fuel in coolant... arghhhhhhhh

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jono359

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can anyone please help?? i have a 2000 w reg disco 2 td5 with 130,000m
without me writing a full on novel i will just get to the point of my woes. i have severe diesel in my coolant. firstly just to rule a few things out, i recently had the head gasket done with a qualified land rover mechanic, the oil cooler was pressure tested and that was ok, the fuel cooler I took off and changed for a new one as this was coroded inside. i thought this had cured the problem but low and behold i still have fuel in the coolant and it seems to be getting worse.
ive been told several things that maybe causing this and the one that seems to scare me the most is that the head is porous. is it a common fault on these heads to be porous? can anyone confirm this? could there be another way for the fuel to get into the coolant? any help or advise is greatly appreciated....
cheers, jon
 
Unfortunatelly u covered almost everything.....the cracked cylinder head is quite common on early Td5's(crack in the fuel rail).....there is one possibility more: O rings on the injectors leaking fuel back into the head .... more common.
 
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Are you sure its not just fuel residue from your previous problems. A little fuel in the system will go a long way.

Do you have elevated engine oil levels of white smoke/steam in the exhaust when hot? If not its unlikely to be a porous/cracked head.

I'd partially drain the cooling system then add some strong detergent and run the engine until it warms up. (I've used domestic central heating sludge remover along with a mug full of washing up liquid which seems to work) Flush the system with copious amounts of clean water and even go as far as taking off the radiator giving it a good flush and the hoses giving them a good clean with some paper/cotton rag. Refill and keep an eye on things before spending out on a cylinder head. The most likely culprit is the fuel cooler but you say you've fitted a new one?
 
hi shifty and thanks very much for your advice. ive pretty much done everything you have said and still to no avail. there is definately fuel getting in somehow as the header tank fills up and overflows after a time driving, ive checked my oil regularly and there dosent appear to be any movement of the dipstick level or signs of fuel in the oil. thinking about it there is white smoke on start up which does continue while im driving.
 
jono359 said:
hi shifty and thanks very much for your advice. ive pretty much done everything you have said and still to no avail. there is definately fuel getting in somehow as the header tank fills up and overflows after a time driving, ive checked my oil regularly and there dosent appear to be any movement of the dipstick level or signs of fuel in the oil. thinking about it there is white smoke on start up which does continue while im driving.
Click to expand...

I had this with the previous head on my td5 110. I had a crack in the fuel rail.:mad::mad::mad:

How much diesel are you getting into the coolant and after how many miles?
 
ey up ratty, im getting quite alot of fuel into my coolant after only a short while. ive recently sourced a second hand head and having that pressure tested etc as we text. im hoping that the second head will come through to being good and then i will fit that. touch wood the second head will elimimate all my fueling dramas as im now at the point of getting rid (gallon of petrol and a match) ha ha ha....
cheers, jon
 
just thought id update you all with the story so far.....
the head was porous and the one id sourced was pressure tested skimmed and fitted with new gaskets etc all round, happy days... she is now driving spot on or should i say was driving spot on. 70 mph cruise control on motorway she just stopped, no fuel getting through. spinning over like a bloody top just would not fire, rac came looked the engine over and decided to spray easy start into air box, she fired but the in tank fuel pump is now screeming like a banshee so looks like im going to have to replace that which is'nt a big deal just more bloody expense..... whats gonna go next??????
 
jono359 said:
just thought id update you all with the story so far.....
the head was porous and the one id sourced was pressure tested skimmed and fitted with new gaskets etc all round, happy days... she is now driving spot on or should i say was driving spot on. 70 mph cruise control on motorway she just stopped, no fuel getting through. spinning over like a bloody top just would not fire, rac came looked the engine over and decided to spray easy start into air box, she fired but the in tank fuel pump is now screeming like a banshee so looks like im going to have to replace that which is'nt a big deal just more bloody expense..... whats gonna go next??????
Click to expand...

It's possible that the injectors aren't properly sealed. If it's still running, I'd see how things progress before ordering a pump.
 
thanks for your input guys ref my screeming fuel pump. fuel pressure regulator...... if this is knackered, would it make the in tank fuel pump screem???? i have a spare regulator i could try.
she still running ok so far ratty just the screeming pump thats annoying, i imagine that the injectors are sealed correctly as it was done by a very competant land rover mechanic however i will not rule this out.
 
jono359 said:
thanks for your input guys ref my screeming fuel pump. fuel pressure regulator...... if this is knackered, would it make the in tank fuel pump screem???? i have a spare regulator i could try.
she still running ok so far ratty just the screeming pump thats annoying, i imagine that the injectors are sealed correctly as it was done by a very competant land rover mechanic however i will not rule this out.
Click to expand...

a screaming fuel pump is usually either due to a restriction in flow such as a blocked filter or pre-filter as shifty says or air in the system. It might be worth just checking through what's been done.

Out of curiosity what does the 'very competent land rover mechanic' say about the screaming pump?
 
ive not had the chance to speak to my mechanic so far. i been out to disco today as i not using her through week, just to turn her over. she was a right bitch to kick over but eventually went. i going to change the filter first just to see if this helps as ive not actually changed it for a while.
thanks again ratty and shifty, i think we'll get to the bottom of it sooner or later
 
ok so the story continues..... new in tank fuel pump which so far seems to have cured the problems (touch wood) but she was a bitch to start the other day. left her overnight and she fired straight away however the pump still makes a low wurring noise but nothing compared to the screaming it before. im still considering the O rings and copper washer dramas ratty mentioned earlier but so far so good.
now, here we go again. went for MOT yesterday and she sailed through BUT failed on one thing, fuel leak. yep, the fuel pressure regulator. maybe the new in tank fuel pump is wurring low due to this????? new regulator going on soon so will keep you interested parties upto date with the unfolding story so far.. cheers guys
 
hiya shifty, picked up disco today but only just got your message. garage binned the old one im afraid otherwise you were more than welcome to it.
good news is that my truck is running spot on (so far) fingers crossed she will be ok from now on.
thanks to all who have input your td5 knowledge and expertise over the last fews months. best regards, jon
im sure i'll be back
 
right im now ****ed off with the disco, big time... why wont she fu%*ing fire straight away??? new head, new head gasket, new fuel pressure regulator, new injector wiring harness, new in tank fuel pump, all new copper washers and rubber Orings on injectors..... im now going to either set fire to the f*"ker or get it away for the final time to have the O rings and copper washers looked at again... or maybe just sell her..
Ratty, im thinking you were right from the begging ref the injector washers etc... fancy doing the job for me Ratty???? i wish
 
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