Thread: 300 Tdi head replacement questions

Hi guys,

I was unsuccessful in getting a stud fit where the bolt wouldn't. Either the head or the timing casing needs to come off. So I will have to get another head gasket and make another trip. Got lots of other stuff done so it wasn't all bad.
I will definitely be getting a low coolant alarm.
Is this thermostat housing bolt a problem for all 300 tdi engines? I'm surprised I haven't read about it before. my engine is a 18L xxxxxxx engine which according to my research is a disco EDC manual engine. To the best of my knowledge my engine doesn't have EDC.

Regards

Jarrod

About the bottom bolts for the thermostat housing: There is a chance that you or the PO used the wrong (longer) bolts - I vividly recall that I have replaced that gasket in situ- it was PITA and I had to cut up and modify a spanner to do it - but it was do able. ( Just checking that you are installing the bolts first and then sliding the housing down on them..)

it is very doable without pulling the head or timing case, thats why the lower 2 holes on the housing are slotted.

Originally Posted by langy

About the bottom bolts for the thermostat housing: There is a chance that you or the PO used the wrong (longer) bolts - I vividly recall that I have replaced that gasket in situ- it was PITA and I had to cut up and modify a spanner to do it - but it was do able. ( Just checking that you are installing the bolts first and then sliding the housing down on them..)

Do as Langy has said.

I have been caught the same way and worked around the problem and I ended up doing exactly what Langy has posted there, never a a problem with it since.
Get a, soup-a-sheep 13 mm open ender / ring, cut the end out of the ring end just enough gap to force the gap across the shank of the bolt and away you go.
Then repeat after me, for each movement of the spanner, "I will in the future put this on before installing the head".
.

Also, don't think it was mentioned earlier in the thread... I believe you will need to do the valve clearances after fitting the head. Take some feeler gauges with you.

Hi guys,

The problem is not doing the bolts up but getting the lower left into the head without the thermostat housing in place. I know thermostat housing has slotted holes and is slipped over the bottom bolts and the done up. According to microcat the bolts I have are the correct type and length. M8 x 25mm with a flanged head. 3 are fine but the lower left is hitting on the casting of the timing case. I cut down a bolt so that it just cleared the casing but it only leaves about 4 turns in the head which is not enough.

I have photos to show this but can't (or don't know how) to upload them from an iPad. I can email them if anyone is interested otherwise it will have to wait until I get home.

Regards

Jarrod

And I don't know how to post incognito !

Grind a little bit off where the bolt does up, a bit = about two threads worth.

Disclaimer: I didn't post this ! honest

It's not the timing case - it's the ancillary bracket, in particular the back of the housing for the tensioner. Unless there is something weird, you could grind a little bit off that webbing to fit the bolt in.



Take the tensioner off and the temperature sensor out so you have room to move about.