Head gasket or loose pulley? 300tdi

Thanks to G-man, Thebiglad, and Richard Martin, I now know I have a loose PAS, its wobbling around loose and has destroyed two fan belts. I started this thead, as it might help someone else, too.

The landy-man I know had said it had a head gasket problem, but he didn't notice the loose PAS.

The symptoms of getting hot quite quickly and with pressure (yet no mayo in the oil) led him to think gasket, but I am now wondering if a fan belt not working properly (because of loose PAS) could mimik the symptoms (I am assuming dodgy belt could affect water pump, could mimik head problem??).

Any thoughts? Thanks for looking and for earlier help,
Steve

is it loosing water?

yes, but not buckets. Certainly more than I would expect just for being hot - but I don't know how to judge that! Ok - short answer to a good question - yes!

If the tension on the serp belt was not correct due to a "wobbly" pas pump, this could/would have had an effect on the water pump which would have had an effect on the cooling system.

Get one thing fixed before worrying about the head gasket.

Thanks, I wondered if there was something wrong with my theory, but with that back-up I will have another go myself, or get the PAS fixed before worrying about the head
ATB Steve

sort out the pas pully and see how it goes, might be your prob, might not

if its still loosing water, could be our old friend the "P" gasket, are there water/rust stains behind the waterpump down towards the pas pump...