200 tdi headgasket leaking again!

just changed the head gasket on the defender 2 weeks ago before the mot, had it skimmed and fitted with a erling gasket and new set of head bolts and now after about 200 miles the fooking thing is leaking out of the front of the engine - not impressed!

Have you checked the flatness of the head after skimming some come back with a hollow(thats why I skim my own)

and how hot had it been first time ,as if too hot head wont stay flat ,did you fit dowels

have you retorqued the head bolts yet?

Cheers Steve

yes there were 2 dowels fitted one at either end, cant understand it myself.

had it been really hot first time

i dont think so, i only did the head gasket as i thought there was a problem with some piston slap, so i took the head off and it turned out to be a worn through valve cap, so while the head was off i had it skimmed and new gasket and put it all back together. was fine for the first 200 miles of so and now its leaking.

ebbadger said:

have you retorqued the head bolts yet?

Cheers Steve

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why would i have to retorque the head bolts?

Threaded holes in block totally clear of anything before head bolts refitted?



Lynall

big ad said:

why would i have to retorque the head bolts?

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Might not help but its what i was taught 20+ years ago and have always done it with the older stuff after a few hundred miles.

type retorque head bolts into google you will get pages of people with oil leaks, misfires etc etc and pages on the retorqueing issue.

Id have thought if the head was bowed or no good then the issue would have been there immediately not after a few hundred miles... and retorqueing the bolts is a cheap option before delving further.

Cheers Steve

generally a good idea on most std bolts but not on stretch bolts as tdi head bolts are

jamesmartin said:

generally a good idea on most std bolts but not on stretch bolts as tdi head bolts are

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ah just reread and had missed the fact the op had fitted new bolts.... wrongly assumed he had reused....

cheers steve

yeah not sure what to do next really as i dont want to take the head off again, might just leave it for now and see how it goes as its not leaking into the cylinder.

The problems started after refitting the head after skimming?
If so Ill stick to my first post.

mmmm still not sure, havent had a look at the old girl for a few days, do i change it again or not as i am going to morrocco in 4 weeks time.

i tried to nip up the head bolts and its still leaking.

Possible faulty gasgit,leak can only get worse,renew before going to Morrocco.

just orded a new another new head gasket and will be doing it over the weekend.

will keep you posted.

big ad said:

just orded a new another new head gasket and will be doing it over the weekend.

will keep you posted.

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If not a faulty gasket or a badly skimmed head then what could it be? I'm out of ideas. Let's hope it's the gasket.

Get one of your old bolts and cut 2 or 3 slots lengthways - across the threads - and clean out the bolt holes.

Any crap or oil in there will prevent the new ones from seating properly, thus potentially giving you a leaky gasket!

This is a recommendation to everyone who is refitting anything into blind threaded holes as it only takes a few minutes and can save hours of frustration afterwards!