Thread: Has anyone Surface Machined a 300TDi head?

Frank,
Can't help with an answer at present but I took the head off my wife's fairlane yesterday. It is in the shop being machined. When I pick it up tomorrow I will ask them if they have ever done one.

Dave.

I have had 300Tdi heads skimmed.

Overheating events cause the heads to develop soft areas, and then they can't hold bolt clamping loads, leading to head gasket failure.

Shops that do heat treatment of steel parts can heat treat the 300Tdi head. Get hardness tested and look for variations over the head to determine if it has developed soft areas. These shops usually have metallurgists that can give you advise.

If it hasn't had a bad overheating and hasn't been blowing gaskets, I wouldn't worry about heat treating unless it has soft areas.

Edit: Metalert in Carrington (Newcastle suburb) are heat treaters that have experience heat treating 300tdi heads.

Had mine done 3 or 4 years ago after an overheat episode. Don't know how much was taken off - I didn't think to ask. No problems since though.

That's a fair way off the max spec. If it was only .09 or .10 you might be happier chancing it.

Originally Posted by spudboy

Had mine done 3 or 4 years ago after an overheat episode. Don't know how much was taken off - I didn't think to ask. No problems since though.

That's a fair way off the max spec. If it was only .09 or .10 you might be happier chancing it.

0.13mm is only 6 thou, 0.006", I'm hoping that I'll be able to get away with it, any idea of what a new bare head is worth or a good straight secondhand one is worth, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

0.13mm is only 6 thou, 0.006", I'm hoping that I'll be able to get away with it, any idea of what a new bare head is worth or a good straight secondhand one is worth, Regards Frank.

Frank ,Give Triumph rover spares a call in the morning and they can tell you how much a good 2nd hand head is worth I presume that the replacement 2nd hand head would been vaccume tested and tested for soft spots , but you can certainly ask.

Had a look here to get some ideas on prices.

Land Rover parts - CYLINDER HEAD PARTS

(Just took 5thou off a TD5 head,told hardining is 7thou on these, no overheating problems.)

Cheers.

I have heard of one that has had several millimeters taken off .........apparently it was a mistake and the engine reputedly goes like stink. No names.

Originally Posted by Waxenwane

I have heard of one that has had several millimeters taken off .........apparently it was a mistake and the engine reputedly goes like stink. No names.

Don't see how it would improve performance - the head is flat. Though it would move the injector closer to the piston.


Btw Tank - turner lists a genuine bare head for GBP295. But I would take John's (Bush65) advice.