Head Gasket, do I preempt its repair?

**Judo** · 17th March 2012, 10:07 AM

Hi Mark,

My 1995 D1 has 147,000 on the clock and I've just had to replace my leaking head gasket. To be fair I overheated the engine once and I don't know how the previous owner treated it. If you've overheated it at all, I would definitely change it.

To be fair though, there are plenty of people on here who reach a lot more than 240,000 without ever changing the head gasket. One thing is certain though - they have never overheated and a lot run EGT gauges to keep track of their engine temp.

**Apocalypsse** · 18th March 2012, 11:09 AM

I have a 95 Disco with 301,000 on the clock, just did the head gasket, only had the thing for 1.5 years, but I know the previous owners abused the **** out of it. One day all my coolant disappeared, nfi how, mechanic did a pressure test and there was no leaks in the cooling system. Also didn't help I forgot to put the coolant cap back on after filling it up >_>.

If you know your head gasket is going, I'd say get it changed, could end up saving you some money instead of having it blow.

**Judo** · 18th March 2012, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Apocalypsse

I have a 95 Disco with 301,000 on the clock, just did the head gasket, only had the thing for 1.5 years, but I know the previous owners abused the **** out of it. One day all my coolant disappeared, nfi how, mechanic did a pressure test and there was no leaks in the cooling system. Also didn't help I forgot to put the coolant cap back on after filling it up >_>.

If you know your head gasket is going, I'd say get it changed, could end up saving you some money instead of having it blow.

The expansion tank is not a traditional "overflow" tank. It's pressurised, so leaving the cap off is guaranteed to leave you with no coolant.

**Apocalypsse** · 18th March 2012, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Judo

The expansion tank is not a traditional "overflow" tank. It's pressurised, so leaving the cap off is guaranteed to leave you with no coolant.

Yea, found that out after about ~15 minutes.

**Judo** · 18th March 2012, 12:27 PM

**Dusty1111** · 18th March 2012, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by justinc

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

Justinc, what head gasket brand/ type would you recommend as best replacement?

**justinc** · 18th March 2012, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Dusty1111

Justinc, what head gasket brand/ type would you recommend as best replacement?

Elring, (Genuine) is ALL I'd recommend.

JC

**Dusty1111** · 19th March 2012, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by justinc

Elring, (Genuine) is ALL I'd recommend.

JC

Thanx.

**justinc** · 19th March 2012, 07:02 PM

...And it just gets MORE obvious, had one actually fail and get towed in today at 240K.

So there you go. Do it, it is cheaper before it fails.

JC

**DiscoDevil** · 19th March 2012, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by justinc

...And it just gets MORE obvious, had one actually fail and get towed in today at 240K.

So there you go. Do it, it is cheaper before it fails.

JC

Would you say that certain years are more prevalent? 1995 etc?

I'm at 210k on a 1997 tdi auto. It's got diesel gas too

Thread: Head Gasket, do I preempt its repair?

Thread Tools

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions