ZIKOMO

I had the first head changed by the dealer here and was just told it had failed but didn’t think to get a look at it to establish HOW it had gone. This time did it all myself and there were 5 cracks visible to the naked eye. Three were between valves and two running from valves to injectors. Strangely there was very little evidence of damage to the gasket though and what there was looked very recent (slightly discoloured but otherwise clean). I’ve located a 2nd hand shroud in the S.Island so just negotiating how to get it sent up and I’ll blank off where the original intercooler was to channel the air through the radiator to see if that helps.

Rebuilt my 300tdi with it’s 3rd head in 200k km and now looking at why it should need a new head with every cam belt . . . . . My current thinking is it might be in need of better cooling - truck has both a full width intercooler and aircon condenser sitting in front of the radiator and when the viscous fan was swapped out for a Kenlow the fan shroud was removed. When the head was being done I gave the radiator a chemical flush, made sure the intercooler was clear and fitted a new a/c condenser. I also fitted a new thermostat and checked the fan switches on and off both thermostatically and when the a/c compressor clutch engages. Now on normal running the temp gauge sits around mid way without a/c and slightly higher with. Now I’m wondering if the fan is pulling sufficient air THROUGH the array or if, due to the absence of a shroud, it might taking air from a path of lesser resistance by drawing it from around itself behind the radiator? It wouldn’t take too much time/effort for me to mold up a bespoke GRP shroud but before I do I’d appreciate any advice please.

I guess I was just surprised at the manufacturing tolerances. The difference between a 1 & zero hole appears to be .39mm which in old money is about 15thou - seems pretty relaxed & I wonder what BMW, Merc, Toyota etc work to and whether the same applies to modern J/LR engines

Many thanks!

May be (probably) a dumb question but the ad says 200tdi, is this the same for the 300? If so, will pick one up next time I’m in UK

Had exactly this problem on my 300tdi and in the end fitted two tiny green LEDs between and just above the gauges to replace the standard dash lamp. I did look at changing to the TD5 cluster but then I saw the price my fix cost about two bucks from AliExpress

That could make sense if the “standard” gasket was 1 hole - then you’d have the opportunity to skim the block 3 times (not sure why you would though) however; my block definitely hasn’t ever been skimmed yet it has a 2 hole gasket . . . .

OK so I understand 1, 2, 3 & no hole gaskets relate to accommodating piston protrusion from the block but can anyone enlighten me as to WHY Land Rover felt it necessary to make engines of differing dimensions? When I look back to my 1970’s basic apprentice training hand filing chunks of steel into true cubes I find it hard to believe that 90s technology couldn’t precisely engineer a standard block or piston. Am I missing something here?

Thanks for all the feedback and info. In the end I elected to pass on the Isuzu engine and as when I got the head off the bores etc all looked good, have sourced a new head, gaskets, bolts, core plugs, water pump, thermostat and expansion tank/cap to rebuild the original engine. I’m also taking this opportunity to change the cam belt and the radiator is away being checked & cleaned at the moment. Hopefully she’ll be back together next weekend. The head itself had cracks between the valves on 1 & 2 and to the injector on 2 and there is evidence of some gasket leakage between 2 & 3. Getting the injectors and glow plugs out was proving to be a mission so they’re on order now and I also found most of the core plugs were weeping in both the head & block. Pity really, I reckon she’d have been an even more awesome truck with that 4JJ1 in her but in the end practicality and to some extent originality won out.

The 4JJ1 Dmax is indeed a common rail engine so this mightn’t be readily achievable. The last thing I want is to introduce any electrickery to the car. Hopefully I’ll get the verdict on the 300 Motor later today - certainly the quickest and most straightforward fix!

Good point but she was built to NZ spec and as far as I am aware the only real change was to fit a km speedo

I had Disco seats for a while but although comfortable on the posterior found them too high and I felt a bit hunched up under the wheel. When I made the subframes I fabricated hinges into the rear mounts and used M8 bolts with plastic handles (from some old roof bars) on the front passenger side so quite a quick job to access the battery by tipping the seat back. I also fitted a couple of short cables to an Anderson plug on the seat box to make for easy charging. I still use the subframes but moved to a pair of Autotecnica bucket seats some time ago. These are super comfortable and really hold you in but there’s a quick learning curve to getting in and out over the side bolsters without damage to the “jewels”!

I’ve owned the vehicle from new. I bought it for export in UK, used it there for 11 months for visits and shipped it to the Middle East and on to NZ. It has now traveled about 210k km, none of it really very hard working. The head gasket first went at around 100k and the head had to be skimmed for refitting now it’s gone again but this time was pretty dramatic. Temperature rose VERY suddenly rose going up a fairly long, winding hill with a light dinghy trailer on the back and she blew coolant before the temperature dropped quickly back to normal and remained there. To all intents it appeared to be an airlock that had sorted itself but just before I reached a service station the engine cut. I was able to pull off and open the bonnet/hood and she started again but shortly after there was a pressure discharge from the oil filler cap and she died again. The speed with which the temperature came up makes me wonder if the water pump hasn’t packed a sad and just cresting the hill and cruising down with the kenlow going full chat was why it dropped off so quickly. I’ve had her delivered to a mate who specialises in building rally cars and re-engining Hilux with supercharged 4l Lexus motors which involves tailoring bellhousings but I’m waiting to hear whether he’s happy to rebuild the 300tdi or we go with an alternative. I believe the Aussie Perentee was built using the Isuzu 2.8 drivetrain and that this 4JJ1 is a derivative of that but was just wondering if anyone had any experience with it. If I do go that I will post back with the outcomes. Happy New Year!

Sadly the head has gone on my 97CSW (again!) and I’m left with the option of reusing that motor with a new head, water pump etc or to swap out for a Dmax 3.0T 4JJ1 with just 35k km. I appreciate this option means stripping the “new” engine of all the computer parafanalia and going mechanical but just wondering if anyone has or knows of someone who has done this swap? I’ve always been in favour of keeping the old girl as original as possible but having to change head gaskets more often than cam belts is a pain and I have to admit, a 35-odd% increase in power is quite appealing so any constructive advice would be appreciated please.

Many thanks John

I recently decided to refurbish the Warn XD9000i winch on my 97 110 CSW and discovered it was cheaper to buy a new replacement motor from eBay than to get the original overhauled. Unlike the original however, the new unit has two light gauge brown wires with bare ends which when I asked the supplier about, I was told connect to the thermal overload but if I didn't have one to just ignore them . . . . . So, as I assume these wires would normally have a circuit breaker across them, should I just splice them with a butt connector or should they be left disconnected but the bare ends insulated and sealed? I'm hopeless when it comes to electrickery and don't want to short anything out - especially since the car was delivered with the winch wired direct to battery! Thanks in advance, Alan

I had a similar problem with the intercooler hose collapsing under load and starving the turbo of air. I replaced it with a silicone one and no issues since.

Problem solved: It was the telltale in the instrument panel. My car has one light covering both indicators so I'm guessing this has a couple of diodes that should block any cross feed. Whatever the device it must have failed and that allowed it bridge both directions. Taking the wires out from the plug was a major so as a temporary fix I've just cut the feeds and will solder them back when I get a new binnacle cluster. Tracking this down was a real challenge for me so I hope some other unfortunate might benefit from sharing. Cheers, Alan

Thanks - really appreciate the input but as mentioned; I've removed the stalk from the circuit and tried shorting across at the plug with the same result so yes, it must be downstream from there which is why I'm looking for the header connection. That seems to be where I can best isolate side from side and try to identify where the short is. Also I understand these headers do have a history of failing and occasionally creating such a problem.

Can anyone point me to header connection 0292 on my RHD 97 Tdi CSW please? Symptoms as my earlier post whereby hazard flashers work with switch and any indicator selection from the stalk I've replaced the switch, tested the flasher unit on another vehicle and taken the stalk out of play by disconnecting the plug and jumping across the bare terminals. I've also removed each indicator/repeater lamp as well as the trailer socket and tested for earth, current and resistance which are all good. I even opened up the rear light access panel and checked all the car to trailer loom connections so now the only thing I can think that's left is a short between LH & RH indicators at the apparently (in)famous header connector. I found a few posts with photos but have been unable to work out where to start delving! Thanks in advance, Alan

Hi all, new here and pretty hopeless on electrickery so please bear with! My 97 300 CSW has developed a problem whereby when either LH or RH indicators are selected all 4 flash as they do with the hazard switch activated. The switch is in pretty poor (standard 20yr old Lucas) condition so have ordered a new one but meanwhile tried some testing by removing the switch and jumping terminals in the connector block with following outcomes: Jump from either supply to Light Green flasher unit functions and all lights flash Jump from supply to GW, LH lights on solid Jump from supply to GR, RH lights on solid My question therefore is; should the switch be NC across the upper 2 of the bottom 4 pins to allow the stalk selection to direct flow to LH or RH and if, due to deteriorating, the white floating strip with terminals had allowed it go NO, could this cause the above condition? I've ordered a new switch and flasher relay but really would like to know if I'm on the right track! Cheers, Alan