Thread: 97-TDI-300- 4th Head Gasket, overheating -HELP!!!

Originally Posted by ianh

After 2 years, 4 head gaskets, a new head, new thermo fans, water pump, radiator, hoses, countless hours of post overheating engine restoration work, I'm back to another head gasket replacement after $12K of work. All of this started after a leaking water pump and lack of water "overheating"!

I have requested that the head be sent off for surface milling, it was a new head 12 months ago, offcourse, it could be my block, my mechanic "not a Landy expert" sais that both head and block are perfect according to his straight edge test, ummmmm!

• He uses an adhesive or gasket sealent is this OK or not, there seems to be a difference of opinion some say do it! some say not????
• Should he replace the gasket with a thicker one, he wants to do this?
• Should he replace the studs with new ones? I want to.
• Should he replace the head nuts with new ones, I want to.
• How should he go about checking the block for straightness, is the straight edge adequate for this test?
• The gasket has gone between 2&3 to the water jacket, very close to a head stud for the second time, do these heads suffer in these places for others? does this model 300 TDI have problems?
• Should the head underside stud holes be shamfered or bevelled to allow for any raising of the cast iron block in the vicinity of the studs?
• Can I get a low water alarm? if so, from where and how much? will this help in alerting me to pending low water problems?
• Someone has mentioned airlocks in heaters when rebuilding the cooling system, is this so? and if so what is the remedy
• Someone has mentioned a method other than a torque wrench to pull down the head, what is this angle method???
• Someone has said that you shouldn't re-tighten the head a few weeks after initial torque down is this true?
• What is the torque/pressure and sequence for the head bolts?

I also have much less power since the first overheating episode and also puffing some grey smoke, the mechanic has sent off my injectors for testing, uuuuuum!. Would it be possible that I have glazed bores since installing new rings, newly honed bores and a reluctance to push the engine under load for fear of overheating the bl**&y engine again? Does anybody have a comment on glazed bores ?

I'm losing the faith, I'll probably answer any responses to this help request from jail as I'm thinking murder, if its not the mechanic, it will be me by my partner who is talking To&$#a and Ni^%%#n

Any help is really appreciated

Where are you located, repairing engines isn't rocket science. You suggested sending the head off for skimming don't from what i have heard the 300tdi head is surface hardened and can't be skimmed(makes them soft and subject to warping and blowing gaskets). You need to buy a new head but first get your block checked for true a good engine reconditioning shop can do that with a dial gauge. If neccessary get the block skimmed and use a thicker gasket(check with Land Rover specialist what thickness gaskets are available). If the block is warped and insufficient gasket thickness to deck the block (DEEP S#%T) you will have to look around for a new or second hand block.
I made up a low water alarm with a RR 1992 expansion tank cap with inbuilt low water switch. Works a treat
If the engine has been overheated the obvious problems could include, stuffed head. buggered piston rings, warped block and possible hairline fractures, replace welsh plugs. How long was the engine run without coolant? A minor cooking as opposed to a full on BBQ including engine seizure and lock up makes for a huge differance in prognosis.

Originally Posted by ianh

After 2 years, 4 head gaskets, a new head, new thermo fans, water pump, radiator, hoses, countless hours of post overheating engine restoration work, I'm back to another head gasket replacement after $12K of work. All of this started after a leaking water pump and lack of water "overheating"!

I have requested that the head be sent off for surface milling, it was a new head 12 months ago, offcourse, it could be my block, my mechanic "not a Landy expert" sais that both head and block are perfect according to his straight edge test, ummmmm!

• He uses an adhesive or gasket sealent is this OK or not, there seems to be a difference of opinion some say do it! some say not????
• Should he replace the gasket with a thicker one, he wants to do this?
• Should he replace the studs with new ones? I want to.
• Should he replace the head nuts with new ones, I want to.
• How should he go about checking the block for straightness, is the straight edge adequate for this test?
• The gasket has gone between 2&3 to the water jacket, very close to a head stud for the second time, do these heads suffer in these places for others? does this model 300 TDI have problems?
• Should the head underside stud holes be shamfered or bevelled to allow for any raising of the cast iron block in the vicinity of the studs?
• Can I get a low water alarm? if so, from where and how much? will this help in alerting me to pending low water problems?
• Someone has mentioned airlocks in heaters when rebuilding the cooling system, is this so? and if so what is the remedy
• Someone has mentioned a method other than a torque wrench to pull down the head, what is this angle method???
• Someone has said that you shouldn't re-tighten the head a few weeks after initial torque down is this true?
• What is the torque/pressure and sequence for the head bolts?

I also have much less power since the first overheating episode and also puffing some grey smoke, the mechanic has sent off my injectors for testing, uuuuuum!. Would it be possible that I have glazed bores since installing new rings, newly honed bores and a reluctance to push the engine under load for fear of overheating the bl**&y engine again? Does anybody have a comment on glazed bores ?

I'm losing the faith, I'll probably answer any responses to this help request from jail as I'm thinking murder, if its not the mechanic, it will be me by my partner who is talking To&$#a and Ni^%%#n

Any help is really appreciated

I DO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!!!!

2 x gaskets and now a rebuilt engine and all is fine

My motor was also blowing between 2 & 3, turned out to be a u shaped warp that the mechanics missed before biting the bullet and pulling the engine out and getting it DECKED. They measured it in the car but missed it both times. It would then pull the head out of shape and warp it big time. Both times the head was sent off for hardness testing and it had to be machined. The head had to be replaced with the rebuild.

The head bolts "have" to be changed each time and you don't retension the head as was done in the dark ages.

I was lucky in that from the start it only cost approx $8K, and the mechanic rebuilt the engine and replaced the head for free. Cost to me for the rebuild, a set of injectors.

Mine too started from a faulty seal in the water pump, then the hoses let go, then the black overflow bottle. The first repair lasted less than 6 months and the second repair lasted 26 hours. made it to the top of Cunningham's gap when it died and the turbo was glowing orange.

SO GET THE BLOCK OUT TO AN ENGINEERS SHOP AND HAVE IT DECKED, ALSO HIT YOUR MECHANIC UP FOR THE COST AS IS IT WARRANTY WORK

Dan