Head gasket replacement - what else?

[Astro_Al]

Ok, so after topping up my water reservoir before every journey, I'm now seeing light brown sludge starting to show itself in the reservoir tank - time to get this sorted before a big bang.

I've got Les's lovely jubbly how-to guide for the task in hand. Before I jump in, does anyone have any pointers on the following:

1. Any special tools I need?

2. Anything else I might do while I'm at it? - Belt change / thermostat (I hear its a pain to get at without the head off?), anything else?

3. Where to get all the bits I need online? There's lots of new places sprung up on Google since I last bought land rover parts, and I'm scared and confused.

4. In the same vein - how do I know I'm getting the right head gasket (the good one)? Is there a part number? Most places seem to have more than one.

5. I should change the inlet manifold gasket at the same time, right?

6. Ages ago, Mr fridgefreezer was showing me his kind of upgraded cooling circuit kit. How do I know if I have this fitted, and if I don't, whats it called?

7. I need to replace the loooooong bolts, right?

8. Any absolute DOs or absolute DON'Ts while I'm performing surgery?

Cheers, Al.

[Les Henson]

You need an angle torque wrench.

It's worth replacing the timing belt while you're at it as you have to almost remove it anyway.

Thermostat is a good idea as it is difficult to do with the complete engine in the way.

You should really get the Land Rover Gasket set - About £25. It comes with 2 steel dowels, head saver, and MLS head gasket.

Inlet and exhaust manifold gaskets, and the rocker cover gasket (they delaminate)

You don't have to replace the bolts - you measure the stretch on them like this -

With the head removed - screw the bolt into the block finger tight. Measure the distance from the block face to the underside of the bolt head. Maximum distance is 97mm.

Don't over-tighten the camshaft housing bolts, they will pinch the cams and they strip really easily.

They also round off very easily when you try to undo them. Smack each one with a hammer beforehand, but if they still round off, then knock a 3/8" socket on, which is slightly smaller.

Tighten the camshaft housing bolts progressively - the position of the cams means it doesn't sit level. There are locating dowels that you have to keep an eye on as the housing goes down.

The cam sprockets are identical, but are fitted in a different position for whichever camshaft they are attached to. The sprockets are marked both on the back (which cam they are on), and on the front for timing position.

Les.

[John Greystrong]

When I did an MGF recently I also replaced the lower oil rail with the uprated LR one. Dunno if it made any difference and it is quite a lot more work taking the sump off.

[pinkbeef]

You may want to think about changing the oil rail about £30.00 and also get the thermastate mod from Land Rover £65.00.

whilst you have the sump of to change the oil rail, you will be able to clean all the carp oil/water mix in it. the thermistate mod is a must, in my view.

Oh yer take the back box off and cook it over a low flame to evaparate all the water in it, or you will be blowing steam out for days.

[Number52]

Guys,

I just had the head gasket replaced by a freelander guy. It never solved the poor starting problem, which the guys says is down to a slightly bent con rod on a piston as it couldnt compress the water in the cylender.

I've seen a new piston and cylender sleeve for £43 quid, but:

How much would a reasonable garage charge to supply and fit a piston and sleeve (its an engine out job I beleive so I take it a ton of labour) and would it then require a new gasket again.

How much longer will the engine last with a slightly bent con rod.

Trying to weigh up running it to death as is or getting what is really now the only problem fixed. spent £500 on it on three other problems very recently. 67000 on the clock and runs sweet once its started.

Thanks guys.

[Astro_Al]

Don't know mate, try asking again by creating a new question / toipic in the freelander forum.

Al.

[FridgeFreezer]

Talk to Dave Andrews - www.dvapower.co.uk he can tell you everything about what to do and what not to do with those engines. Replacing a piston shouldn't be an engine-out job unless there's some quirk I've missed with these.

[Les Henson]

If you have a bent conrod, then that's all you need to replace - the piston and bore should be fine still. How do your engineers know that a conrod is bent? It's easy enough to check it against it's opposite number with a feeler guage and a decent steel ruler. I've done a fair few Freelander head gaskets and never yet come across a bent conrod. Running the engine with a slightly bent conrod won't do anymore damage that I can think of - the engine may run rough and possibly fail the MOT emissions test. The liners are 'semi-wet' liners and replacing them is a bit specialist. A compression test will tell you which cylinder is the problem. I don't know that a bent rod would make the engine difficult to start, they start well enough with a blown gasket, so slightly low compression on one cylinder wouldn't make that much difference. I would look elsewhere for your problem - possibly the Mass Air Flow, or auto choke. A faulty temperature sender also makes the engine do wierd things too. Perhaps a diagnostic Krypton Tune (about £40) would be more helpful.

Les.