Td5 headgasket gone again

Hi guys,

Literally just finished doing the head gasket on my td5 as it had failed, usual overheating, pressurising headertank, no blowers etc...so after getting the head skim & pressure test, head is fine. Done all oil seals, new thermostat & new water pump...got her going and took for mot then toodled about. Decided to go on a run only about 25 miles round trips cruising on motorway all seamed well...then shot out again 2 mins into my trip and lost hot blowers, started over heating and lost power. Got her back home and it had lost all her water, topped it up blead system...when i drive around town i have hot blowers and she runs fine, then soon as i start over 50 on a motorway lose my blowers and over heats...please any ideas on what it is, and please dont say headgasket it cant be...help

purchase a sniff tester AKA block tester .its a handy tool to have for future diagnosing
the test takes aproxx 30 seconds if the fluid turn yellow means combustion gasses is entering the coolant system... could be a crack in the piston liner or cylinder head / gasket (basically any thing related in the combustion side of things

if the test does not change colour could be any thing from air flow water flow or blockage there a few thermostats placed around this engine

Did you use new quality head bolts with the new gasket...if not that might be the cause, i've seen this not once, or it can be a crack in the block too

When the head gasket originally went, i used a sniff test & it didnt come up with anything, hit and miss with a diesal...also i had the head pressure test & skim, the guy said it barely needed skimming and all was good so would rule the head out...if it was a crack anywhere it would have instantly failed not 50 miles later i would think?...yea used a good quality gasket kit and bolts, an they were torqued to perfection...i had the engine out on the floor rebuilding, i had a good look up n down inside all 5 chambers and there was a little wear nothing major...where else are other thermostats? I know there is one in the fuel cooler...

It seams that your overheating is caused by the coolant loss in the first place, you should find that major leak though if you lost much coolant, common point is at the oil cooler's rear port, get a new tank cap too and make sure it's tightened well untill then attach a temperature resistant plastic bag with duct tape to the tank's overflow pipe to rule out a coolant loss there

There is no apparent leaks anywhere, i have changed the 2 inch pipe underneath exhaust manifold...i have also changed the Header tank cap, but this was back before i done the headgasket so it has probably cooked again, as the cap and overflow pipe is where im losing the water bad pictures but there is steam p***ing out from uner the cap...could it be the new cap has failed when getting over heated prior to the headgasket beinf done?

Better rule out that cap before you go further cos even if it's overpressure caused by something else it's not supposed to loose coolant near the cap just through the overflow pipe... it's quite obvious that the involved cap is not sealing well which is a real problem.

sierrafery said:

Better rule out that cap before you go further cos even if it's overpressure caused by something else it's not supposed to loose coolant near the cap just through the overflow pipe... it's quite obvious that the involved cap is not sealing well which is a real problem.

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Either that or maybe a crack in the header tank, somewhere around the cap neck. It shouldn't be looking like that.

brian47 said:

Either that or maybe a crack in the header tank, somewhere around the cap neck. It shouldn't be looking like that.

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I agree... IMO the problem is there somewhere, maybe the best would be a new tank too...if the system is not well sealed it's a serious problem

I had a spare bottle & cap, changed them over...its stopped the leaking completely, BUT, even though its not dropping water, it is Still losing water i.e due to overheating, instantly boiling the water into steam inside the system...

DID you fit NEW DOWELS ?

Jaykay1987 said:

There is no apparent leaks anywhere, i have changed the 2 inch pipe underneath exhaust manifold...i have also changed the Header tank cap, but this was back before i done the headgasket so it has probably cooked again, as the cap and overflow pipe is where im losing the water bad pictures but there is steam p***ing out from uner the cap...could it be the new cap has failed when getting over heated prior to the headgasket beinf done?View attachment 117258View attachment 117259View attachment 117261

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Magicgrotto said:

DID you fit NEW DOWELS ?

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Yep...

Jaykay1987 said:

I had a spare bottle & cap, changed them over...its stopped the leaking completely, BUT, even though its not dropping water, it is Still losing water i.e due to overheating, instantly boiling the water into steam inside the system...

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and where is that steam leaving the system though... IMO first it drops water then it overheats due to insufficient water and then comes the steam.... it cant transform water into steam in a filled and sealed system cos it would blow like a bomb... it can be a crack in the block and the water is combusted

Magicgrotto said:

DID you fit NEW DOWELS ?

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Jaykay1987 said:

Yep..

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Metal or plastic ??

sierrafery said:

and where is that steam leaving the system though... IMO first it drops water then it overheats due to insufficient water and then comes the steam.... it cant transform water into steam in a filled and sealed system cos it would blow like a bomb... it can be a crack in the block and the water is combusted

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Im barely getting around the block before it over heats, so its not running long enough to pop a radiator or hose...the system is unbelievabley pressurised with steam, i cant see the water getting out from anywhere. When i crack the blead nipple or header cap it fires out steam for a good few minutes...also from what i can tell there is no smoke nor steamy smoke coming from the exhaust, ill try puttin my hand over it when running see if it leaves moisture on my hand...is there anyway of telling if the block is cracked? I.e compression test? The car by the way drives perfect an runs perfect...also i used metal dowels grotto

What if you open the bleed screw from cold and rev it a bit is it squirting high from the bleed hole? the coolant should go up close to the bonnet

water pump?

sierrafery said:

What if you open the bleed screw from cold and rev it a bit is it squirting high from the bleed hole? the coolant should go up close to the bonnet

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Im on my way over there now, ill have a check...is that what it should do under normal circumstances?

yes, if the pump is working well it should give you quite a jet there at 2000rpm

sierrafery said:

yes, if the pump is working well it should give you quite a jet there at 2000rpm

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Yea it shot out everywhere...but it did have alot of brown foam?? i kept it running and left the blead nipple out, let it drop all the water, then reblead. Whilst doing this there was with every other gush, silty brown s**t...now obviously it has had a kseal through it, when it was in a manual td5 (i put engine in an auto)...now i cant remember wether i changed the radiator, or i used the old one, that maybe full of kseal...which is breaking down maybe?? Could this maybe cause a blockage in the rad?