Disco headgasket

[johnpirate]

Just finished fitting my lift kit.As I opened the bonnet to do the turrets.The right hand side of the engine is covered in oil.I know she puffs a bit but its always been like that.I washed the engine off .Went for a run Opened up oil was being sprayed from round the manifold.Looks like headgasket to me .Has anyone else had a head gasket on a disco do this to them?.Rang round for a gasket there are three!!.Do you want the chassis number I asked.No it doesnt tell us.What the ****!!.How can that be?. The chassis no should be the key to any part on the engine.

[chris9119]

The head gaskets come in three different thickness's, depending upon how many times you've had the head skimmed......

When you take the head off, you will see a number of notches/marks on the gasket...., if you skim the head, you'll need the next thickness up.

When you say its coming from around the head gasket, what side....., if its the near-side, it could be the turbo oil feed pipe thats sprung a leak, spraying upwards or it could simply be the rocker gasket that's leaking...., check everything else before doing the head.......

[Xtremeteam]

id be trying the inlet/exhaust manifold gasket first as they are comon for doing that

[johnpirate]

Thanks will do I will go and get an exhaust inlet gasket and a rocker gasket first thing.I was going for head as I,ve had my suspisions about it for a while. You are clogging it down the motorway and the temp gasket goes above the centre not into the red but close.if I keep it around 70 it stays ok but drifts up and down between centre and three quarters.

[J13 MUD]

Just a point on the head gasket question, the thickness of the gasket has nothing to do with the head being skimmed. The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC. the safe bet is to replace it with one with the same number of holes, the holes can be seen without removing the head, just behind the fuel pump.

[chris9119]

Just a point on the head gasket question, the thickness of the gasket has nothing to do with the head being skimmed. The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC. the safe bet is to replace it with one with the same number of holes, the holes can be seen without removing the head, just behind the fuel pump.

The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC, true, but if you have to skim the head, then it will protrude further, thats why you use a thicker gasket..... :idea:

[Disco-Ron]

Sorry to disagree.... but if you skim the head, it won't make the pistons stick further out of the block will it.....???

Just a point on the head gasket question, the thickness of the gasket has nothing to do with the head being skimmed. The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC. the safe bet is to replace it with one with the same number of holes, the holes can be seen without removing the head, just behind the fuel pump.

The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC, true, but if you have to skim the head, then it will protrude further, thats why you use a thicker gasket..... :idea:

[chris9119]

Sorry to disagree.... but if you skim the head, it won't make the pistons stick further out of the block will it.....???

Just a point on the head gasket question, the thickness of the gasket has nothing to do with the head being skimmed. The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC. the safe bet is to replace it with one with the same number of holes, the holes can be seen without removing the head, just behind the fuel pump.

The thickness is dependant on how much the piston protrudes above the top of the block on TDC, true, but if you have to skim the head, then it will protrude further, thats why you use a thicker gasket..... :idea:

You are quite right, but it will bring the chamber a damm slight closer to the piston thats protruding......, won't it  :!:  :!:  :!:

[Disco-Ron]

I'll be honest, but i don't remember my head having chambers.... it had swirl chambers in the pistons though....

[J13 MUD]

Just another point, there is no combustion chamber in the head, the chamber is in the crown of the piston. Anything you take off the head makes absolutely no ndifference to the gasket thickness.

[Disco-Ron]

I hate to say it.... but... i thought as much!!

[burgerman]

When the head is skimmed, the valve heights should be checked and adjusted as/if ness, and yes the gasket thickness is determinned by the piston protrusion,  Depending on the spec the head is at the moment it maybe not ness to do , A good engine shop will check/adjust the valve heights for you , Personaly i would pop out the valves ect and have a little makeover whilst its off, But as i worked in a engine shop for 13 years and still very good friends with the owner, i get to use the equipment foc still, Hope its a simple gasket fix for you and nowt more involved ??

[Range Rover Blues]

Start with what Mike suggested and check the inlet/exhaust manifold.  You've be disgusted if you saw how much oily cack is inside it and a tiny leake will alllow the turbo to blow said cack out of through any gaps.

If it were the head gasket I'd expect more problems and mess in a different place.  The oil feed is the front D/S of the head for one thing.

[fezzy192]

when i had my head skimmed they told me to go for a 3 notch as is was the safest and i have had no problem at all changed all the valve seals and polished and ported the head and now goes like the clappers lol

[dave_2A_2.25Turbo]

That's because a 3-notch is the thickest, so is always suitable

[J B]

landy tech's allways fit the 3 notch gasket as a matter of course :P

[Range Rover Blues]

I've been looking for tech data on piston projection and it's sadly lacking in all the manuals I have so far seen.  Fitting the 3 hole is mechanically safer as it's the thickest but there is a reason that 3 thicknesses were available.

On  adeisel it makes a MASSIVE difference to the compression ratio, which at 19.something:1 is already comparitevely low, any lower and you start to lower the efficiency.  Hmmmm :?  wonder if that's why Julie's is not that economical :?:

Anyway WATCH OUT, I ordered a gasket off E-Bay and it was marked with only one hole, despite the auction being for a 3 hole.  I rang uyp and was assured it was right and that there had been a tooling error.

Calliper guages to the rescue then.  A 3 hole gasket is 1.6mm IIRC, the thinnest is 1.2mm and the middl one 1.4mm.

When I rebuilt my Cavalier head (comes in 2 peices :? ) I measured the piston projection before ordering the gasket to check it was correct.  There was a choice of 4.

[Xtremeteam]

i give up    :roll:
i try to save the guy money cos im sure it will be the inlet manifold gasket & you lot end up bickering about how it goes together,
all we need now is abyssdj/keri to throw his oar in for no reason & it would be just like a normal thread on here

grow up



if you dont know what you are talking about STFU  :!:

[Xtremeteam]

That's because a 3-notch is the thickest, so is always suitable

its not

you get a no hole gasket which is thicker still

[Ja1983]

HANDBAGS AWAY PLEASE!

lol, right, firstly CHECK and be sure it is the head gasket.
2 is this the 200tdi or 300tdi or other?
3 whats already fitted?

 :lol:  :arrow:

[johnpirate]

A,ITS A 200 Tdi
B,Its got a 3 hole fitted.I went round a couple of friends last weekend one a HGV mechanic who said catigorically its a broken piston ring.Called to another who has worked on Landies for Forty years  he said he thought it was more than likely the head had gone near an oil gallery and it was pressurising that way.I,ve not had chance to have a look yet thanks to work.I,ve ordered a headgasket to match plus I,ve got a new rocker and inlet /manifold gasket going to do them at the same time.Hopefully stipping it down Thursday night so I will report back then.I,ve been looking on e,bay and ringing local breakers ,some of their prices are stupid.I can get a full car with ten months MOTand a good engine for less than the price of an engine from a scrapper.

[Ja1983]

fingers crossed pal, think mrbrowncow is selling his disco...engines good, gearbox is currently dodgy/been repaired..?

[johnpirate]

Just had e,mail I,ve been offered an engine for £250 says its ok trying to make arrangements to view.Tempted to buy and put it in my shed as a spare if the headgasket works on mine.And if not can drop it straight in and pull mine to pieces for a proper look.

[johnpirate]

Took the head off today gasket gone number three pot through to the push rod.So that explains the back pressure.Its running like a good,un!!,dont need the new engine cant make my mind up whether to buy it anyway.What a horrible job to do compared with my series 2.Tomorrow I,m going to change the filters that should get rid of any residual smoke.

[Xtremeteam]

Took the head off today gasket gone number three pot through to the push rod.So that explains the back pressure.Its running like a good,un!!,dont need the new engine cant make my mind up whether to buy it anyway.What a horrible job to do compared with my series 2.Tomorrow I,m going to change the filters that should get rid of any residual smoke.

Horrible job?

id prefer to do headgaskets on 200 & 300s over changing clutches in them anyday

[johnpirate]

Changed the fuel filter and air filter today.Got to do the oil but I didnt have enough oil in .Also fitted stronger rear spring plates and new front shocker turrets.Found a bit of crud hit it with the end of my ratchet.And a sodding hole appeared in the chassis!!. I,m sure the damn car is trying to bankrupt me.I will fix it as soon as I get a dry day the way the weather is that could be next April.I,ve got to get new copper washers for the bottom of the injectors any one know what size they are also  the return pipes are perishing so I,ve got to find them as well.As soon as I get it right I,m going to wax everywhere I,ll stop the [!Expletive Deleted!] rusting. :lol:

[johnpirate]

The latest trick in the headgasket saga.I went for a run around the stretch of the M60 about 40 mile run.The gauge went upto just above the centre mark and stayed there.So I set off for Langley Farm climbing out of Oldham towards Holmfirth the hill is a hell of a steep one.Towing my folddown caravan not that heavy .The Discos gauge climbed upto the top and the light came on.Got onto the level pulled over in less than 20 min it had cooled down enough to carry on. No more problems all weekend from the engine Set off home the hill is longer with less of an incline.The temp stayed ok.Its seems to run around centre normally and at 3/4 on the motorway.Although I can keep the temp down by putting the heater in the car on as soon as I set off .I,ve just took the thermostat  and back flushed the engine .Then I put some rad flush in and took it for a 25 mile run .I,m waiting for it to cool before I can drain and flush again.As I was warming it up on the motorway it got upto 3/4 and stayed the moving up and down slightly.Its got me confused I,m wary its too close to hot for my liking but its running fine.I let that engine for £250 go as mine seemed fine. :(

[Big Rich]

hi that seams very wrong to me i had my head go a few weeks ago and i rerplaced it to find that it was like a bananna  so i got a 2nd hand head did you have it skimmed? n now it runs fine at just below 1/2 and if i am off roadin just ubove half any more problems pm me as i have had alot of problems with others and i will be happy to help. In relation to your seals give deisel tuning services a call in wellingborough northants and vic will help you as much as he can