Freelander Head Gasket Replacement!!!!

Alright, I'm new to this web page but it sounds like a lot of you have changed a head gasket a time or two before on a 2003 LR Freelander V6. I ordered the complete head gasket set and it should be here in 3-5 days. I am not the best mechanic but i have the help of my local mechanic also.. I am asking for help on some tips and recomendations on doing this..like how to bleed the radiator hose afterwards etc.. and any problems i might run into along the way of changing this part.. please help everybody!!!!:screaming_bug_eye_f

Don't even think of tackling this without a workshop manual of some sort or a copy of the Rave manual on disc. No offence intended, but if you're asking about simple stuff like bleeding the radiator, then you're at least going to need the manual or perhaps it would be better to let someone else tackle it. You'll certainly need torque settings & wrench for the head bolts & possibly some other special tools . You should also renew the timing belt while you're doing this which I believe is a somewhat involved job in itself on this engine. I'm not trying to run you down & admire you're willingness to go for it but it's not a simple job.

Oh heck, on a V6 too. I gather there is little room in that engine bay. Is it both heads off or just the one? I agree with Chromiumuk, get the manual and really read up on what you are getting in to. Have you suffered gasket failure to need to do this work? There is a possibility the heads might need skimming to take out any distortions in the mating surfaces. Fail to do this and the gasket will go again before to long, which won't make you happy thats for sure. Also, when the heads are off the opportunity is there to do additional work such as decarb the head and piston heads, grind in the valve seats, replace the valve guide oil seals and so on. It would be silly to miss this chance to do this work so bear this in mind when you consider your options. Best of luck.

no offense taken...i'm not the one that is planning to do the actual mechanic work.. i just want to know what steps i might need to inform the mechanic about. He has a garage with an assortment of tools... where to find one of these repair manuals???

I'm slightly confussed. Your mechanic should be doing this work. not you surely. Are you in the UK. If so then Halfords is a good place to start looking for the maintenance manual. Also type 'rave' into the search option on this forum to find out about an electronic fountain of knowledge.

Rave disk is a pdf copy of electrical diagrams, servicing procedure, info about design and operation of LR products, FL, Disco, RR and Def models. You can also buy the disk on ebay for a few quid. Click link below.

If your mechanic doesn't know about the rover kv6 engine, or Freelanders, do you really want him doing the job? Would be a shame to risk your motor on a cheap repair.

RAVE DISK

He is an expert mechanic, has worked on engines for years, just that Land Rovers around this region on the United States are rare. So I'm having a difficulty finding the parts and manuals etc... I'm a college student so I don't have much money to spare. I am confident in the mechanic, I just want to be aware of some procedures that you guys think I should take in fixing the head gasket... I appreciate all the opinions...Keep them coming!!!!

Oh yea, darmain... the status right now is that the check engine light has just came on, and there is a mayo like substance in the oil... it has been parked since the check engine light has came on... I plan to drain all the oil and radiator fluid out, replace the head gasket set, then fill with new oil and radiator fluid....sound like a good plan??

It’s actually quite rare for the later rover kv6 engine, fitted in the Freelander, to fail a head gasket. The gasket is stainless steel. All the HG blowing problems were sorted in a redesign prior to the Freelander taking this engine. The v6 is not as popular in the UK, but my local main dealer can remember the number of times he’s seen HG failure on a v6 Freelander. That’s over many years.

Land Rover Global Technical Reference is what the dealers use. See link below. You have to pay for access.

http://www.landrovertechinfo.com/extlrprod/market.jsp

bollix
The KV6 is almost as prone as the K series. It has the same design faults, coupled with poor cooling, interhead cavitation and also suffers from the rear bank not getting hardly any air cooling. Mine went twice and several other members on here had KV6's that suffered HGF. When mine went 2 years ago, some dealers were starting to refuse to fix HGF - only offering a complete engine replacement, due to the high likelyhood of sequential HGF occuring.

Get your local main dealer to show you LR's records on engine failure. The v6 is way behind on HGF. That doesn't mean it won't hapopen. Mines leaking engine oil at the moment, but the main dealer thinks it's the main crank seal. Hene them showing me LR records.

I am already committed to replacing the head gaskets, should i consider also repositioning the thermostat??? as i have read, a lot of people do that as well with the new HG's?

mdickey666666 said:

I am already committed to replacing the head gaskets, should i consider also repositioning the thermostat??? as i have read, a lot of people do that as well with the new HG's?

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Remote thermostat is primarily for the 1.8. If yu can justify the expense, get a EWP fitted and make sure it continues to run after the engine is switched off, which is where most damage is caused due to cavitation (heat soak) effects.

Always get the heads skimmed if the gasket has blown, as the head will have a groove in it where the leak was and will be more likely to blow again.

To skim the head, thats the same as filing or sanding it down to where its smooth right? My mechanic claims he can do this?? should i trust him, or is this a complicated procedure??

mdickey666666 said:

To skim the head, thats the same as filing or sanding it down to where its smooth right? My mechanic claims he can do this?? should i trust him, or is this a complicated procedure??

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Errrmmm yes but to within a tolerance of thousanths of an inch. I doubt very much your mechanic can do it, But what he will more likely do is send it off to an engineeering company, pay £30 or £40 to have it done and charge you £200 for doing it. Tell him you'll arrange to have it skimmed your self and find a reputable engineering company to do it for you.

The easiest way to do the heads on the KV6 engine is to drop the engine and 'box assembly out of the bottom of the car and do the heads with the engine on the floor. There are special tools needed for the valve timing and without them, you can't do it.

Check the block for flatness as well as the heads, if they need machining then its a machine shop job and not a diy mechanics.

mdickey666666 said:

Oh yea, darmain... the status right now is that the check engine light has just came on, and there is a mayo like substance in the oil... it has been parked since the check engine light has came on... I plan to drain all the oil and radiator fluid out, replace the head gasket set, then fill with new oil and radiator fluid....sound like a good plan??

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Yeah, sounds like a good plan... Your initial post gave us all the impression that you had little idea what you were doing or what you had in store. I tried to provide you with information, based on what you told us, or more to the point trying to guess what you hadn't told us, so to help you make up your mind and you flame me for it. Cheers a lot buddy.

mdickey666666 said:

To skim the head, thats the same as filing or sanding it down to where its smooth right? My mechanic claims he can do this?? should i trust him, or is this a complicated procedure??

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huh?.....I'd really worry if a mechanic used the words file and head in the same sentence. As soon as that file touches the head you can be sure it will never mate properly until it has been on a milling machine or a surface grinder, which is what should have been done in the first place.

Did not mean to offend anybody, just trying to get some extra advice... I don't know anything about engines, mechanics, etc.. I'm worried my mechanic might now either, because there is only one LR dealership in the entire state that I live in and its a long drive away. I'm just trying to learn about this vehicles and keep a watchful eye on my mechanic