Thread: head gasket td5

Plastic dowels cannot technically give grief.

The dowel(s) is to locate the head when fitted. Once torqued up the bolts hold it in place, the dowels do nothing.

Also, LR had a run of plastic dowel engines in later 2002MY as well.

It is more "luck of the draw" for one to fail. Some do, many don't. Theres no real way to be sure.

Get a radiator specialist to use a test paper or sniffer to check if it is Exhaust coming into the coolant, this would be my first point of investigation (and cheapest).

Good luck in your search.

Mike

Welcome to the pain. Took months for me to get my baby under control after doing exactly that. Kept passing the head tests but would boil without warning and pump the fluid out of the resivior. I had a couple of probs causing mine.
1 was the thermostate kept ceasing so would build up back pressure causing things to over heat and produce steam and more pressure.

2 Leak through water pump shaft letting air in so I was constantly getting air pockets. (Only fould this one by removing the pump).

3 Dealer who sold it to me put low pressure cap on so it wouldn't hold pressure to hide fault.

4 Gunk clogging the air flow through the radiator also helped to compound the problems.

I still have a slow leak but I only need to add a little fluid every 1000-1800km, so its not to bad. Would be nice to sort this one though. I now carry 12 litres of water at all times so I can refill the system if anything happens again.

The hard thing is getting all the symptons of a blown head but having mechanics tell you its passing the tests fine but If I want they will crack it open at a cost anywhere up to $4000.

One more thing. Do as tombraider sujested. The pressure test is fine but insist on the chemical test. Amazing how many places woun't do it when the pressure test give it a pass. The mechanics also claimed that the chem test is unreliable with deisels. 8O

2000mod td5 with 95000 ks,lost water pulling up toowoomba range,dealer did all tests and replaced cap and said bye bye its ok.
left next day for cooktown and got to gingin and lost water again.
limped to rocky and had tested again.testok but under load blew water out again. end result head removed head gasket blown after head moved a nitstit due to PLASTIC dowels.new gasket,new alloy dowls ,head boltsetc etc total cost fitted $2800.(and a massive blue with dealer/stealer)
no more problems.
has now been chipped and it flys.
cheers

will be doing the gas test maybe I can get the kit from repco? will do a few more checks do not want to go ripping the head off and find that it was something else. there is bubble's going into the expansion tank from the bottom hose,to rule out the water pump may remove fan belt and see if this stops the bubbles,will do the test with a cold engine if bubbles appear Then remove belt and test again.

what gets me is I was looking at replacing the cd player it is stuffed but will have to spend money on repairs instead

Disconnect the wastegate can from the wastegate on the turbo and take it for a drive with the wastegate open. When you return check to see if the cooling system is pressurised if not reconnect and drive the same course, if on your return it is the head gasket may be the offending item.

Good luck

Justin

I bought a test kit,testing for combustion gas in the coolant the 1st test proved negative but there was no bubbles in the expansion tank this time either so will keep kit in the car and test again later.heading down the coast this weekend so hopefully if the bubbling in the expansion tank returns a negative will replace water pump and thermostat.

One reason for the bubbles disappearing could be down to slight movement of head or gasket but will keep fingers crossed for easy and cheaper option.

the test kit uses a blue fluid which turns yellow if gasses are present easy to use

Before you replace the thermostat when you have time remove it and test it with boiling water. Very obvious when it opens and lets the water through as apposted to when it won't.

Water pump has a rubber gromet so if you are carefull you can re-use the seal, Sod to remove but I didn't go as far as the manual said to get it out. You will feel the movement once it's if that is a problem.

Good luck