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

Never heard of one being that troublesome. May be the block, but if this mechanic has done all of them, i'd be getting another mechanic.

Somebody else will be able to answer the more technical aspects of your question

You need to get a good mechanic, someone who is apt in engine rebuilding on diesels and even better one that is a Land Rover specialist.

He may be a freind or freind of a freind but this has gone on too long for it to be something that you dont get a second opinion on even if he is doing the labour for free there has been many things so far that shouldnt have needed to be done.

As far as your questions go, a straight edge is the only way to realy check if a head or block is true BUT you must know what your doing with it for it to be acurate, if you have it even slightly off vertical it can have a bend in it that can disquise a warp in the head or block.

As far as smoke goes, Light grey smoke says to me that it could be burning water that could be leaking in through a sleeve or the head gasket the whole time.

Yes to get a low water sensor, there are a few threads on them on here so do a search.

Good luck

Originally Posted by ianh

• 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?

Sorry your having such a bad run with head gasket problems I can only help you on the low water bit. Youve just missed a 'special' but the thread and links are here:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php't=37127
This is for an Engine Saver low water alarm, the ad appears in the banner at the top of the page from time to time. AULRO members, such as yourself, get a 10% discount.
P.S. Put your location in your user profile then someone may be able to recommend a Landy mechanic nearby.

I'd be taking it to a Landrover Mechanic (Read NOT a Dealership).

From everything I've been told by anyone I would remotely trust (Went through an overheated engine on our 300Tdi) DON'T bother getting the head machined. Apparently it isn't recommended although there are a few who will do it.....

I believe a new engine is around $8000 so again it would be worth seeking the help of a Landrover mechanic. (There is a listing on this site of mechanics people recommend, if none local post up and I'm sure someone could point you to someone locally

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????
  edit previous bad textNope, landrovers dont specify it Ive never used it and never had a problem
• Should he replace the gasket with a thicker one, he wants to do this?
  edit previous bad textIf the block has been skimmed maybe but these can cause other problems later
• Should he replace the studs with new ones? I want to.
  Good Idea I would
• Should he replace the head nuts with new ones, I want to.
  as above
• How should he go about checking the block for straightness, is the straight edge adequate for this test?
  yes but it depends on how good his straight edge and feeler gauges are
• 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?
  this is typical of several things Including incorrect torquing procedure/sequence
• 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?
  NO.
• 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?
  Yes click the flashing link thing in the top right of the screen the engine saver one.
• Someone has mentioned airlocks in heaters when rebuilding the cooling system, is this so? and if so what is the remedy
  yes and the pocket of air will move to the head later then the radiator, remove the upper heater hose from the block and hold it high while you fill the system, blockn the hole in the head with a finger. ( yes you need to be a cephelopod to do it by yourself.
• Someone has mentioned a method other than a torque wrench to pull down the head, what is this angle method???
  edit previous bad textThe torque angle method is a procedure involving tightening all bolts to a predetermined torque then using an angle meter to tighten the bolts a further number of degrees typically 60,90 or 120 degrees.
• Someone has said that you shouldn't re-tighten the head a few weeks after initial torque down is this true?
  wrong... if you need to retorque the head after initial set up its usually after an initial warm up.
• 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 ?
Glazed bores are bad yes not working the engine will contribute to glazing but glazing in and of itself rarely leads to overheating.

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

Sounds to me like your mechanic doesnt know his ass from a cotter pin. if youve replaced half the cooling system and its still blowing out head gaskets then its the engine side of business...

has he ever checked the thermostat, and done a system check and flow test?

Hi if you let us know where you are we will be able to suggest some good LR specialists in your area ....
I'd say cut your losses and tow it down to them and explain the problem...

$1500 , brand new short motor on Ebay $12000 what were you thinking

For gods sake take it to someone who knows what a spanner is. Pat