TD5 cooling system problem

Hi there just thought I would say hello to all, been looking for answers to my 2000 td5 Auto with 105,000 on the clock playing up with the cooling system, thought it was a airlock after filling with new antifreeze this year but I think it is now looking like HEAD GASKET as the posts I have read have pointed me in that direction. It does not over heat, pressurized top hose, water level drops in header tank when under pressure and having to rev the engine to get the heater to blow hot no creamy oil and had a sniff test carried out on the coolant which was negative.
Has anyone got any other ideas I would be grateful for any help.

leave it idling for 20 mins and check to see if water vapour is coming from the exhaust.

sounds like typical TD5 HG to me. How pressurised is the top hose getting? Rock hard?

Thanks Guys, nothing coming from exhaust or bubbles in header tank but top hose rock hard. (Still looking like head gasket) Does any one know if this get worse until it dies on the side of the road or do TD5's live with this problem.

sniff tests can be difficult on diesels, it does sound like a head gasket problem.

chrisg7194 said:

Thanks Guys, nothing coming from exhaust or bubbles in header tank but top hose rock hard. (Still looking like head gasket) Does any one know if this get worse until it dies on the side of the road or do TD5's live with this problem.

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I did 3000 miles with mine like it.

I found that keeping the speed below 50mph and keeping the revs as low as possible helped.

Get a mirror and torch just under the turbo near the manifold look at the head gasket when the engines hot, app when the gasket goes its that corner of the head. Mines doing the exact same and had it in to Adventure 4x4 in morley and its deffo the head gasket that's gone. £700 for head off pressure tested skimmed and refitted. booked in on the 29th.

Thanks Guys looks like I am going to be getting my hands dirty. Just wished it was my old 300TDi could have done that one with my eyes closed, gonna have to read up on this one, I have all ready heard the injectors can be a drama on these. Have found a garage on ebay willing to do a complete rebuild on my lump for £1,300 might go down that path.

Update on mine, not lost any water since being told the HG had gone by Adventure 4x4 so had a mobile guy come and have a look, turns out it was a rubber bung just under the heat plate which had gone hard and split.
saw it before he took it off and it was wet under it, 10 mins later new bung jobs a gooden and £700 better off in my pocket. some robbing ****s out there always get a 2nd opinion.

A leaking bung won't cause your top hose to pressurise.

Spoke to a service manager for a Landrover dealer today and told him what was going on and he recons it is a air lock, but is after about £80 to get one of his monkeys to have a look for half an hour.
does anyone no if there is a special way to bleed a td5. Have raised the header tank and undone bleeder screw on top hose till water came out have even done it with engine running.

they are easy to bleed just the screw in the top hose.