Stupid Head Gasket

[Jinata]

My Dad's Land Rover Discovery had a split head gasket, so compression loss was occuring in Cylinder 4. So I took off the Rocker Cover, then the Engine Head and replaced the Gasket. Put everything back, filled up the water for the cooling.

Now the engine sounds really crappy, and white pale smoke seems to be shooting out of the engine somewhere, not hard but softly, it's hard to see where it's coming from because Im not so sure about leaving on the engine whilst death smoke is polluting everywhere. any suggestions? (and I think the engine is over heating as smoke is coming out of the oil cap with it on! and out of the water cap.)

It's a Land Rover Discovery K Reg 2.5 TDI. :down:

 

[Antony]

if the gasket went, then the head would have warped too. they do that on Diesels. the head will need to be skimmed flat and/or crack tested and replaced.
sorry

 

[Jinata]

Naw the head was fine, no warps on it as teh RAC said so and a Land rover specialist said that it's fine as we noticed the damage early.

 

[ollyc98]

Is the smoke steam? if so check your water pump, you shudda replaced that anyway. You could be burning oil though. get a new engine?
After re-reading I had the same thing happen with the mondeo, thought it was smoke, turned out the bottom hose had blown out and was leaking onto the manifold creating steam. Look for evidence of coolant leakage (white bits on pipes)

 

[Ed]

Naw the head was fine, no warps on it as teh RAC said so and a Land rover specialist said that it's fine as we noticed the damage early.

So what your saying is you didnt check and just assumed it would be ok? Sounds like you may have wasted your time. Did you even look to see why it went in the first place?

 

[ollyc98]

You'd have to overheat it for the head to warp. So as long as it wasn't driven after the gasket blew it'd be alright. I would've got it skimmed anyway though.

 

[Jinata]

So what your saying is you didnt check and just assumed it would be ok? Sounds like you may have wasted your time. Did you even look to see why it went in the first place?

No.. a Land rover specialist measured the amount of damage and told us that all you need to do is change the head gasket.

 

[hughes_16v]

You should of got it skimmed and tested anyway, it only cost me £35 to get my head tested and skimmed on my rover so its not like its expensive.

(and I think the engine is over heating as smoke is coming out of the oil cap with it on! and out of the water cap.)

Is it smoke or steam? Tbh it sounds like youve wasted your time and may need to take the head off again and get it skimmed. Did you use the correct tightening torques and correct order to tighten them back up?

 

[Jinata]

Yep, 40 Newton meters all across. I bought the haynes manual for this car. I think I may have to take off the head again.

 

[whipit]

Did you tighten the head bolts down in the correct order? Blow any water out of the head bolts holes?, fit the correct head gasket?, fit new head bolts regardless whether there stretch bolts or not?.


Also you said "y Dad's Land Rover Discovery had a split head gasket, so compression loss was occurring in Cylinder 4 ", Did you diagnose the lack of compression to be the head gasket (checking condition once the head is off) or did you just assume that the lack of compression was the head gasket at cylinder number four.

 

[hughes_16v]

I think I may have to take off the head again.

I also think the same

 

[Jinata]

Did you tighten the head bolts down in the correct order? Blow any water out of the head bolts holes?, fit the correct head gasket?, fit new head bolts regardless whether there stretch bolts or not?.


Also you said "y Dad's Land Rover Discovery had a split head gasket, so compression loss was occurring in Cylinder 4 ", Did you diagnose the lack of compression to be the head gasket (checking condition once the head is off) or did you just assume that the lack of compression was the head gasket at cylinder number four.

Compression was being sput out through teh Head gasket in Cylinder 4 as the head gasket split was next to cylinder 4. I used them hearing things and cylinder 4 was making the hissing sound. The condition of the pistons, they were fine. There were no warps on on either of the cylinder head nor the rest of the engine. I cleaned out the pistons and drained any water/coolant/diesel that was floating around. I followed the guide to tighten the bolts at 40NM in order. Reconnected all the fuel lines, pipes, hoses etc.

And Im left with the problems which I've explained in post 1.

Anyways, tomorrow I'm gonna' take off the head again and see what's happening. The engine hasn't be driven with the head gasket blown, so no severe overheating has occured since the split.


Example of the Split -

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3553/blowngasketrx0.jpg
image too big



Some people seem to be peed off today. :doh:

 

[frank]

jinata

40 nm does,nt sound very tight for head bolts, especially a big turbo diesel.
it sounds like the pistons are sucking coolant in through the new gasket and also pressurising the crankcase.
i would back off the head bolts a half turn, then pull them down a bit more than 40 nm and see if it improves it .
if it does you,ll know your on the right track !

 

[hughes_16v]

Didnt spot it before but you say 40NM surely thats not all? There should be an angle to tighten threw? I remember on my over a had to tighten to 25Nm then 80degrees, then 80 degrees again.

40Nm doesnt sound right to me.

 

[RTLkyuubi54]

on k10's you tighten em up loosen them off again and retighten! =o 40nm doesnt sound tight at all for the engine.

 

[ollyc98]

nm? whats that in good old fashioned lb ft? Anyway as long as you read the Haynes manual there is little else you can do as the Haynes is most likely to be right.

 

[Jinata]

Lb ft is 30. I'll take off the head and see what I can do. thanks guys! xxxxxx

 

[frank]

jinata

i would back them off a half turn then retorque them first, it might cure it !
you,ll be surprised how much further they go

 

[Jinata]

Okay! Just need to see if the Head Gasket has been damaged again, as it's making a hissing sound again. Anyways Im off to get my handys greasy. Wish me luck!

 

[frank]

jinata

if it has, nt been run for long it might be ok ? worth a try surely ? and ye good luck !