300 head changed after blown head now wont start. help!

Hi all, i am new to this forum and am hoping that somene can help.

Well to start my 300 tdi disco blew its head gasket (due to p gasket failure) so replaced p gasket and head gasket,bolts etc.

Had head pressure tested and it was fubar'd. So new head purchased and all valves and springs etc removed from old head and reseated in new one.
The valves are all good and straight as are push rods.

head bolted back down using haynes manual for torque settings ? once all bolted down and back together turned over by hand on crank bolt and adjusted valve clearances. everything done i tried starting on key and she just turns over but doesn't want to fire up.

I have fuel at the rail and system primed double checked.
Doesn't seem to be any water leaking anywhere as have checked at expansion bottle and on thermostat bung.

please help as i am at a complete loss on what to do next.

thanks

timing or piston rings stuck-when your sure timing is right then consider dose of easy start or petroleum based brake cleaner

Pistons move freeley as checked when head off. could the timing be out even though i havn't touched that side of it?

have you got fuel at the injector pipe nut ?how did you set tappets ?

yes i have fuel at injectors as i cracked the union nut and turned over till fuel appeared.
how do you set tappets? i checked valve clearances 0.20 using rule of 9.

8 thou and rule of 9 is correct ,if you remove injector pipes fuel should pulse out ,lift pumps often fail but isnt noticed till system is disturbed

might be silly but have you re connected the heater plugs !!!!

Hi, I had a very similar issue.

My fault was tappets. However, I checked everything before I found that. Have you bled your fuel filter? James Martin was brilliant help with mine

Ok just checked fuel lines and it is pulsing out at the injectors. Not loads but a good amount. Could it still be the lift pump or is it more serious ?

Yes I have bleed fuel filter and checked glow plugs are connected all ok on that front.

When you start to crank it over, does it feel quicker on the starter than normal?

Yes it does seem a little faster.

its allways best to bleed at the front banjo bolt on front of injection pump

are you sure timing is correct even 1or2 cogs out will cause no compression as valves could be open also ( fuel could be out so going to 1 instead of 2 )example !!!
i would double check this first
check you have done timing right way around aswell ie cylinder is on compression stroke !!
good luck

if its faster it would suggest to me you don't have any compression or not enough anyway. check your tappets mate.

that sounds like good advice to me

the timing isn't effected at all when you do the head gasket

but better to check everything as we are really trying to cure the problem blind so dont really know the history of whats being done and yes your right mate

Ok thanks all will take the head off later today and check the tappets and everything along those lines. Will let you all know how things go.

miles6645 said:

Ok thanks all will take the head off later today and check the tappets and everything along those lines. Will let you all know how things go.

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rocker cover i hope you mean ,when setting tappets just turn engine clockwise only as looking from front and set the appropiate tappet when other has just reached fully open