flat, hardness ok and pressure test ok. Did replaces valves, valve stem seals and one valve guide.

The car runs much much better so well worth doing.

Not much more difficult than doing a petrol head gasket, except for: if you have the head shaved the valves need to be recessed the same amount that was removed, buy a set of new bolts around $100, run a tap through all the head bolt holes in the block and check the new bolts screw all the way in without resistance, lightly oil threads and base of bolt heads, buy a Kingcraft torque Degree tool $30, clean all surfaces good enough to eat off, buy a quality head gasket kit, download the 300TDi Overhaul Manual off this Forum, it's in one of the "Sticky's" Good Spannering, Regards Frank.

I have seen the torque angle gauge at Autobarn here in Lismore, so I guess it must be more common than I thought to torque these up using angles rather than torque settings.

Here is a torque angle gauge you can get your kids to make up for you. (pinched it from the Alfa Bulletin Board)

Originally Posted by slug_burner

Here is a torque angle gauge you can get your kids to make up for you. (pinched it from the Alfa Bulletin Board)

I don't know about a Defender, but on a Disco you won't get that long extension on the back bolts, Regards Frank.