V8 Please Help!

Hi I have a defender 110 3.5 v8 su carbs lpg etc.

Having replaced the headgasket due to the waterpump failing about 8 months ago, everything was running sweet.

BUT! last week I noticed moisture in the oil filler cap, took no notice and have now found sludge like the gasket gone again. but i haven't ridden this beast hard.

I have noticed that the engine really doesn't heat up at all. cant even get much heat from the heaters when the engines been running for ages and the thermosat only goes up abit. Could the thermosat be gone and causing more coolant into the engine?

Gasket i replaced was from the old tin to a compo one.
I hope it's not cylinder liners otherwise anyone want to buy a 87 110 lol.

Has anyone had a similar issue before and can give some advice before i strip the engine down.

I'm sure some one with more info than me will come along shortly but The 3.5 doesn't suffer from slipped liners so unlikely to be that. The composite gaskets would make it less likely to have blown a gasket ( although on a low comp engine like the 110 it will make the comp lower surprise its not pretty flat). Do you do any decent runs in the car short runs in winter can cause condensation. You say it doesn't heat up is there an air lock?

Mick

texpis said:

I'm sure some one with more info than me will come along shortly but The 3.5 doesn't suffer from slipped liners so unlikely to be that. The composite gaskets would make it less likely to have blown a gasket ( although on a low comp engine like the 110 it will make the comp lower surprise its not pretty flat). Do you do any decent runs in the car short runs in winter can cause condensation. You say it doesn't heat up is there an air lock?

Mick

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Sounds about right Mick.............................

The oil will emulsify in the cap if used for short journeys - heater diagnosis about right - bleed the system and make sure the thermostat is working properly.

Give the car a good run - 60 miles or so at various speeds - if all is well with the engine it will do it good.

Whatever it is it doesn't sound too serious.

Thanks for the replies, much needed. But there's also gunk in the breather pipes leading to the carbs, plus the flametraps are also gunked, well boths rocker covers gunked too

My crank case ventilator often gets clogged up and requires cleaning because that starts getting cream on top (has a mini air breather on top) id check and clean that, unscrew take inside out throw in some petrol or gunk give it a switl round leave it 10 mins bobs ya uncle see what that does, before mine was rebuilt that used to cause alot of creaming issues but no water gaskets had gone

It could be that you haven't bled the system well and have a massive air lock if you have you could of over heated and blown the gasket. Check the water level not just in the over flow tank remove the plug from the top of the radiator.
Mick

Milesm said:

Thanks for the replies, much needed. But there's also gunk in the breather pipes leading to the carbs, plus the flametraps are also gunked, well boths rocker covers gunked too

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Did you clean all of these when you originally changed the Head gasket?

Yes the heads were stripped cleaned, valves checked and reseated. Rocker covers and all pipework flushed. Oil filter, sump all cleaned out. The only thing i didnt do on one side was putting locktight on the header bolts.

Do a compression test.

if the thermostat is sticking open the engine will not reach operating temperature so change thermostat first, and give it a run, its surprising how much emulsification you can get from this problem.

Another case of Creme Brulet v8 I see

Thanks for all the advice, you've all put my mind at rest as I'm still a newby to all this. I'll be attacking the beast next week

Hello all, I have finally got round to replacing the head gasket with tin and replacing the thermostat plus clean oil change etc..

However I want to double check the feed and return lines from the heater box to the manifold but do you think i can find anything on the internet! No! So if anyone can help on that, i'd be pathetically grateful


Any advice about how to bleed the rad off of to stop the airlocks?