Thread: While Head is Off

Originally Posted by justinc

Hi D, Yes you would expect earlier issues I guess with higher ambients, also lots of vehicles we get down here do lots of short running, too.

JC

I was just having this conversation with my Mechanic the other day with regards to my TD5 having done 188k and if it was near time to get the head gasket looked at.

He advised that as I do long trips, and I am in the car all day, that I shouldnt need to do the head gasket until well over 200K. Now having said that, I think I should go find a lot of wood to touch

He was of the opinion, that those vehicles that have to have the head done prior to 200k, are those that do short, stop/start trips where the engine doesnt get up to operating temp.

Cheers

Matt

Originally Posted by justinc

Head gaskets can leak in these at anytime, they just need to get hot and the dowels deform. Pre 2004 they all seem to have plastic dowels. I have removed a couple of 2003 heads to find plastic dowels...

i have 2 in at work at the moment with head gasket failures. Both 2001 models, 1 so bad that the circulation of coolant is almost non existent due to the pressure exerted by leaking compression gasses. When we fitted the pressure tester to the expansion tank and ran the engine, the gauge started to rise by itself even at a cold idle

Basically, there is so much compression gas getting into the cooling system that it is displacing the water as the engine is idling...After about 3 minutes the top hose is empty and the pressure gauge reads 8psi. The water pump has been removed and inspected as I was first suspect of it as there was almost no circulation. The vehicle arrived at work empty of water, I added 10 litres to it to perform a pressure test. I am hoping the head is OK and the block face is alright as the water consists of a brown muddy substance, looks like years without coolant or inhibitor.

JC

Justin in your experience is pressurising the cooling system the predominant way in which the Td5 head gasket fails?

Ryan

i best go hug a tree then!, 285k and have owned since 175k, not intending to do the gasket anytime whilst i own it.

Originally Posted by Yorkie

i best go hug a tree then!, 285k and have owned since 175k, not intending to do the gasket anytime whilst i own it.

Nice one Yorkie..... only a tree, I would be hugging a whole forrest.

Regarding the head gasket failure, yes the first and often the only symptom is excessive pressurisation/ coolant consumption, especially when working hard.

An update on the one mentioned above, got the head off today and it has got too hot and smeared some of the piston skirt on the cylinder bore in number 2, RIP


JC

Originally Posted by justinc

An update on the one mentioned above, got the head off today and it has got too hot and smeared some of the piston skirt on the cylinder bore in number 2, RIP


JC

Damn, that's insane.

Originally Posted by justinc

Regarding the head gasket failure, yes the first and often the only symptom is excessive pressurisation/ coolant consumption, especially when working hard.

An update on the one mentioned above, got the head off today and it has got too hot and smeared some of the piston skirt on the cylinder bore in number 2, RIP


JC

Heading for the Landy playground in the sky? Or is the owner going to cough up the readies for a replacement?

No idea yet, he is having a think over the weekend. Such a shame as apart from the engine issue it is a nice, neat example of a manual D2... He may fix it, don't know until next week I guess.

JC