Vin # and plastic head dowels

Ean Austral · 18th January 2011, 07:35 AM

Gday All,

I remember reading a thread where someone posted the vin # where they changed the head dowels on the TD5 from plastic-to-steel.

Does anyone remember the thread or have the numbers im talking about...

Dad has a 2004 model D2a and has been told at he's next service.160k he should get the head done just incase the head has moved..

If someone can point me to it or has them would really apprieciate it.

Thanks and Cheers Ean

**Narangga** · 18th January 2011, 07:39 AM

Here Ean, was looking at it last night!

This one slipped through!!!

Ean Austral · 18th January 2011, 07:59 AM

Thanks Stuuu,

after reading all that it seems that overheating is still the killer..

I know that hasn't happened to Dads so will try and convince him not to stress...Am sure he will start get some warning before the gasket goes..

Cheers Ean

Tombie · 18th January 2011, 08:01 AM

Its actually quite common, several years seem to have the plastic dowels.

There is no - reliable - vin range..

**BIG O** · 18th January 2011, 09:13 PM

Everyone LR mechanic I speak to tells me that after 03 they have steel.

**Disco EMU** · 19th January 2011, 02:19 PM

I was under the assumption that the plastic dowels were only there to help guide the head back onto the engine block ... it's the bolts that hold the head in place.

Happy to be corrected?

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 20th January 2011, 08:31 AM

True enough,,
but if the bolts come loose the head movement soon wears through the plastic---

**Urban Panzer** · 21st January 2011, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

True enough,,
but if the bolts come loose the head movement soon wears through the plastic---

So the underlying problem is just that, not the plastic dowels.

Maybe a periodic torque check of the headbolts, or even replacement would have been a better idea in the service schedule.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 21st January 2011, 07:53 AM

Is there any reason this is not done?
is it detrimental to the gasket?

Ean Austral · 21st January 2011, 08:03 AM

Am sure I read somewhere that the head bolts cannot be re used or re tightened...This always never made sense to me, but just assumed they were some type of bolt that may have been heat affected by the different metals they went thru/into..

Surely even if you replaced them 1 by 1 then its got to be a better option than the head gasket failing..

Something for someone who is not far from changing a head gasket to try..Makes sense to my small brain..

Cheers Ean

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