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200Tdi Head Gasket or Something Else?

THE SAGA OF SH*T CONTINUES!

So, I changed the thermostat housing, gaskets, thermostat and it got a bit better? It made a 200 mile drive not long after doing that, and it never got hot.

When I got home, I checked all my fluids and coolant is down again, and its leaking out near the head again. It also had some stains down the front of the rad, but hard to say where this actually came from.

I did a compression test this morning, and number 1 was low. My tester only goes up to 300psi, but 2, 3 and 4 pushed the needle off the end of the scale. Number 1 was at 270psi though. Im really starting to think head gasket failure or worse, but theres no excessive pressure in the expansion tank, and no water in the oil?

I put the proper 200tdi header tank on it as well, changed over from the old overflow bottle, and the timing belt was done less than 3 months ago Khriss.

Any ideas/Next steps?

Cheers,
 
BoyRacerS3 said:
THE SAGA OF SH*T CONTINUES!

So, I changed the thermostat housing, gaskets, thermostat and it got a bit better? It made a 200 mile drive not long after doing that, and it never got hot.

When I got home, I checked all my fluids and coolant is down again, and its leaking out near the head again. It also had some stains down the front of the rad, but hard to say where this actually came from.

I did a compression test this morning, and number 1 was low. My tester only goes up to 300psi, but 2, 3 and 4 pushed the needle off the end of the scale. Number 1 was at 270psi though. Im really starting to think head gasket failure or worse, but theres no excessive pressure in the expansion tank, and no water in the oil?

I put the proper 200tdi header tank on it as well, changed over from the old overflow bottle, and the timing belt was done less than 3 months ago Khriss.

Any ideas/Next steps?

Cheers,
Click to expand...
Must do mine next month too 😉
 
Update on this, had it all apart, gasket was blown, but it turns out the head was destroyed as well. Number 1 and 4 valve seats were destroyed and 2 & 3 were cracked. Driven it again.

Had a rebuilt head on it, to the tune of many earthmoneys as well as new gaskets etc.

Had to top up the water once I did it, and I think ive chased up all the leaks. Will keep you all posted on my further escapades.

Not the outcome I had hoped for, but I guess thats how it goes :(
 
BoyRacerS3 said:
Update on this, had it all apart, gasket was blown, but it turns out the head was destroyed as well. Number 1 and 4 valve seats were destroyed and 2 & 3 were cracked. Driven it again.

Had a rebuilt head on it, to the tune of many earthmoneys as well as new gaskets etc.

Had to top up the water once I did it, and I think ive chased up all the leaks. Will keep you all posted on my further escapades.

Not the outcome I had hoped for, but I guess thats how it goes :(
Click to expand...
Got to the bottom of it though didn't ya 😣 bet it runs way better now ☺️
 
BoyRacerS3 said:
Update on this, had it all apart, gasket was blown, but it turns out the head was destroyed as well. Number 1 and 4 valve seats were destroyed and 2 & 3 were cracked. Driven it again.

Had a rebuilt head on it, to the tune of many earthmoneys as well as new gaskets etc.

Had to top up the water once I did it, and I think ive chased up all the leaks. Will keep you all posted on my further escapades.

Not the outcome I had hoped for, but I guess thats how it goes :(
Click to expand...
Have you got it sorted or are you off the road
 
stevebus said:
Have you got it sorted or are you off the road
Click to expand...
It was, until it wasn’t again. I’ve fixed the overheating and pressure in the cooling system, and put about 100 miles into the new head, no leaks or anything.

I then fired it up again, and it randomly starts making knocking noises. Wasn’t sure what it was, so I dared not drive it. Will try an attach video.

All valve tappets were adjusted, all the valve stem caps are in place and I cracked each injector and it’s still doing it. Thinking a broken/damaged follower, but don’t really want to take the head off to find out.

I’ve also tested the rocker shaft, and that’s fine, all moves freely, no scoring and it’s not bent. The push rods all looked ok and rolled fine, but seemed a mil or so off my straight edge.

I’m kind of lost, slightly bent push rods? It ran fine, and never knocked when driven anywhere, and doesn’t knock at idle. Confused!

YouTube Link to Noise -
 
stevebus said:
It's got be something along those lines, especially with all that smoke, did you put a 3 hole head gasket on it cos there isn't a lot of room for error
Click to expand...
Yeah, I used a 3-hole Elring one, have been told that’s the best to have. I think this weekend it’ll have to be head off and check followers etc.

It’s still got power and doesn’t miss or cough, so I doubt it’d be a slipped timing belt or something.

Some daily driver old florence has turned out to be :p
 
What a pain !!!
Definitely sounds like something hitting something .
I’m not familiar with that engine - I have a 2.25 petrol.
Before you lift the head again check it’s not just something out of alignment (or running out of alignment) when you rev it .
Cooling fan? alternator fan or pulley?
What else spins slowly at idle then speeds up external to the engine ?
 
Before you take the head back off, just try your tappets rule of 9 and all that, and you could maybe just time it up again just in case, it doesn't take long, how frustrating fella!!!
 
stevebus said:
Another silly, but are all your injector pipe seated properly, having had the head off it only take a tiny bit of shit to get in them, you might think they a set but!! And only another 10 minute check
Click to expand...
I cracked all the pipes, everything is seated properly. Is it possible that they would all have issues? Doesnt seem to be anything up with the injectors, but I could be wrong?

Adjusted all the tappets with the rule of 9 as per the blue book, and the injector pump still seems to be timed up, have checked that.
 
And your still smoking and rattling yes? How did you get your injectors out of your old head? Have you damaged a nozzle putting them back in do you think? Who skimmed your new head? Did they cut or take down the valve seats, and have you seated or lapped your valves in? Cos I think all of the above could or might make it rattle and or smoke, sorry to ask so many questions but just giving a few extra things there for you to ponder on, before you take the head off which is looking more likely now, whip the injectors out again and check the nozzles also if you've got access to a break off tester get them checked
 
BoyRacerS3 said:
I cracked all the pipes, everything is seated properly. Is it possible that they would all have issues? Doesnt seem to be anything up with the injectors, but I could be wrong?

Adjusted all the tappets with the rule of 9 as per the blue book, and the injector pump still seems to be timed up, have checked that.
Click to expand...
Can't imagine it would run at all if they ALL had issues, and that would be some fucking bad luck
 
Another thing before you take the head off check that your rocker shaft is straight/true cos listening to the video again it does sound very tappety, you might well of checked them but that only has to be out by a nats and that would throw it all off
 
stevebus said:
Another thing before you take the head off check that your rocker shaft is straight/true cos listening to the video again it does sound very tappety, you might well of checked them but that only has to be out by a nats and that would throw it all off
Click to expand...
I’ve checked em properly, and I’ve had the shaft apart. It all seems ok, but It’s a possibility that I overtightened the bolts that hold it down. Haynes manual says 5ft/lbs and 50 Degrees.

Does anyone else know any more accurate measurements? Id rather do that before I take the head off and waste a near new head gasket.
 
stevebus said:
And your still smoking and rattling yes? How did you get your injectors out of your old head? Have you damaged a nozzle putting them back in do you think? Who skimmed your new head? Did they cut or take down the valve seats, and have you seated or lapped your valves in? Cos I think all of the above could or might make it rattle and or smoke, sorry to ask so many questions but just giving a few extra things there for you to ponder on, before you take the head off which is looking more likely now, whip the injectors out again and check the nozzles also if you've got access to a break off tester get them checked
Click to expand...
Bought the head from a reputable garage local to me, all been pressure tested and valves cut properly etc. I don’t think the head is at fault here. Probably the 20yo apprentice who installed it 😅

I pulled the old injectors by hand, took off the retainer thing, all came apart fine. No slide hammers or heat were used. I left the injector tips in diesel while I changed the head. I filtered that fuel before I used it, but I don’t know how good the filter was. Will also blow out the injector nozzles with compressed air this weekend.

Thanks for your help btw Steve!
 
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