Series 3,Changing Head Gasket?

After fitting the new thermostat today, the over heating problem still exists. Think its about time to admit to myself the head gasket has gone as first dreaded, all the signs are there, serious over heating,whinning/whistling noise when accelearting,creamy/milky water in raditaor,white smoke from exhaust etc etc.

Anyway as the series isnt my daily run about, Im gonna have a go at tackling the job myself.And hopefully learn a thing or two on the way.

Briefly read through the haynes today on the procedure for removing/refitting etc. Just wondering if you guys have any hints/tips for me,as Im sure a few on here have done this task a few times before.The engine is question is the 2.25 petrol.


Thanks in advance

hi, yeah just done mine on the rebuild of my series 2 , easy enough, strip everything connected to the head, remember where it all goes make a note,
crack the bolts with a socket and bar, undo them all and tap the head with a rubber hammer to loosen, lift off and clean area with petrol,
slap on new gaskit dry ( if composit one) or oil it on both sides if copper one,
then carefully drop on head, insert bolts then tighten up hand tight all over, use a torque wrench to tighten to say 35 in the sequence shown in haynes, then tighten to full torque in the same sequence, re connect everything job done



note when removing head keep push rods safe and anything else that might come a drift

old head off,

Many thanks mate,,much appreciated just what I was looking for

once the head is off clean it and check that it is flat
use a straight edge on the head with a light behind it if you can see light check it with a feeler gauge and if its to much get it skimed

chances are as its a cast iron head it shouldnt warp but its still best to check

If its all that bad get it skimmed anyway or at least checked at the machinists.
was the white smoke steam or unburned fuel?, steam will condense on a cold surface placed at the exhaust, unburnt fuel will too, you can tell the diffo by the smell.

Just an update:


Decided to take head off today and found it pretty straight forward following your advice and the trusty haynes manual, didnt refit all back together due to not having a gasket as yet. After removing the old gasket which was a copper one so came away easy, I noticed there was no real damage to it ,and it was intact. Although was a bit of a mess with oil etc. Is this normal or should there be a chunk out of it where the gasket has supposidly blown?

Also what head gasket should I order Copper or Composit? and what the pros and cons between the two? And is there anything else I can be checking/replacing whilst im in there.

Thanks again lads.

Sounds normal, on a copper gasket, they can 'track' accross the seal, without having to actually errode, that's normally what happens to a composite gasket.
BUT, would suggest that the block or head isn't absolutely true.
Have you tried the ends of a steel ruler and a feeler guage method to deturmine flatness, and did you apply it all over the head, AND the block?
Might be worth a head skim just as a precaution.
I'd use a copper gasket, as I prefer them; they last longer and if the head and block are right, give a better seal.
Composite gaskets are more tolerent, but dont last as long.

Teflon said:

Sounds normal, on a copper gasket, they can 'track' accross the seal, without having to actually errode, that's normally what happens to a composite gasket.
BUT, would suggest that the block or head isn't absolutely true.
Have you tried the ends of a steel ruler and a feeler guage method to deturmine flatness, and did you apply it all over the head, AND the block?
Might be worth a head skim just as a precaution.
I'd use a copper gasket, as I prefer them; they last longer and if the head and block are right, give a better seal.
Composite gaskets are more tolerent, but dont last as long.

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Havnt checked for flatness as yet,but will deffinently have a look tommorrow. Just out of curiosity whats the rough price for a head skim? Will make my own enquiries on monday morning,but just so I have a rough idea on what to expect,,thanks for your input much appreciated

reguarding gaskit material , what teflon said ^

bowers1986 said:

Just out of curiosity whats the rough price for a head skim?

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I'd reckon on about £25ish.
Last one I had 'done' (was 2004, but with the economy & less people fixing cars M/C shops should be as or more 'willing' / keen) was a pair of V8 heads, which are a renowned bast to 'clock' on the machine bed becouse they are wedge shaped, charged me £90 for a head skim and valve & seat grind, as the guides were OK.
£50ish should get the head 'done' as in skimmed, valves & seats ground and if needed the guides pressed out and replaced, at least on a series head, as its not an awkward shape and its all iron, so easier to cut, but that's optional.... though if you have the readies, and as you have the head off, worth the doing of in my book.

Cheers mate,,,will enquire about this on monday morning.

The head gasget may not have been the problem, it seems that it heated up very fast, i would have expected to see the track on the old gasget, is there any chance that the engine froze in last winters frost? i have seen landys lose the vanes on the water pump, this makes them overheat with the thermostat in but not without one,

nongrokal said:

The head gasget may not have been the problem, it seems that it heated up very fast, i would have expected to see the track on the old gasget, is there any chance that the engine froze in last winters frost? i have seen landys lose the vanes on the water pump, this makes them overheat with the thermostat in but not without one,

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You've got me thinking now:doh:,, suppose I will find out if it over heats when new head gaskets been fitted.

New water-pump, is about £20 and worth fitting as a precaution, along with a new fan-belt, but how far do you go? while you have the head-off and the water-pump off, why not pull the th#iming cover and renew the timing chain and gears, to bring the timing back to factory settings.......
As you say, you'll find out about overheating when you fire her up..... just dont rely entirely on the temp-guage.... keep an eye on the radiator.

I have had the lost vanes on the water pump, on a perkins the other year, took me bastid ages to find it.
And from your symptoms I would get a gasket for the pump and take it off for a look at when you put the head back on.

Just to give you all an update,

Got the cylinder head skimmed for £30 at a place just up the road from me,, refitted yesterday with new head gasket,, and new exhaust manifold. Just needing the studs that attach the exhuast manifold to inlet manifold if anyone knows the part number,would be a great help.


As Im needing these studs to finish the job off,, I got to work with taking the radiator out this afternoon. And gotta say I found it harder getting the radiator mounting bolts out than doing the head gasket,,lol. They were well and truly rusted on but got there in the end. Took water pump off to find all is good everything is intact as it should be,all blades/vains inside are in good condition and intact.

Anyway Ive left the water pump off as I think I might aswell try and tackle the oil leak what appears to be coming from the timing cover which if im right in thinking is the front crank shaft oil seal (correct me if im wrong). Dont suppose theres a write up somewhere on the net showing detailed steps on doing this job and changing the chain while im in there?. Guessing its been leaking for some time or from somewhere else maybe as it had about an inch of old oil/dirt all over the housing , is there a drain plug somewhere round there to let this oil drain out like the rear crank shaft oil seal? I did have a good look but all the crap is literally everywhere and couldnt for the life of me locate it? . Any advice/info on tackling this job would be kindly appreciated.

hi, thers a bit on my rebuild page fer me series 2 reguarding the timing case and oil seals if thats any help

90truckcab said:

hi, thers a bit on my rebuild page fer me series 2 reguarding the timing case and oil seals if thats any help

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Cheers mate will have a look,,,Have you got a link

90truckcab said:

reguarding gaskit material , what teflon said ^

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I might just add ,keep all your pushrods in their original positions + while head off either lap in valves for a good seal OR send head away to convert to unleaded[ if you anticipate any hard 'fast' runs] & I would go for composite h/g unless top of block totally perfect [ it will last you 100,000 miles ...... thats afew years?!]