Disco 2 Replace td5 exhaust manifold - accessing the nuts!?

Had my D2 remapped yesterday by dynachip and he's pointed out that my exhaust manifold has warped. Attempted to remove it this afternoon to have it skimmed and there is one but which we cannot access...the front bottom one.

Reading Haynes it suggests removing the fan, releasing the tension in the belt to allow the power steering pump to move enough to access the bolts. Issue is it needs special LR spanners to remove the fan at £70 each....and 2 are needed.

Do any folk here have any ideas to remove the nut without the hassle of removing the fan? My heads falling off with frustration, only have next weekend to do the work so will probably be buying a new manifold, ready to be out and away the weekend after.

Any help or suggestions for a luddite appreciate.

Hi, I've seen mentioned that if you can get an ordinary spanner on the fan nut and give it a sharp hit with a hammer it should loosen it. Shame you're so far away as I have the spanners to do it.
Regards,
Griff

A long punch on the fan nut and a good crack with a hammer can loosen the fan, they spin off very easily after they've been cracked. (normal thread/anti clockwise to undo on TD5)

This is what you need. £16.80 inc VAT
https://www.flatdoguk.com/-v8-viscous-fan-spanner-set~1002

Normal fan spanner, sharp clout with a big 'ammer as suggested above.

Normal right hand thread as said

Cheers all, this has been really helpful!

Si Click said:

This is what you need. £16.80 inc VAT
https://www.flatdoguk.com/-v8-viscous-fan-spanner-set~1002

Click to expand...

Have just found this same site so will be getting me one of these!

SteJ said:

Cheers all, this has been really helpful!



Have just found this same site so will be getting me one of these!

Click to expand...

I have no experience of these but according to this post last year, some sets were problematic. I don't know how many were affected.
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/flatdog-viscous-fan-spanner-set-fail-anyone-else.331199/

After reading reviews I paid a little more for these which are excellent.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Td5-V8-Vis...iscovery-Defender/2169307976?iid=153410800069

No probs with my Flatdog set. They have worked well on D90 and D2 TD5s.
I notice that the set off EBay do not have the stepped handle on the spanner. This step means you can hold the stabilizing spanner vertically in your left hand and apply full leverage on the nut vertically and comfortably with your right. Otherwise they would need to be about 30 degrees apart and it would be less easy to apply max leverage by hand; though I guess it might be easier to hit with a hammer.

They are not stepped but the leverage obtained makes removal a doddle. They work really well and are high quality.

Even if you remove your fan now without this special tool but for long term it is one of the most useful tool for you landy. I have used mine already several times. Mine is not stepped one but easy to use.

berg450 said:

Even if you remove your fan now without this special tool but for long term it is one of the most useful tool for you landy. I have used mine already several times. Mine is not stepped one but easy to use.

Click to expand...

I did this job last year without removing the fan, so am a bit mystified as to why anyone says you need to. Remember the fan has blades with unequal gaps so you can move it around until a big gap is opposite the thing you are trying to work on.

What's far worse is the state of the nuts, studs and their threads once/if you get them out of the head. Also watch the threads on the power-steering pump bolt holes, very easy to strip.
You'll find threads on this job elsewhere, including mine! Best of luck!

Oops, must have posted a thread on this on another forum, like many others I am a member of lots of them, many hands make light work as they say, as long as too many cooks have not got their spoons in the broth!

So all the parts turned up and I today set about replacing the manifold (skimmed one bought from LDS Engineering). All went well, except forgot to replace the washes on the oil feed pipe so after cleaning the inevitable mess up, took her for a drive and there is still a leak of exhaust fumes from somewhere. I think it is coming from the manifold to turbo joint but not 100% certain.

Does anyone have any other suggestions of where it could be? It's definitely exhaust fumes as when I punch the accelerator there are brief plumes coming out.

I've had a look online and here but no definitive ideas I can see.

TIA!

So, you had no snapped-off studs, no seized-on nuts, no trouble easing the warped header off the studs, no studs to drill out, no stud-holes to drill and re-tap!
YOUR CHRISTMAS IS EARLY!!!!!!!
Seriously, if you have fitted the two new gaskets between the header and the head, a new one to the turbo, tightened all nuts and bolts to the correct torque, then you need to think slightly out of the box.
Exhaust can only be coming from the head, header joint, the turbo joints, (either side), the turbo itself (ouch) or all points south on the exhaust. (Although you should not have needed to disturb the outer turbo joint). It may be an idea to make something up to stop the fan blowing a draft over the top of the engine, then to simply wet a hand and hold it near the manifold and all the other joints. You may then be able to feel the blowing exhaust and work out where it is coming from.
Or you could get a bit of flexible tube, stick one end in (joke, hold one end to) your ear, put an ear plug in the other ear and move the end of the tube around all possible places, you might possibly hear a faint whistle, I have a proper medical stethoscope for listening to all sorts of stuff, which has the benefit of quieting extraneous noise but you can get mechanics stethoscopes for about a fiver on the internet, and they come with a probe type thing which is actually better than a medical one.
Failing that, if all gaskets are new and in place, and the torques all OK, maybe a foreign object has got in between the manifold and the head, (a washer for example) which would not be too obvious if it was hidden under the gaskets. If it was me, I'd do what I just mentioned and then expect to have to take it all apart again. Start with the turbo joint as that is where you think it might be and also it is easier to take apart and then put back together again, without having to remove too much junk. Pain in the rear but an exhaust blow is not rocket science. Did you use GunGum or similar exhaust gasket cement? Could try that if not, (following the instructions to make sure it sets.)
Could it be that the problem with the oil seals has led to further damage? Could exhaust be coming from the turbo itself, due to lack of oil to the bearings?
One other thing I can think of is that the exhaust has been blowing so hard and for so long that it has actually damaged the aluminium on the head at the site of the blow, to the extent that it has worn a kind of furrow, which cannot be sealed by just the gasket. My blow was fairly extensive, the regrind to the manifold was quite serious, but it did all seal up OK, so I do not think this is likely, but then I do not know how hard you drive your truck.
I can think of several ways of curing this, some correct and expensive and some cheap but maybe not too long lasting. But that will be revealed if that is the problem.
Lets hope for a simpler cause.

@Stanleysteamer thanks.

Unfortunately had 2 sheared studs on nr5, replaced these with new longer studs but left the old ones where they where everywhere else. Didn't see the point in replacing what appeared to be solid ones. We sealed around the manifold to the block but just used the gaskets to the turbo.

Plan today is to paste around the turbo to manifold and check the torque on the nuts as you suggest. After that it'll be following your steps and hoping for the best.

So you did get sheared studs. That makes more sense! Dead right to leave the ones that are still in, trying to get them out is asking for trouble. I drilled the holes in the manifold in the following way. Two middle ones, left alone. number two and number 4, drilled out by one or two mm, number one and number 5, drilled out 2 to 3 mm. This to put less strain on the studs and to help get the skimmed manifold over the studs. Also to obviate problems should this all happen again although once a manifold has warped apparently it is less likely to do it again.
From what you are saying, it seems you may have now found the leak, is that right? Also, I only remember there being one triangular gasket between the manifold and the turbo or are you saying you will be doing both sides?
Best of luck on this, the whole job is a pain in the harris, and would not be necessary if only the manifold was properly designed in the first place.

Yep, found the leak. It was in the second joint from the turbo into the exhaust down pipe.

Think we've sorted this but not sure it's completly sealed as under high revs there is still some escaping fumes (assuming it's exhaust gas here) but nowhere near the extent it was. Not sure if this now needs a new down pipe (thinking a decat one while I'm at it) of if it's somewhere else more likely? Are there any gaskets within the turbo that may have gone? Could the oil drain pipe gasket have failed when we've manhandled the turbo out of the way and it's oil leaking rather than exhaust fumes? I'm thinking out loud looking for any ideas now...

There's another thing but near the block into the manifold, there are bubbles appearing after I've taken it for a run. Trying to upload a video but struggling. They appear to be by the circular cut out in the gasket? I'm not overly worried about this if I'm truly honest atm.

"Yep, found the leak. It was in the second joint from the turbo into the exhaust down pipe."
Cannot think why you took this off, but glad you found the leak.
Escaping fumes on that side of the engine can only be to do with exhaust or oil as the inlet is all on the other side and would be vacuum rather than pressure anyway. Difficult to tell if it is oil or not, try to catch some of the fumes on a piece of kitchen towel. If it is oil it ought to be obvious. Also, sounds dumb but, why not keep a check on your oil level? If you are losing more oil than usual, then this may indicate oil loss. If in doubt about oil gaskets to the turbo, just get new ones and fit them. They cost pence anyway.
Bubbles? In what? Oil, water? Gasket cement? You've obviously done the sensible thing when it comes to the turbo joints. Have a rethink about the manifold and whether you can be bothered to take it all apart again to cure the leak. You could try just shoving a load of GunGum into any gap you think might be there, but in the end, the leak won't fix itself. And if pressurized gases are passing through a small gap, they will, over time, make bigger leaks. I really sympathise, it is a pain to take apart but once all done you should not need to do it again. You make me think I was lucky only having to do it once. Although I confess, I never looked for leaks afterwards!
Anyway, best of luck!

Stej, just one other thing, yes it is well possible that the exhaust down pipe flexi could be leaking. They do wear out etc leading to this. New ones can be got, see internet, and then either welded on or put over stub pipes with bolts, a bit like jubilee clips and FAR cheaper than official Land Rover type pipes.
But be careful with decat-ing. It is now an MOT failure to remove anything designed to clean up the exhaust, if the original vehicle came with a cat and you had no choice in the matter,as a new car buyer, than the cat should be replaced or left alone. Some Discos came with or without Cats and there you are OK. So look into it before spending money!

Thanks @Stanleysteamer you've been a big help with this!!