300Tdi - new head gasket. Weird noise

I'm looking for some help as the LR specialist seem to know less than I do much of the time...

After about a year of running a bit rough on idle and not being able to find a problem, last week I discovered that I needed a new head gasket after it went completely. That said it was still running when I switched it off and it'd only done about 6 miles from cold so it could have been more cooked if I'd taken longer to notice.

I'd normally fix it myself but due to lack of time, it was entrusted to the local independant dealer. Head skimmed to the max (maybe too much?) and refitted with original bolts and the fattest ERR7154 headgasket; plus the P gasket needed doing as the HG went between No3 and the water jacket, over presurising it.

£800 later I drive it a mile only to find a serious lack of power and a whine when the engine is loaded that sounds like a VERY bad diff... the water pump is leaking after they'd just charged me for replacing the gasket... Quality work chaps. Thanks.

So,
The lack of power is like having no turbo - hoses off prove the turbo's blowing hard. This whine only happens when it's loaded - everything sounds fine when revved & stationary.

They seem to be convinced it's the turbo and have spent two days tinkering without any conclusions... Any similar experiences / ideas anyone?? I'm tempted to just get it back and go through it myself...

Btw, the drive train was perfectly quiet before this engine problem and nothing violent has happened to it during / since.

Check there are no kinked or damaged turbo hoses or they havent punched a hole in anything first.

Its the sort of thing i would need to listen to to diagnose im afraid

Jim

Thanks for these thoughts.

After meticulous checking of the turbo & hoses neither I nor they could put it down to that. Left it with them for 3 more days when they apparently swapped the whole turbo & inlet tract without a difference.

They claim it was the fuel lift pump and charged me £72 for a new one (I can buy one for £17.95)... Call me a cynic but I'm in 2 minds as to whether that was what was really going on as the guy who did the work was clearly a muppet & the symptoms really dont seem to fit their solution.

When I picked it up, the top turbo hose was fitted backwards, was already half cut through by the waterpump pulley and the turbo vac hose was misrouted (again). I fixed several other misroutings when I tried to pick it up the first time. So (just wanting it back) I fixed these minor problems myself before leaving... and they still insist the glo-plugs had to be replaced (at a consessionary £12 ea plus VAT), even though it still started ok even with a blown head gasket. Explanation??

One week later and the Def behaves like a smoke bomb (blue oil smoke) for the first 5 mins (used to be a small black puff on starting then clean), has a very rough idle and is well down on power (I could accelerate at 85 before - lucky if I can make 80 now). Not good.

After £1000 to a dealer becuase I didn't have the time it looks like I'm going to have to diagnose and do the job properly myself. I can't prove anything and they'll just say it was like it before / was the overheat that's bust everything (maybe).

Right then. Rant over. What to do next..

I'm thinking one of the following: valve stem oil seals overheated when the HG went, turbo seals (did they reinstall the turbo with a blocked oilfeed first time maybe) or the head gasket not being torqued down properly ... once the engine gets hot thermal expansion seals the oil leak?? Ideas anyone...?