Thread: Head Gasket, do I preempt its repair?

Id invest in the EMS2 (or similar) with all the trimmings and watch the coolant like a hawk. then when the budget recovers (and the EMS2 isnt that big a dent but Im assuming you're doing this on a tight budget) then do a DIY head gasket and send the radiator off for rodding/rebuild as required.

I hold the personal belief that its not the fact that the head lets go at 250K Km its the cooling system falling over and taking it out. I know of a few tdis that are now out past 300K Km unmolested other than the 80K Km routine of radiator cleaning, timing belt, p gasket, thermostat and hoses + regular 10K interval servicing.

Mine is over the 300 k mark and the head gasket is fine and has never been changed some say periodic maintenance change the gasket , Realy its your call This is my opinion only , I have a engine saver coolant alarm fitted to my car Engine Saver Land Rover Page and yes the slightest hint of coolant or over heating problem dont ignore

Yeah ok makes alot of sense. I spent alot of time last night looking at temp alarms didnt consider the engine saver coolant one much but now its on the list!

Cheers,
Goots

+1 for the engine saver, got it fitted to my 300tdi disco

Mine's done 260k km on the original headgasket so I'm starting to watch it closely too!

I've also just bought one of these:

very inexpensive digital temp gauge

Today we changed out a head gasket in a 1993 200 tdi, 317,000km. It had rotted away in the usual place, but in this case it had also blown a bit of the gasket away so coolant could run directly into a pushrod gallery and filled the sump. Very messy but an easy fix, but a long tow truck trip and consequently $$$$. We do LOTS of 200/300Tdi head gaskets in the 240 to 300K range, but if yours has a reco engine, then it will be OK I should think

DEFINATELY as others have said get a coolant alarm.

JC

I have replaced 3 head gaskets in the recent past and not one was caused by overheating, the overheating occurred after the gasket blew. The first time was after I replaced the radiator with a new one, plus water pump and all hoses and block flush, so there was nothing wrong with the cooling system. First sign was pressure releasing from header tank cap, water temp was normal, then bubbles started to appear in header tank. next the header tank split (black one), at no time did the engine overheat.
The head had a soft spot, about 4"x3" between 2 and 3 cyls., had 7thou. removed and new gasket, some months later exact same thing happened, still no overheating, no machining this time, new gasket and bolts again.
Third time a couple of months later same scenario, same depression in head, didn't machine it but used a laminated 3 plate metal gasket and haven't had a problem for over a year, knock on wood. Crap alloy head, too many of them giving up the ghost, that's why there is a good market for new heads, be they Chinese, Brazillian or Spanish, I hope they are better than the rubbish Land Rover made, 250K out of a head gasket, ridiculous, regards Frank.

Originally Posted by justinc

Today we changed out a head gasket in a 1993 200 tdi, 317,000km. It had rotted away in the usual place, but in this case it had also blown a bit of the gasket away so coolant could run directly into a pushrod gallery and filled the sump. Very messy but an easy fix, but a long tow truck trip and consequently $$$$. We do LOTS of 200/300Tdi head gaskets in the 240 to 300K range, but if yours has a reco engine, then it will be OK I should think

DEFINATELY as others have said get a coolant alarm.

JC

When you say you do LOTS of 200/300Tdi head gaskets in the 240 to 300K range, do you mean blown gaskets? Or preemptive maintenance gasket changes?

Originally Posted by Judo

When you say you do LOTS of 200/300Tdi head gaskets in the 240 to 300K range, do you mean blown gaskets? Or preemptive maintenance gasket changes?

Over the years, quite a few were failing at 240k range, so we started recommending preemptive changes at about this KM. So far almost all of the preemptive ones we do have started to creep under the fire rings at cyl 3 and 4, so i am pleased that it seems to be a worthwhile exercise. Of course there are a few that blow earlier, and some later but we have chosen 240K as a middle mark, statistically.

JC