cackshifter Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Hi, I have just found out the head gasket of my 300tdi 110 is leaking at the back of the engine. So, it's stripped almost ready to lift the head, and I've noticed that 3 valve stem oil seals seem to have headed north from the top of the valve guides and are sitting under the caps. Might be mistaken on 1 as the light was going. Is this something they do? Any tips as to how it might be prevented? It smoked a bit on intial start then cleared - I can see why now. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Perhaps the seals have been replaced in the past and not fitted correctly. This is not an uncommon problem though - seals harden with age and can come away. New ones should be quite hard to push into place - sometimes requiring a thin film of oil to prevent them from being damaged. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 No obvious evidence of previous head removal encountered yet, but then again that doesn't prove anything. At least the guides underneath them should be in good nick. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 It smoked a bit on intial start then cleared - I can see why now. Nigel Appologies for jumping in on the back end of your thread but could you advise - what colour smoke and over what duration did it appear. (I have a Smokey 300 tdi thread over the page (linky thingy)going where a forum member's suggestion what leaking valve guides and so I searched and jumped here to yours! ) Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted November 23, 2010 Author Share Posted November 23, 2010 It smoked a bit on intial start then cleared - I can see why now. Nigel Appologies for jumping in on the back end of your thread but could you advise - what colour smoke and over what duration did it appear. (I have a Smokey 300 tdi thread over the page (linky thingy)going where a forum member's suggestion what leaking valve guides and so I searched and jumped here to yours! ) Paul. I live at the top of a steep hill, inevitably you can't use much throttle to go down, and so there must quite a manifold vacuum initially. As soon as I used the throttle at the bottom I got quite a big trail of blue smoke for about 200 yards/ 10 seconds -ish, then it cleared until the next cold start. On the flat the first time the engine is on the overrun you tend to get the blue smoke trail. Having said that it used next to no oil. The head gasket went so I had to take the head off, and discovered the problem with the seals but the guides were in good shape (they had been well oiled after all). Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 I have this problem and recently also started a thread. Mine clears in less than a mile and less than 5 mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Good of you to reply Nigel and thanks for describing. We live on a hill too and that's when the smoke is most noticeable - as you say. Looks like like Neill.Bird and I have some reading up and valve action to attend to!! I'm told it's easy!!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Its not really easy. Simple yes, easy no. If you have fingers like an Alien and the correct blunt screwdriver then you should be able to push em back. I gave up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogland Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Hiya ,I'd like to know the mileage and how many holes on the head gasket , cheers hope it get's sorted- Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 If you can't get at them ( you do need a trained cockroach with the strength of King Kong & the skill of a brain surgeon) I was tempted to try doing them with the head on. Years ago I changed the stem seals on a Cavalier by brazing an airline connector to an old spark plug end, and held the valves up with compressed air while the spring was released with a kind of hook-on compressor. I thought of this with my problem, and Sealey do a compressor that looks possible and affordable linky . I don't think you need the air as if you turn the engine so the piston is at TDC on the compression stroke, the valves will be shut, and cannot drop very far (by the stand down dimension); hopefully the spring will compress enough to get the cap on and off. I've also seen suggestions to remove the injectors and insert a length of string (leaving an end hanging out) under the valve to cushion it and hold it up. In my case fate intervened, the head gasket blew, and I changed the seals while the head was off. I wouldn't be too bothered with the exhausts either, it's the inlets that'll be causing the problem. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oil Leak Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Hello Could you tell me - did it hessitate as it blew out blue smoke? I have a similar prob with my disco 300tdi. I initialy thought valve stem seals, but it can also smoke when the engine is hot? It too does it at the bottom of a hill when engine cold, or just after pulling away when engine cold, but also pulling away when stuck in traffic when engine is hot??? Some folk are saying timing belt out, some say wastegate stuck. My friendly garrage says bugger off and come back when it's got worse!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Hello Could you tell me - did it hessitate as it blew out blue smoke? From cold start in the morning mine starts up - no smoke - 10 seconds later it billows clouds and clouds for half a mile then clears completely. If one decelerates and then accelerates there is momentarily less apparent smoke and then a lot lot more if doing this during that first half mile. As far as a hesitation is concerned - yes if you count no smoke for 10 seconds and also if you go on the overrun for a bit down hill but frankly it billows smoke until exhaust gets hot. HTH I shall be looking at valve seals 1st and see if that cures it. It's not really urgent, as your LR Man has inferred, just annoying/embarrasing - if not fixed then it's on to Turbo refurb and/or injector recal or renewal whichever seems most appropriate but only to do one thing at a time to know what works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 Hello Could you tell me - did it hessitate as it blew out blue smoke? I have a similar prob with my disco 300tdi. I initialy thought valve stem seals, but it can also smoke when the engine is hot? It too does it at the bottom of a hill when engine cold, or just after pulling away when engine cold, but also pulling away when stuck in traffic when engine is hot??? Some folk are saying timing belt out, some say wastegate stuck. My friendly garrage says bugger off and come back when it's got worse!!!! Hi, I experienced no hesitation I could notice. And we are tallking blue smoke. Valve stem seals leaking tends to cause blue smoke just after the being on the overrun or idling, when you open the throttle you might get a bit of a puff of it. It does sound like you may have worn valve stem seals or guides if it does it on and off all the time. If you have a hesitation it might well be something else - an easy thing to check is the turbo; you remove the hoses and feel the impeller on the inlet side, which should turn reasonably freely but without slop in the bearings. If it's all extremely oily in the pipe to the intercooler, suspect a seal in the turbo, but some oil is normal, which is why you have to clean out the intercooler periodically (which presumably has been done sometime, otherwise I'd do that and see how it goes?) I think your garage has succinctly suggested it'll be easier to find when it has developed a bit, not a bad suggestion! Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardbahaw Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Hi Did you get this problem rectified? Regards Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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