Thread: TDI head gasket

Not long after I did the first timing belt change the plastic plug on top of the thermostat split (overtightened?). Was going up the Moombie hill, lots of steam but the temp gauge was not in the red zone.
Long story short, dug the remains out, carved a bit of tree branch and scewed it in with insulation tape around it. Filled the coolant tank, left the cap off and drove (slowly) 200kn home.
Replaced plugs with brass, refilled and bled, road test and check in the coolant tank. Few revs and what?? bubbles... oh no.....
Drove around for a while, reported the situation here, comments to suggest pump cavitation etc., so just kept on driving.
Since then have replaced timing belt, now almost due for no.3 and still the same small amount of bubbles when the engine is revved slightly.
No coolant in oil, no gas or oil in coolant tank, requires 1/2 cup of coolant about once/year.
I reckon you have escaped anything serious, just keep on motoring!
Mike

I'm sure you're aware of the usual disclaimer re: ruining your engine on my advice, but if you can't get bubbles at stand still and not convinced it's HG yet, then doing a blockie to put some load on the engine is the next obvious step. Just take a spanner and water so you can bled it if needed.

I'm going to make sure the system is bled the best i can before i make any rash judgements then do a blockie i think, at least then if its under load and up to operating temp and still bubbling then its off with the head.

Re-post: You could try a new expansion tank cap too.

Originally Posted by Judo

Re-post: You could try a new expansion tank cap too.

I had my old cap which was working when my tank split years ago but i'm still getting some bubbling - might just take the head off on the weekend and replace the gasket.

Head came off today for a looksie, no obvious cause of the failure but while cleaning the surface of the head i found some small cracks in the combustion chamber of cylinders 2,3 and 4 in between the valves and near the glow plugs.

Not sure if these are show stoppers or not ?

That head is irrepairable when they crack through between the valve seat inserts

Don't let anyone spend your $$ trying to fix that particular failure point, new head is the best solution here.

JC

Originally Posted by justinc

That head is irrepairable when they crack through between the valve seat inserts

Don't let anyone spend your $$ trying to fix that particular failure point, new head is the best solution here.

JC

Thanks mate, i had prepared myself for a new head after seeing those, now just gottta find the 1k to pay for it .