Thread: TD5 Head Plastic Dowel Part Number.

Originally Posted by OffTrack

Id make the observation that the plastic dowels are generally causing head gasket failures at 200,000+ Km.

Until we see EU2 Td5's making the same kind of mileage after steel dowels are fitted claims of "no problems" are a little premature.

1st head gasket I did on a TD5 was at 62000km, and have done a lot under 100000km. also LR released TSB about fire ring wear into the head in 2000/2001. How did they get warranty claims for heads wear if heads weren't removed? The steel dowel TSB was released in 2003/2004. there is alot of EU2 TD5 out there with steel dowels fitted with a lot of km on them after steel dowels fitted

My 04 D2a 220 ks the head has never been off

Originally Posted by woko

where did they crack?

They tend to crack the head around the dowel hole. Towards the rear of the motor. Have seen a couple with minor cracks (hard to diagnose & X-Ray had to be used in some cases) & a minority with a fair crack that can be easily seen.
Again not all but it can happen.
The dowels don't of anything apart from locate the head onto the block.
Cheers

I've been tossing up between plastic and steel dowels for when I do the HG early next year.
As OffTrack says, the plastic ones are seemingly only a problem after 200k +
I'd rather have to do the head gasket again in 200k than run a risk of cracking the head, however minor that risk may be.
Just IMO

I know of one that has done 350,000 Ks on the original plastic dowels

My old D2 when I sold it had 295K Km's & also never had the heads off. Exhaust manifold was a different story tho'

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Easy way to rectify this... Fit the steel dowels, but enlarge the holes in the block by a few thou.. All that have to do is locate the gasket and then the head. If the head does move that few thou, then no dramas, no cracks, and no plastic dowels turning to powder!