Probable H/G failure fix journey of a novice

Well it looks like my h/g has gone.....occasional over heating/limp mode and bubbles in the expansion tank. so I'm resigned to the possibility of a h/g failure.

Less than 18 months ago the h/g was replaced with a .009 thou skim by the previous owner so I'm trying to find out what the limits are for a skim and if I might be looking at a new head also !!

So far I've had the coolant system apart and tested the thermostat and hoses and they all look fine. There is no milkyness in the oil and the coolant isn't discoloured or exhaust having a sweet smell.....but what else could it be right??

So I'm going to whip the head off and see whats what.......how hard can it be.........

Well needless to say, this will be my fist attempt at this and I will be leaning on this wonderful forum for guidance and motivation when things look bad/hopeless



Before we start taking it apart



https://www.dropbox.com/pri/get/Public/TD5 Headgasket/20170424_063326.jpg?_subject_uid=86387574&w=AACd0E4L63apAYmyHG7MvtLCqx1apB-bAU3tXs5PP0PC4A

...trying to embed pictures from dropbox

jimmies said:

...trying to embed pictures from dropbox

Click to expand...

Just put them in as attachments. Use the 'mountain' button.

Hi David,

When I do that - the pic shows in the preview but not in the actual post.

Well I have the head all ready to come off.... Just need to rope in a friend to help lift it off.

Can it be done by a single person if I can get an engine lift

Two man lift i'm afraid ! Unless your a weight lifter !
Can be done with engine lift 1

Well I've just lifted it off - I set up my bendy ladders over the bonnet and lifted it up

I'm having issues adding pictures so below is a link to the folder on my onedrive.....The gasket wasn't damaged from what I could see. When I first lifted the head it snagged on the dipstick so I sat it back down and I think I broke the plastic dowels when doing this....so I wasn't able to see if they were distorted....but the things are hollow and very brittle

https://1drv.ms/a/s!Aikrh6_88H8Miz47dAKL3ikIy-6O


Also when I send it in for testing, do I take anything off of the top of the engine. As a couple of the valves are sticking out a bit. I did manually turn the engine until the two darker chain link were at the top with the line in the cog also at the top. I've got a bolt in there to lock it.

jimmies said:

Well I've just lifted it off - I set up my bendy ladders over the bonnet and lifted it up

I'm having issues adding pictures so below is a link to the folder on my onedrive.....The gasket wasn't damaged from what I could see. When I first lifted the head it snagged on the dipstick so I sat it back down and I think I broke the plastic dowels when doing this....so I wasn't able to see if they were distorted....but the things are hollow and very brittle

https://1drv.ms/a/s!Aikrh6_88H8Miz47dAKL3ikIy-6O


Also when I send it in for testing, do I take anything off of the top of the engine. As a couple of the valves are sticking out a bit. I did manually turn the engine until the two darker chain link were at the top with the line in the cog also at the top. I've got a bolt in there to lock it.

Click to expand...

if the head gasket had piece blown through,it would push coolant out by the gallon, what your looking for is staining across the fire ring to a water way etc

jimmies said:

Well it looks like my h/g has gone.....occasional over heating/limp mode and bubbles in the expansion tank. so I'm resigned to the possibility of a h/g failure.

Less than 18 months ago the h/g was replaced with a .009 thou skim by the previous owner so I'm trying to find out what the limits are for a skim and if I might be looking at a new head also !!

So far I've had the coolant system apart and tested the thermostat and hoses and they all look fine. There is no milkyness in the oil and the coolant isn't discoloured or exhaust having a sweet smell.....but what else could it be right??

So I'm going to whip the head off and see whats what.......how hard can it be.........

Well needless to say, this will be my fist attempt at this and I will be leaning on this wonderful forum for guidance and motivation when things look bad/hopeless

Before we start taking it apart

https://www.dropbox.com/pri/get/Public/TD5 Headgasket/20170424_063326.jpg?_subject_uid=86387574&w=AACd0E4L63apAYmyHG7MvtLCqx1apB-bAU3tXs5PP0PC4A

Click to expand...

unfortunately in your case your only relying on what the previous owner says ..there is many possibilities when and engine coolant starts to bubble ..first off do a TK test make sure the bubbles that we are dealing with is carbon monoxide from the combustion

if the TK test test is positive to combustion then it doesn't exactly mean its head gasket issue ...there could be a crack in the head and more than likely the previous owner may of added in some chemiweld realising the cylinder head gasket replacement never fixed the first issue
depending on what type of bubbles also equals to the size of the hole could be a small pin hole in the head gasket or even a warped head will be enough

ps also make sure your head bolts are not stretched a stretched bolt will not have the correct clamp down force

ps when cylyndef heads are being tested they like to have all the bolt on stuff removed ..but leave the valves in

if they need to remove any thing on the head you will receive back a box of parts from the stuff removed from the head to perform tests

The head is now all ready for sending away, only the valves left in it. The gasket that was in it was ( I think a 3 hole one....as it had three holes on the edge corner ) made up of three sheets of material. I will need to find out what one I will need to put back in there. How can I go about this as I assume that it all depends on the amount of skim....right?

Anyway - it has been quite enjoyable up to now, although lifting the head whilst on a ladder over the bonnet was a sight for the neighbours !

Won't be as enjoyable when you have had the head skimmed again and put it back and it still leaks through a crack in the head.

jimmies said:

The head is now all ready for sending away, only the valves left in it. The gasket that was in it was ( I think a 3 hole one....as it had three holes on the edge corner ) made up of three sheets of material. I will need to find out what one I will need to put back in there. How can I go about this as I assume that it all depends on the amount of skim....right?

Anyway - it has been quite enjoyable up to now, although lifting the head whilst on a ladder over the bonnet was a sight for the neighbours !

Click to expand...

measure the valve depth from head surface (valve stand down)
inlet minimum .555 mm or 22 thou
exhaust minimum 545mm or 21 thou
if valves are within those tolerances you can use the same gasket as was or what piston height dictates

Wammers - it's with the firm now for a pressure test and skim - so hopefully I won't have any cracks to worry about and if there are they will find out

jamesmartin said:

measure the valve depth from head surface (valve stand down)
inlet minimum .555 mm or 22 thou
exhaust minimum 545mm or 21 thou
if valves are within those tolerances you can use the same gasket as was or what piston height dictates

Click to expand...

Thanks for this...any special tool or will just a feeler gauge suffice?

jimmies said:

Wammers - it's with the firm now for a pressure test and skim - so hopefully I won't have any cracks to worry about and if there are they will find out

Click to expand...

As long as it's tested hot. Pressure testing a head cold if it has a very small heat dependent crack is no good.

jimmies said:

Thanks for this...any special tool or will just a feeler gauge suffice?

Click to expand...

feeler gauge pushed between valve head and a flat bar on the head face

Just thinking about the required parts for when I get the head back ( or buy a new one !)

Can anyone recommend a kit of gaskets, o rings, washers, bolts etc.....also do the bolts that hold the rocker shaft and upper head need to be replaced?

When you put it back together use metal dowels not plastic. You should also use new head bolts as the old ones will be streached.

jimmies said:

Just thinking about the required parts for when I get the head back ( or buy a new one !)

Can anyone recommend a kit of gaskets, o rings, washers, bolts etc.....also do the bolts that hold the rocker shaft and upper head need to be replaced?

Click to expand...

Take note of what @rigsby999 has said, most vehicles today are using TTY or what is known as "torque to yield", head bolts, and this could be the cause of your small combustion gas leak into the coolant. If the PO did not have new bolts fitted with the head skim, one or more of the bolts could have "relaxed" allowing the high cylinder pressure to squeeze past between head/block and gasket.
To put the head back on using the old fasteners, particularly on a diesel engine is false economy and setting yourself up for a fail.

Hi, I was always going to use new head bolts, my question is about the 6 bolts used on the rocker shaft..... I don't know if the were also one time use bolts