Hi people just perchased 200tdi discovery and a little concerned it was blowing a lot of white smoke. It did clear half way home though. It was stood for more than two years before re starting. Could this have anything to do with it being stood for a while tia

If it keeos doing it check the pump timing, my last disco smoked like a battleship laying down a smokescreen when I first drove it and that had been standing for months, hasnt been an issue since.

I assume you have checked and rechecked the levels?

lynall said:

If it keeos doing it check the pump timing, my last disco smoked like a battleship laying down a smokescreen when I first drove it and that had been standing for months, hasnt been an issue since.

I assume you have checked and rechecked the levels?

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Well I picked it up on Friday and drove it home I'm currently on hols untill next Friday so will do the checks when I get back. My fear is possible head gasket. It kind of makes it worse as I have bought of a friend that told me the engine was fine and was only parked up due to it failing its mot on the bodywork. I'm going to do away with the body as all I want is the engine gearbox and the chassis to build an off road truck. I'm guessing the head would need to be skimmed etc if this is the case. Or just the gasket being changed. Its odd really as it pulled like a train all the way home started on half a turn of the key and sounded good. The only visable thing I could see wrong was a split in the hose that goes to the turbo inlet but didn't think this would cause the issue. Also one of the breather pipes that come of the brake servo was split very slightly but was unsure where it goes. Is it worth the engine re build that I am now thinking if I'm going to the effort of building an offroad truck should I just bight the bullet and re build the whole engine. Lots of things are in my mind at the mo or do I just get another engine and cut my losses

Head gasket is one of the easiest jobs going
The head bolts can be reused up to 5 times, Ive alwsy reused the bolts
Ive done a few and never skimmed any of them

Unbolt manifolds form head and move away from head just enough to clear the studs, then just unbolt and remove the head.

They are well known for failing at the back of cylinder 4 and actually blow striaght out to atmosphere.

lynall said:

Head gasket is one of the easiest jobs going
The head bolts can be reused up to 5 times, Ive alwsy reused the bolts
Ive done a few and never skimmed any of them

Unbolt manifolds form head and move away from head just enough to clear the studs, then just unbolt and remove the head.

They are well known for failing at the back of cylinder 4 and actually blow striaght out to atmosphere.

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Thank you for this.she ran on quarter temp all way home so I'm guessing no over heating as of yet. I'm just hoping that the previous owner hadn't cooked the old girl although my thinking is it would take a lot to cook as the viscous fan would still be going round even if there was no water in the engine would the fan help to keep it cool just a little bit. I have heard that people take the fans of the 200tdi as they run quite cold anyway. Is this correct?? I did check the water levels etc before I drove her and admittedly the water was very low in the expansion bottle. However did top it up before I drove home but never bled the system etc. I did top it up again when home but didn't no weather this was due to the water going around the system.. I'm back Friday so will get her going and let her run with the cap of etc. Will let you no the findings. Thank you once again

Takes an age to get a 200 up to full operating temp and if the temp is only reading 1/4 I would check if you even have a stat fitted.
They will run forever with no viscous fan fitted, BUT and its a big but for your intened use, the only time Ive ever seen mine get hot is when playing off road, highish revs and low sspeed so no air flow across the rad has the needle shooting high all of a sudden, so I would recomend an auto elec fan switch set up.

i once got mine so hot off road the engine locked up, Im still driving it! real crude tough son of a bitch engines, when armageddon comes this is what you want in your mad max car, its not sexy but will always get you there

Only time you really need to bleed it is initial fill, but once stat open it will do it itself, but can get very hot in the process, so well worth the effort of filling it the correct way.

If you shine a torch into the header tnak you will see a little plastic cross, this is the correct coolant level when cold, its roughly level with the joint around the middle of the tank.