TD5 strange overheating problem

My TD5 disco has started losing coolant and over heating I had a good look over the engine and noticed a coolant leak by the turbo, took the turbo heat shield off and found a leaky heater matrix pipe and a leak along the head gasket about 3 inchs long on the exhaust manifold side of the engine around cylinder 4 to 5.
I assume head gasket failure, I'm tempted to buy the turner head gasket kit and change the head gasket without crack testing or skimming the head any advice welcome.

Head gasket will have started leaking for a reason. Chances are that your engine has the nylon locating dowels fitted which over time can let the head move around on the block and cause gasket failure. Give everything a good clean up and consider having the head skimmed by somebody that knows what they are doing. Its a lot of work to replace the head gasket and still have problems a few weeks later if its out of true.

If you dont have problems with oil in the coolant or fuel in the sump then chances are the head is not cracked or porous.

You are supposed to use new head bolts which cost more than a few quid but I've seen them reused several times whilst I was working in Tanzania with no problems. I'm not saying you should reuse them as its a right pain if one of them snaps off in the block but I just mention it if funds are tight.

Also change the nylon locating dowels for steel ones. Anybody with a lathe could turn some up but they are cheap as chips from LR anyhow.

Dont leave it to long as the head moves allowing the valve head to strike and damage the sides of the cylinder bores.

Lynall

cheers guys