Thread: 1995 Defender head gasket problem

Hi Brendan,
My manual says compression should be 21 bar.
Given that you say it didn't get hot and the coolant levels are OK, why do you suspect a head gasket and what makes think the head needs replacing?

Tony

Two questions:
1- did anyone check the oil before they left?
2- If the oil light came on, why didnt he stop????????

Originally Posted by TonyC

Hi Brendan,
My manual says compression should be 21 bar.
Given that you say it didn't get hot and the coolant levels are OK, why do you suspect a head gasket and what makes think the head needs replacing?

Tony

Thanks for that Tony, I'm going to go and have a look at Brendans Defender tomorrow afternoon. My compression gauge only goes to 300psi (21bar is 304psi) so that should be okay. I'll check the turbo for play / siezing and then do a compression test, before dismantling the head. Apparently there was a lot of oil on the turbo side of the motor. Whoever looked at the motor at the time (they never got it started) said it was the head, so that diagnosis is provisional.

Brendan's out tonight, but I'm sure he'll get back with some updates.

Any advise / diagnostics for me to conduct before dismantling would be greatly appreciated - so all feedback is welcome.

- Michael

the oil light was flickering. check the oil level

remove the rocker cover, open the inspection port /drain plug for the timing belt, remove the glow plugs and bar the engine over by hand if it turns over easily put some pieces of card over the glow plug holes disconnect the electrics to the fuel stop solenoid then spin it on the starter motor. (you should be doing this prior to a compression check on a diesel anyway)

Watch for the correct movement of the valve gear and when you key it on the starter look at what sprays out of the glow plug holes onto the cards.

IF you get lots of oil/water coming out onto the cards you might have just saved your compression gauge.

Thanks everyone for your input. Michael and I (or should I say Michael) removed the head this afternoon. He had checked the compression before he removed the head and all were within 10% of 300psi. Once the head was off there was no obvious breach in gasket and cylinder bore looks fine. I will get the head hardnest tested and checked for warp tomorrow. If it checkes out ok we will replace the valve stem seals and put the head back on on Friday.

As far as why the they didn't stop straight away, well what can I say three musicians with no mechanical experience driving someone elses car. I gather they just didn't think it was that critical.

On the plus side for them they got VIP treatment getting back to Melbourne coutesy of RACV Total care.

I will let you know how things pan out.

Regards

Brendan

Well , Michael dropped the head off to Orger Engines in Bayswater Vic. They did a hardnest test - 107 , chacked for any warp , pressure tested the head and fitted new valve stem seals.
I will pick it up tomorrow and we will refit it.

On a side point it seems that the 101 had a low oil cutout switch which cut the fuel pump if the oil was low. I am wondering if there are any 110's out there that may have a similar system installed.

Well we (Minnithemoocha and Michael2) spent the afternoon reassembling the Defender. Apart from an electrical problem between the ignition and the fuel shut-off valve (a job for the morning) all went well. We bypassed the ignition to activate the fuel pump and the engine started and ran nicely.

A big thanks to Minnithemoocha who spent all afternoon helping and Michael who spent wednesday afternoon and some of this afternoon getting the Defender going. I will repay the favour in the weeks and months to come. There is always something to do on the Defenders.

Originally Posted by brendanb

Well we (Minnithemoocha and Michael2) spent the afternoon reassembling the Defender. Apart from an electrical problem between the ignition and the fuel shut-off valve (a job for the morning) all went well. We bypassed the ignition to activate the fuel pump and the engine started and ran nicely.

Glad to hear it's turned out to be reasonably minor.
I hope the boys have learnt about oil lights!

Tony