Headgasket question

Hi, before anyone say's I tried the search

I was out in the disco today doing a spot of greenlaning, I noticed some steam coming from under the bonnet but put it down to the puddles. Anyway, noticed it again a bit later and thought i'd have a look. Noticed there was coolant down the side of the block below the inlet manifold, I watched for a while and saw it bubbling from the headgasket area.

There doesn't seem to be water in the oil, and when I took the expansion cap off there didn't seem to be excessive pressure, also the temp gauge never went above normal. As soon as I realised I poured a bottle of water in so I don't think I cooked it. My main question is why would it do this, any particular reason or just because its a landrover and felt like it? I'm getting a mechanic to sort it as I don't feel totally confident and just thought i'd make sure there's nothing else I should be looking out for? I've read loads of threads with oil/water mixing but no one seems to have had one blow outwards..

Cheers.

Which engine?

From experience the TDI head gaskets can rot, changed one with a mate after we heard exhaust manifold type blowing. Changed manifold gaskets. Noise still there, reached hand to back of motor and felt the blow. Head gasket had almost completely rotted away.

blue beasty said:

Which engine?

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Sorry, forgot to add that. Its the 200 tdi engine.

It all depends where the gasket has gone.If its not gone between cylinders or between a water and oil gallery you wont get water in the oil and vice versa.Sounds like yours has just gone between a water gallery and the outside.When mine went i just had exhaust and fuel blowing out at the back onto the bulkhead (a common weak spot ).

noiseboymart said:

Sounds like yours has just gone between a water gallery and the outside.

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I'm pretty sure this is what has happened, I know its not too serious really, I was just wondering if there's a reason or if its just old age/excessive right foot while laning.

Is it just a case of replacing the gasket and we're good to go again.

Just another thought, will the head need to be skimmed? I don't want to spend money if I don't have to..

head gasket will go around 130k just with ware and tare if it was not using a lot of water "over heating" just drop all oil and ad new

SuperMark said:

Just another thought, will the head need to be skimmed? I don't want to spend money if I don't have to..

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never skimmed mine just new gasket but i did use new head bolts..

defender11069 said:

never skimmed mine just new gasket but i did use new head bolts..

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Awesome, that's good to know. Should help save some money, cheers.

I did the head gasket on my 200tdi, I was not going to bother getting it skimmed but in the end i thought would be best.
It only cost £40 it would have really hacked me off if I gone to the trouble of putting it back together and the head being warped causing failure. Also used new head bolts.

Decided to take your advice and get the head skimmed, and use new head bolts. I'd be rather annoyed if I had to redo it in a couple of months. Do it right, do it once.