Thread: 300TDI - blown head gasket or radiator?

Originally Posted by Binca

I'm suspecting both the expansion tank cap and the head gasket of being at fault. The cap just isn't doing up right - it feels really wrong, if that makes sense? So I want to replace that as well as the head gasket, to be safe. And as I have the money and have been wanting to replace the expansion tank anyway, I see no reason not to do that at the same time.

And then we have discovered a leak in the exhaust, yippee! D:

So head gasket (should I replace the bolts too?), Get the head tested?, New expansion tank and cap, then look at the exhaust. Then maybe it can play nice for a bit as both our other vehicles need work too!

Yes new bolts, and do the below as well if the condition is unknown or suspect -

radiator rod out/clean
thermostat
hoses
viscous unit
Y piece bleeder

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Yes new bolts, and do the below as well if the condition is unknown or suspect -

radiator rod out/clean
thermostat
hoses
viscous unit
Y piece bleeder

Thanks! Radiator and thermostat and the dodgy hoses have been replaced. Still got a few older hoses in there though. Viscous fan is fine, will look into y piece bleeder.

Originally Posted by Binca

Viscous fan is fine

How did you test it?

Aaron.

Hi Aaron,

I used a couple of the common tests that I have both read about and had suggested to me.

I tried spinning it with engine off. It moved with the amount of resistance I was told it should have.

I then did the newspaper test with the engine on. Newspaper was shredded - I was finding pieces of it around the place for days!

Are there any other tests you would suggest?

Originally Posted by Tank

Bleed the cooling system as I stated in the previous post,but, I forgot to say the heater should be on full, so make sure that is done.
Bleeding the cooling system is about purging any air that gets trapped in the system, air will not dissipate heat and it reduces the amount of water available to do so.
The system of bleeding I have described works well for me and it is the Land Rover workshop way.
If you can get your cooling system checked for combustion gasses at a competent mechanics shop or somewhere like NatRad it will confirm whether you have a blown head gasket or not, Regards Frank.

P.S. Quote: "Bled the cooling system. Took it for a test drive."
Did you bleed as in my post and leave overnight before test driving.

i thought the heater made no difference when bleeding. the coolant runs through heater matrix regardless of whether heater is on or not. turning heater on just moves the plastic airflow flaps to direct outside air through matrix.

i may be wrong on this, could you maybe explain this?

there are many other causes of heating issues. radiator is the main one. viscous fan makes a big difference. blockages, thermostat, old cap on expansion tank, the three way valve at top left of radiator etc. could have air lock in there as tank said as well.

usually if the gauge moves to hot, the engine is very close to the limit. if your gauge ever moves past normal, take load of engine immediately and let it cool. dont drive for more than a few seconds on high gauge.