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Thread: Massive oil leak after head gasket change

  1. #1
    TonyC is offline Master Silver Subscriber
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    Massive oil leak after head gasket change

    Hi All,

    We have just reassembled the 300Tdi after it split a heater hose dumped all the coolant and did the head gasket.

    We started it and ran it for less the a minute and in the time it's dumped 1.5 plus litres of oil on the garage floor.

    It's covered everything in oil as its got on the belts flinging oil everywhere.

    Best I can see it looks like it's coming from the left front corner of the head gasket, but as i said there is oil everywhere.
    It's not the the oil cooler hoses, and we have not disturbed the oil system that I know of.

    Is it possible that we've put the gasket upside down, back to front or inside out?

    Any other ideas or sage advice.

    I'll get some degreaser tomorrow and clean it down, fill it with cheap oil and fire it up again.

    Tony

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyC View Post
    Is it possible that we've put the gasket upside down, back to front or inside out?

    .
    I guess it's possible but I doubt it, the gasket is not symmetrical and the differences are obvious. Other than that I dunno.

    Screenshot 2023-02-26 at 8.48.36 pm.jpg
    ​JayTee

    Nullus Anxietus

    ​Getting involved in discussions is the best way to learn.

    2000 D2 TD5 Auto: Tins
    1994 D1 300TDi Manual: Dave
    1980 SIII Petrol Tray: Doris
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyC View Post
    Hi All,

    We have just reassembled the 300Tdi after it split a heater hose dumped all the coolant and did the head gasket.

    We started it and ran it for less the a minute and in the time it's dumped 1.5 plus litres of oil on the garage floor.

    It's covered everything in oil as its got on the belts flinging oil everywhere.

    Best I can see it looks like it's coming from the left front corner of the head gasket, but as i said there is oil everywhere.
    It's not the the oil cooler hoses, and we have not disturbed the oil system that I know of.

    Is it possible that we've put the gasket upside down, back to front or inside out?

    Any other ideas or sage advice.

    I'll get some degreaser tomorrow and clean it down, fill it with cheap oil and fire it up again.

    Tony
    The three thickness indicator holes (or what ever number of holes) should be on the drivers side at about cylinder 3 just behind the crankcase breather. If they are there, the gasket the right way up and you won't need to remove the head to check that the gasket is on the right way. Have you checked the oil cooler pipes to the radiator? If they are split or broken, they will evacuate oil at a high rate of knots. For the gasket, go to six minutes on this clip. Replacing the 300tdi head gasket PART 1- bolts gaskets and sequence. - YouTube

    Good luck
    1996 Disco 1 300TDI manual - Lucille a cantankerous red head! :D
    1997 Disco 1 300TDI Auto - sold

  4. #4
    TonyC is offline Master Silver Subscriber
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    Hmmmmm.

    Looks like the gasket may be upside down.

    The part of the gasket with thickness indicator holes is adjacent to cylinder 2, which will put the cut off corner, bottom left of Tins picture, at the front right corner of the head, which is my best guess were it's leaking, not rear right, were it should be.

    I bet we'll never do that again.

    Well get it cleaned down and make sure that's were it coming from.

    Thanks

    Tony

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyC View Post
    Hmmmmm.

    Looks like the gasket may be upside down.
    That'll do it... sadly.
    ​JayTee

    Nullus Anxietus

    ​Getting involved in discussions is the best way to learn.

    2000 D2 TD5 Auto: Tins
    1994 D1 300TDi Manual: Dave
    1980 SIII Petrol Tray: Doris
    OKApotamus #74
    Nanocom, D2 TD5 only.

  6. #6
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    That’s a bugger - but looking on the positive side - at least it was instantly obvious.
    Much better than not knowing you’ve blocked off a critical oil/water gallery until everything goes rattly a few k’s down the road.

    Steve
    1985 County - Isuzu 4bd1 with HX30W turbo, LT95, 255/85-16 KM2's
    1988 120 with rust and potential
    1999 300tdi 130 single cab - "stock as bro"
    2003 D2a Td5 - the boss's daily drive

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    Quote Originally Posted by steveG View Post
    That’s a bugger - but looking on the positive side - at least it was instantly obvious.
    Much better than not knowing you’ve blocked off a critical oil/water gallery until everything goes rattly a few k’s down the road.

    Steve
    And, everything will be easy to undo... well, except for the headbolts. If they were new they'll be fine to reuse, you get five goes. It will just be a new gasket, that you can't reuse. Well, I wouldn't.
    ​JayTee

    Nullus Anxietus

    ​Getting involved in discussions is the best way to learn.

    2000 D2 TD5 Auto: Tins
    1994 D1 300TDi Manual: Dave
    1980 SIII Petrol Tray: Doris
    OKApotamus #74
    Nanocom, D2 TD5 only.

  8. #8
    TonyC is offline Master Silver Subscriber
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    Heads off.
    The gasket was upside down.

    In Tins's phot above, the small hole in the bottom right corner is an oil feed.
    When you put the gasket on ass about, that hole is uncovered and open to the outside world, due to the cut off corner, bottom left in the picture.

    So mystery is solved, parts will be on the way today, and we will be the most pedantic gasket checkers on the planet.

    Thanks for everyone's input.

    Tony

  9. #9
    TonyC is offline Master Silver Subscriber
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    Quote Originally Posted by steveG View Post
    That’s a bugger - but looking on the positive side - at least it was instantly obvious.
    Much better than not knowing you’ve blocked off a critical oil/water gallery until everything goes rattly a few k’s down the road.

    Steve
    Yes indeed, I've thanked all my lucky stars, and a bunch of others as well.

    I wonder how long it would run with no oil feed to the top end

    Tony

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyC View Post
    I wonder how long it would run with no oil feed to the top end

    Tony
    Longer than you think, but the question is moot; it would empty the sump and we all know what happens when oil feed is lost to the bottom end...
    ​JayTee

    Nullus Anxietus

    ​Getting involved in discussions is the best way to learn.

    2000 D2 TD5 Auto: Tins
    1994 D1 300TDi Manual: Dave
    1980 SIII Petrol Tray: Doris
    OKApotamus #74
    Nanocom, D2 TD5 only.

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