Well it is the head - now what?

Okay so O rings and washers changed last week and the oil level is creeping up. I drove 10 miles the other day and oil level was a good cm above the full mark the next morning

Mechanic ( Independent LR chap ) won't fit reconditioned as says it's a false economy as he may have to do the job twice.

Car is a 2003 TD5 92,000 on the clock excellent condition, FSH and owned for 7 yrs no problems. Currently has a niggle with the clutch not quite sure what ( quote for new one circa £600) and 3 amigos intermittent problem although can get fixed for circa £200 with a lifetime warranty whilst car in my ownership.

Would you:

A) Get a different Mechanic to fit a recon head ? £700 ish + labour and nec gaskets/ assesories etc £????
B) buy a new head £ circa £1200 ???( If so from where, which one AMC or LR )
c) Cut losses and trade in we buy any car value at £3850

NB Auto trader has cars like mine at £7-8K WWYD ?? and recon & new head both only have a 12 month warranty.

And no I am not going to drown it nor sell privately as I have a conscience !

id get someone to fit a guarenteed used one failing that recon,you could get good running full engine for £1500

A reconditioned head is no different to a new one if done properly.

I would go recon with a decent supplier.

Its not false economy, false economy would be fitting a second hand untested head.

Mudron said:

A reconditioned head is no different to a new one if done properly.

I would go recon with a decent supplier.

Its not false economy, false economy would be fitting a second hand untested head.

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not entirely true ,a good head is a good head whether used or not a recon will just be skimmed ,crack tested used head ,which may well be a worse lump than a genuine good flat used as there will be a reason why it was reconned ie overheated

Discodivi said:

Mechanic ( Independent LR chap ) won't fit reconditioned as says it's a false economy as he may have to do the job twice.
!

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Get a good head and reco it, ensure it's been pressure tested and the valve guides are good/been replaced preferably, get the seals done and get him to fit it. He is probably thinking you will turn up with an eBay special with no real knowing what state it is in.

I had the typical "sort of that time" for the 300tdi HG to start being iffy problem about 3 years ago on mine and I did a lot of research into the whole thing and opted to have my head given a slight skim to ensure flatness and also so it was nice and clean, I also had them pressure test it, replace the exhaust valve guides, refit all the valves with new stem seals and relap them all. Fitted OEM locating dowels (although they are not really dowels) OEM bolts and an OEM gasket. I reckon those works to be as good as if I had spent £400 on a new head.

jamesmartin said:

not entirely true ,a good head is a good head whether used or not a recon will just be skimmed ,crack tested used head ,which may well be a worse lump than a genuine good flat used as there will be a reason why it was reconned ie overheated

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Thats very true actually, I hadn't thought of it like that.

jamesmartin said:

id get someone to fit a guaranteed used one failing that recon,you could get good running full engine for £1500

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Any supplier recommendations appreciated - am scanning the internet but the list is endless and a guarantee is only as good as the company who offer it so to speak.

Alternantively can my head be fixed ? Is it worth getting my head tested to find out any more or is that money down the drain?

Do you know what is up with yours yet?

Nope, just that diesel is getting in my oil, changed O rings and seals and still the oil rising. Was told if not injector seals then had to be the head........

Another mechanically minded friend just told me to get a new engine as running around with diesel in my oil for past few months may have knackered the bottom of the engine so even if I replace the head there is plenty more to go wrong potentially.......

Off to google 300 series........ maybe the PX and run is the way to go

if its leaking from an injector port, give this guy a call

LAND ROVER TD5 CYLINDER HEAD SPECIALIST REPAIR | eBay

This is just a suggestion - it could just be a cracked injector housing, I had a similar problem (diesel in engine oil). I changed the washers and O rings and still had the same problem. On closer inspection I found one injector housing was cracked. I removed the head and sent it away for specialist repair and pressure testing (c£150). I refitted head, recut no 1 injector seat. Its been running like a good'un ever since.

Not wanting to throw you off track, but just to let you know it may not be the worse case scenario you had thought it was. I hope this helps.

The link posted above this post is where I sent my head. Really good guy to deal with and very good service.

Hello Richard, yes I spoke to the chap in Notts this afternoon, so now to get the head looked at again to see if it is a visible crack and possibly fixable or an interior one and therefore not fixable.

Thank you for posting about your experience it would lesson the pain considerably if it was a fixable fault and a lot less costly than a new head.

There is lots of really great advice here, and it may take you off in lots of different directions, so read it all because there is lots of good stuff there but follow your gut feeling...it may not be the worse case scenario and cost. Good luck.

Could it not also be worn rings on a cylinder? (although I suppose a cracked head is more likely)

Take the long-term view, if a head is needed, get a new head from Turner Engineering and forget about buying a 'reconditioned' head.

IMO it's either used or new, and if I'm looking at 4-5 years use out of the car then I'll want new and no worries.

Peter

Sourced a remanufactured head with 12 months warrantly all tested and assembled to valves and springs from Ian Richards at Quality Cylinder heads.

Mechanic impressed with it and a lot more affordable than a Turner head at about half the price with the same amount of gaurantee.