help think head has blown

hi i was out the other day and the water pump went so i got toed home. i put a new pump on to day and filled the rad seemed like it had an air lock so let air out of the rad let it presure and did same again did this for over 2 hours then lest it running with bolt loose whih air coming out side of bolt but soon as you tighten it up it blows all the water out of the header tank. the thermostat seems to be working i had it in a bowl of hot water and it opend.
would you say its the head gone?
thanks

Does sound like it mate - but get a sniff test done to be 100% sure

whas a sniff test and how much dose one of those cost?
thanks

Google - coolant sniff test

Garage will charge £10 ish

Water pump failed ob mine when my mate owned it only it had melted piston and destroyed the head. Worse case is the head has cracked.

If the coolant is fountaining out of the expansion tank, it's 99.9% your head gasket. Gasket about £20, crack test £50ish, new head bolts £20-30. Put a day to one side, and enjoy the experience!

i take it you got a 300 or 200 tdi ..................... you can re-use the head bolts

Yes you can. But if this was the first HG that had gone in my ownership, I'd get new bolts. You don't know how many bodges have been done in the past. I made that mistake myself.

land rover state up to 5 times using the same head bolts lol. Paddocks do a head staed which containes the head bolts for £39.50+vat which isn't bad as the bolts on there own are £29.50+vat
here is a link:STC2802B | Head gasket set and head bolts - does not include head gasket - 300TDI

You don't get a head gasket with the head set however they are between £9.95+vat and £14.95+vat. but you need to know wether its a 1 hole,2hole.,3 hole or no hole. one hole being the thinest, and no hole being the thickest. or 1.30mm,1.40mm,1.50mm and i believe the no hole is 1.60mm. althou on paddocks they list as notch not hole

Get some new bolts - any time I have ever resued head bolts the HG has not lasted well.

Buy your stuff from Turner Engineering they only sell the best - they don't want warranty claims.

Always replace the bolts. Even though the head is pegged and doweled and bolted, because its ally and the block is cast, you will always get varied expansion so the bolts need to be 100% on the money otherwise as mentioned above, the head gasket won't last long.

I agree. The cost of a new set of bolts is negligible to the ballache of replacing the HG again....and again. Make sure that you thoroughly clean both faces before you re-assemble it. And keep smiling.