Head gasket fail maybe?

Just pulled the head off my 200tdi thinking the gasket was gone due to firing on three cylinders and white smoke. Found the bore to have some what looks like oil in it. However there are no obvious sings of a leak on the gasket or on the block/head. Wouldnt you usually see a "trail" where it had been leaking? Or do they sometimes just not show up?

Someone mentioned that the oil could actually be diesel that has gone iffy due to not being burnt due to dodgy injector? However there is pressure in the sump.
Bores are excellent as appear to be the rings (no play, am i looking at these right or does the whole lot need to come out to check?)

Any ideas? I'm about to stick another gasket on and give it a go! Bad idea?

I would fit new injectors before sticking the head back on. Mine was running rough and giving out white smoke. Ran 2 tanks with injector cleaner in through it and works fine now.

Give all your valves a good inspection and make sure non of them have stuck (give em a tap with a hide hammer) if you put the head back on and its still the same then it would be worth trying another injector in the dodgy cylinder, I have just done some work on my 200 and i thought my rings were spot on as there was no movement but when i took the pistons out they were infact showing signs of wear.

Get the injectors checked BEFORE you put the head back.

Number them with a label so you know which one came from where.

Find a friend (like me) with a Hartridge injector tester and setter, and get them set right. The opening pressure should be not less than 125 BAR, and not over 135 BAR, and they should all be set to the same, as close as possible. Make sure the spray pattern is OK too.

Then think about re-assembly.

CharlesY.

Cheers guys. Everyone kept telling me it wouldn't be an injector. Thanks for backing me up.

Just a quick thanks to all who helped. Decided to whip the piston out only to find alot of bits of piston ring, one b**gered piston, and a very poorly bore hidden under there. Damn. Good news is most of the motor is already out so wont be so heavy when replacing it.

Good work!

Well done for getting stuck in.

CharlesY

Take5 said:

I would fit new injectors before sticking the head back on. Mine was running rough and giving out white smoke. Ran 2 tanks with injector cleaner in through it and works fine now.

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how can he try new injectors with no head on?

alkabone said:

how can he try new injectors with no head on?

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I think what Take5 was suggesting was that Landysrule fitted new injectors before he put the head back on. Not, as you have read it try new injectors before he put the head back on. It is however quite normal and the done thing to try new injectors before they are installed, otherwise how would the spray pattern and operating pressure be set, and as the venerable CharlesY says there is test equipment on the market to try injectors without your, or anybody elses for that matter, head on.