Change The Head Gasket, My Son!

Hello all, yesterday I spoke to bloke who claimed that a lot of head gaskets blow from 80 k miles onwards. He was talking about the Disco mk.2 TD5's. Mine has done 84 k I'm now considering having this done, firstly is the bloke talking nonsense or have many of you experianced this. Also is it an expensive job?

Thanks

Al

Why would ya do if it ain't broken don't fix it.

When I bought mine last week the mechanic told me the two things that always need attention to are the head gasket and [something to do with] a wiring loom.

He's servicing the trooook on Saturday and will do this wiring loom thing at the same time.

As has been said above, I wouldn't do the head gasket either, unless I either started seeing symptoms or ten different sources told me it was recommended [mine is at 60k].

Having said that and if you have the money to spend, paying to replace the head gasket [and not skimming the head when it does fail] while it's in ther shop is not as daft as it first sounds.



Will

Will Hay said:

Having said that and if you have the money to spend, paying to replace the head gasket [and not skimming the head when it does fail] while it's in ther shop is not as daft as it first sounds.



Will

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thats just bonkers!! a head gasket can last fer 100,000s miles. why on earth would you want to unsettle something that is fine and working as it should? as soon as you start on that route you'll be swapping yer diffs incase they decide to give up or replacing yer light bulbs every other week. not to mention that while stripping down to do yer head gasket you run the risk of snapping manifold bolts or possibly even stripping the threads from a bolt hole. be sensible and leave well alone

My roof might leak on 26th February - suppose I could consider fitting a new one.

I might run out of diesel at weekend better sell the car.

I,d leave alone.

slob said:

thats just bonkers!! a head gasket can last fer 100,000s miles. why on earth would you want to unsettle something that is fine and working as it should? as soon as you start on that route you'll be swapping yer diffs incase they decide to give up or replacing yer light bulbs every other week. not to mention that while stripping down to do yer head gasket you run the risk of snapping manifold bolts or possibly even stripping the threads from a bolt hole. be sensible and leave well alone

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Fair enough, but I suppose it's all relative to how much money some folk have to waste.

Will Hay said:

As has been said above, I wouldn't do the head gasket either, unless I either started seeing symptoms or ten different sources told me it was recommended

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I would agree, no point wasting money changing a perfectly good HG. The earlier TD5s had plastic dowels to locate the head to the block and these 'sometimes' cause problems, but many don't.

Will Hay said:

When I bought mine last week the mechanic told me the two things that always need attention to are the head gasket and [something to do with] a wiring loom.

He's servicing the trooook on Saturday and will do this wiring loom thing at the same time.

As has been said above, I wouldn't do the head gasket either, unless I either started seeing symptoms or ten different sources told me it was recommended [mine is at 60k].

Having said that and if you have the money to spend, paying to replace the head gasket [and not skimming the head when it does fail] while it's in ther shop is not as daft as it first sounds.
Will

Click to expand...

The wiring loom is the one for the injectors that runs inside the cylinder head (bizarre design there ) this can fill with oil and the oil finds its way to the ECU. I understand that later models had a modified loom to stop this happening, judging by the photo of your Disco, this is bound to have the later loom - if I were you, I wouldn't bother.

Just to confirm as well, you cannot skim the head of a TD5.

have a look by pulling the multi plug from the ECU in the battery box and checking it. If it's covered in black oil then you'll be wanting to invest in the newer style loom.

However you can just clean off the oil with some WD40.
Mines never been replaced but every now and then i give it a clean. Oil across the multiplug can induce starting problems and poor running torque... apparently

Mantamad and battenberg; thanks




Will