Thread: Manifold Gasket 300Tdi leak ??

This one is pretty painless. The manifold gasket is only $20(ish) and whilst you have to take the air pipes off and wiggle the exhaust around a bit, the operation is easy. Watch when you undo the bolts/nuts/studs, as they can be a little fragile. M8 thread if you do break one. The oil is blow-by: ie crankcase spray misses the separator (black thing other side of the rocker cover) and gets sucked back thru the turbo. The gasket gets old and lets compressed air and oil spray out, and that's where you get your leak. Whilst your at it, clean the separator, turbo pipes and fittings, and degrease the intercooler.

Further to the previous answer, you will find that the gasket is broken, probably top and bottom at number 2 & 3 inlet. This occures because the exhaust expands and contracts more than the inlet and the movement tears the gasket.
Solution, cut the gasket between number 2 exhaust and inlet and number 3 exhaust and inlet. When I did mine I used a hacksaw to very carefully and slowly cut through the metalic part of the gasket but not the rest so the gasket went on in one piece and the "paper" part of it can tear at the new week point where it is cut.
The job is fairly easy.
Steve.

Originally Posted by langy

This one is pretty painless. The manifold gasket is only $20(ish) and whilst you have to take the air pipes off and wiggle the exhaust around a bit, the operation is easy. Watch when you undo the bolts/nuts/studs, as they can be a little fragile. M8 thread if you do break one. The oil is blow-by: ie crankcase spray misses the separator (black thing other side of the rocker cover) and gets sucked back thru the turbo. The gasket gets old and lets compressed air and oil spray out, and that's where you get your leak. Whilst your at it, clean the separator, turbo pipes and fittings, and degrease the intercooler.

Gday Langy do you mean degrease just the outside of the intercooler or both inside and out...
Cheers Azzza
Thanx for your help guys..

For Mr Mac: Degrease the inside of the intercooler. Use something potent, as the gunk inside is hard to shift. Let dry and fumes (if any) dissipate before startup, because if the diesel ingests fumes, bad things can occur.