Cylinder Head leaking smoke

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Saxpg

New Member
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5
Hi all! Thanks for having me in the forum.
I have my 130 TD5 for 10 years and it is amazing.
Recently I discovered that my head is leaking smoke while engine is working, some oil also, between lower and upper part of cylinder head. Sorry but I dont know the name of those parts.
My question is:
Should I remove only the upper part of the head, not lifting the head out of engine, to redo the seal and fix it, or I have to remove the whole head and replace the gasket (gasket holds OK, and engine running fine)?
Hope I got this issue clear to you, english is not my first language.
Thanks for help!

Sasha
 
Is it smoke, or oil mist? Either way it sounds like combustion blow by, which is probably natural on a well used engine, but to fix could be new rings/block hone/bore etc.

Your PCV could be blocked leading to a pressureised case, it's the black mushroom shaped thing that sits at the end of the vent hose connected to the top of the cylinder head, pretty cheap to replace.

Is the leak coming from 1) or 2) in the photo?

If it's from 1), you need a new rocker cover gasket and to replace all the 'top hat' gromets, if you don't replace the gromets the leak will be back quickly, the rubber bushes are what actually ensures a seal.

if it's from 2) then that's a much bigger job as you have to remove the rocker, and all the cylinder head bolts to remove the upper part of the head and reseal it with a special sealant.
 

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Thanks for quick reply.
I have atached the photo where the leak is.
It is on the back side of engine. It is comming from the seam.
It is like mist, or smoke, drips some oil also.
 

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OK so it's from the joint between the main head and the cam carrier, 2) in the photo I posted. TBH without pulling the head to bits which is a fairly hefty job, new head gasket requried/head bolts required, you might just have to live with the leak. As I wrote above, check that the PCV isn't buggered... it may just be that it's the path of least resistance for any blow by at that point.
 
OK so it's from the joint between the main head and the cam carrier, 2) in the photo I posted. TBH without pulling the head to bits which is a fairly hefty job, new head gasket requried/head bolts required, you might just have to live with the leak. As I wrote above, check that the PCV isn't buggered... it may just be that it's the path of least resistance for any blow by at that point.
Thanks again so much. So I think I am gping to leave it like this in that case. Problem is that where I live I dont have access to a mechanic who has experience with TD5 so maybe its better to leave it like this for now.
If you dont mind, could you please explain why is not possible just to lift the "upper part" of head? Is it not able to split down the line which I marked on the photo?
 
The head is bolted to the block through the cam carrier, you _can_ remove the cam carrier but you have to remove the cylinder head bolts. If you remove the bolts (which are stretch bolts), you shouldn't really reuse them, and the head gasket should also be replaced. So, you can remove the upper part, but it's a much bigger job as you're effectively doing a head gasket change.
 
Ok, that is what I was thinking, but I was asuming that I could just replace cylinder head bolts after I lift the cam carrier and replace the sealant or gasket (not sure what is between head and cam carrier.
 
I'm sure that people have kept the same head gasket, but I personally wouldn't, happy for others to pipe up.

To be able to reseal the cam carrier, you'll need to, first make sure you've locked up the engine with timing pins, remove the injector harness, remove the cam sprocket (potential for messing up the timing - and you'll need to remove the cam chain tensioner first), remove the rockers bolts & reocker, remove the head bolts. The cam will no doubt pop up out of the bottom part of the head when the carrier is removed

Cleaning the old sealant off will probably be a bit of a pig with the head fitted.

When refitting you'll have to make sure to rotate the cam and get the timing pin back in once the carrier is bolted back down. You also need to readjust the injector lash on all the rocker arms.

The head bolts & the rocker bolts are stretch and shouldn't be reused, but you can get away with re-using the rocker ones.

TBH if going to all that trouble I'd be fitting a new head gasket for peace of mind.

Here's a link to part of an engine rebuild post I did https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/bennehboys-d2-adventure.254514/post-3144319

In that post you can see the Hylomar 3400 that you need to use, yellow sealant.

Not professing to be an expert by any means, hopefully others will also pipe up.
 
I'm sure that people have kept the same head gasket, but I personally wouldn't, happy for others to pipe up.

To be able to reseal the cam carrier, you'll need to, first make sure you've locked up the engine with timing pins, remove the injector harness, remove the cam sprocket (potential for messing up the timing - and you'll need to remove the cam chain tensioner first), remove the rockers bolts & reocker, remove the head bolts. The cam will no doubt pop up out of the bottom part of the head when the carrier is removed

Cleaning the old sealant off will probably be a bit of a pig with the head fitted.

When refitting you'll have to make sure to rotate the cam and get the timing pin back in once the carrier is bolted back down. You also need to readjust the injector lash on all the rocker arms.

The head bolts & the rocker bolts are stretch and shouldn't be reused, but you can get away with re-using the rocker ones.

TBH if going to all that trouble I'd be fitting a new head gasket for peace of mind.

Here's a link to part of an engine rebuild post I did https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/bennehboys-d2-adventure.254514/post-3144319

In that post you can see the Hylomar 3400 that you need to use, yellow sealant.

Not professing to be an expert by any means, hopefully others will also pipe up.
You have been very helpful and detailed. Thanks again, you explained everything perfectly. I know about the cam and timing, that should not be a problem. I was thinking that if I dont have to remove exaust and intake manifolds, it would be a lot less of a job.
Will see with my friend who ha a workshop, how we will proceed. His intention from the start was to remove the head.

Regards!
 
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