petrolhead63 Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) The TD5 started pressuring the coolant....still pressured up after days left standing. The only obvious explanation was the head/head gasket and it did overheat in the summer following a corroded metal coolant manifold and sudden water loss which likely aggravated it. No other signs, water in oil, oil in water etc. The head is off and it seems evident where cylinders have blown into waterways. I have lots of conflicting advice. One big specialist says the heads are rubbish...dont bother check/machine etc and buy one of our new spanish made heads for lots of money which will never fail again and they dont crack, warp etc etc. My usual engineering shop like many has closed but i found one who evidently knows the TD5, immediately saying stories of hardened heads not being capable o0f skimming due to leaving them soft is rubbish and explaining even if it only take a light skim the valves will be cut to the same amount so the valve piston clearance is the same. This all made sense to me and a crack check, reface, valves all cut/.reset etc will run me to near £300 all done. I would welcome what others have done to their cylinder head if it failed. I know they can crack in the injector areas and in the cylinder area but are they so bad you just chuck them out asIi am being told to do without even looking at it? to buy a new one. Edited February 14, 2017 by petrolhead63 mistyped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hangover Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Get it crack and hardness tested and if it passes go from there, plenty of people get away with a light skim and reusing the head. I did this to my tdi head and all good after nearly 20k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I have had many heads done by drakes in Bradford, £30 to pressure test, £30 to pressure test fuel galleries if a 10p, £30 to skim. Yes as has been said the AMC head is much more reliable and more meaty ect but for £60 to tell you whether yours is scrap seems a no brainier to me. will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrolhead63 Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 Thanks so far for replies, I tend to agree re checking my head out though down here in south it is all double muddy's up there! a pressure check, reface head , recut valve seats by same as skim and build up valves will be about £280 with VAT in a good shop I know., that is competitve here and better than others who did not seem to know the TD5 head either. I can get a "good" used AMC head for £700 but that is still a big chunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hangover Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 You only need to re-cut valve seats if you need to skim a lot off the head, there are minimum stand down heights for the valves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrolhead63 Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 OK, thats interesting, I did wonder about the valves because they are recessed into the head so what is the problem with a skim. I have haggled a bit on the little used AMC head and think I may go for it. It is a better improved head and having been very lucky and had a little used looking one offered local to me for under half new cost from a reliable source it seems to remove worries of future common problems such as cracks in injector housings etc. I would not have paid the new cost but the difference over machining mine is not so huge and that assumes no other issues came up on mine. Does anybody have comments regarding makes of gasket sets to use (or not!) and anything else I should be aware of on reassembly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Payen gaskets are excellent quality. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrolhead63 Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 Well I have an AMC head.....proper birthday for the old girl! it looks virtually new and in the end was not so much more than doing my own head and that assumed no other issues found on testing etc. So it is due to go back together soon. All 4 glow plugs seem duff...........have people had good experience of bearmach glowplugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 Bearmach parts are good quality. I've fitted hundreds of their parts. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 Payen or Elford - but buy from the manufacturer or importer Our local engine re-builder who is quite good (been doing it since the late 1800's) do a light skim whatever. They also use a liquid metal injection process on the cracks which is guaranteed for 100k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrolhead63 Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 Thanks, on way back together now...have posted a new post re fuel pressure regulator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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