heaters cold and the dreaded white smoke ???

[diff-breaker]

HI - engine was overheating and heater blowers cold. Topped up water and then the plume sof white smoke started. Got heaters to work (more luck than mending anything). Question is could this be intermittent thermostat sticking, water pump or is this the dreaded cyclinder head blown ? Oil is still black not milky as if water has got in it. Please help as it looks as if the old gal may have to move on.
Disco is 98 300 tdi

[mattyme]

was it throwing out the white smoke at the same time the heaters went cold?
if so, it does sound like the head gasket as coolant has got into the cylinders and is getting exhausted as steam!!

it can be fixed tho dude...

[diff-breaker]

yeh at same time ..... only trouble is the fix is a costly one, sounds from waht garage are saying cheaper for 2nd hand  replacement engine !

[mattyme]

its six of one and half a dozen of the other dude really.
if you fix it then you know its been done, do the cam belkt at the same time. its not a massive job like the engine swap.
with a replaceme4nt engine, you dont know the history of it and the labour charge will bum rape you!!

[mudmagnet]

head gasket is a fairly easy job on these you just need to get the head checked for cracks and straightness at your local independant garage and maybe have the head skimmed, failing that just chuck in a bottle of k seal, i sealed the blown head gasket of my old rangie with this and it lasted until i scrapped it with body rot