Start after gasket change

[Tol]

Today I changed the head gasket on my Freelander 1.8i, all went well and I chcked carefully that my valve timing was correct, now it seems that it won't start. it attempts to fire then the plugs get wet. It seems that its cyclinders 1 & 2 that are the wettest loocking through the plug hole. anyone have any suggestions for drying them out or reason why it won't run it has a good spark.

[Dorsetfreelander]

I can't speak for petrol freelanders but I had something like this once on a car a few years ago and it turned out that I had the ignition leads in the wrong order. (in those days you would immobilise your car by swapping two plugs leads over to stop it being hot wired and stolen)

[Tol]

I have checked that and its pretty hard to get the ignition wrong, cable length and also I did not remove the leads from the distributor cap, thanks for the suggestion though.

[Les Henson]

Is the 'wet' water? It's common for the cylinders to get water in them when you remove the head, and if it's not dried out, then it will soak the plugs as soon as you try to start it. You could remove the plugs and spin the engine on the starter a few times (maybe squirt some WD40 into each cylinder first). The engine tries to start quite a few times, and sometimes will try to run only while the starter is spinning. Persevere with it and eventually it'll start - perhaps on only 2 or 3 cylinders, but engine heat will get them all running eventually and it should be fine afterwards. Try not to touch the accelerator as flooding the engine will make matters worse.

Les.

[Tol]

Difficult to tell if its water or fuel, the gasket went badly over the weekend emptying the water in no time. It left residue in the inlet maniflod and everywhere.I shall keep trying if I could just get a couple going then I realise it will clear iself. I had thought about the WD40 but was not sure it was a good idea. I have also marked the reservoir and left it over night to make certain nothing else is ceeping by. How I hate head gasket problems.

Thanks Les good advice I shall persevere.

[Tol]

Is the 'wet' water? It's common for the cylinders to get water in them when you remove the head, and if it's not dried out, then it will soak the plugs as soon as you try to start it. You could remove the plugs and spin the engine on the starter a few times (maybe squirt some WD40 into each cylinder first). The engine tries to start quite a few times, and sometimes will try to run only while the starter is spinning. Persevere with it and eventually it'll start - perhaps on only 2 or 3 cylinders, but engine heat will get them all running eventually and it should be fine afterwards. Try not to touch the accelerator as flooding the engine will make matters worse.

Les.

Still trying no luck as yet,checked the valve timing once again spot on, do you think water ould get into the injectors some how, whatever it is it floods straight away.

[Les Henson]

The water/oil mixture quite commonly gets into the inlet manifold. Apart from just wiping it out - there shouldn't be any problems. The injectors are instructed to work by the ECU - via the crank sensor. There's no real way water can get into the injectors, as they are effectively sealed from the inlet manifold - even though they sit in it. If the inlet manifold was fitted back on after the gasket was replaced without being cleaned/dried out, then it's possible that water in the manifold is being sucked into the engine when you try to start it.

Les.

[FridgeFreezer]

If the top end filled with mayonnaise then it would be sucked through the crank breather into the inlet, so probably worth a good clean out.

[Tol]

The water/oil mixture quite commonly gets into the inlet manifold. Apart from just wiping it out - there shouldn't be any problems. The injectors are instructed to work by the ECU - via the crank sensor. There's no real way water can get into the injectors, as they are effectively sealed from the inlet manifold - even though they sit in it. If the inlet manifold was fitted back on after the gasket was replaced without being cleaned/dried out, then it's possible that water in the manifold is being sucked into the engine when you try to start it.

Les.

Question Les which sensor on the water inlet to the head has what wires? The 2 sensors appear the same I wonder if I have them crossed over at present the top sensor has 2 wire black and white whilst the lower one blue.

[Les Henson]

Plug connections and sensors are colour-coded (brown and blue).

Les.

[Tol]

Plug connections and sensors are colour-coded (brown and blue).

Les.

Thanks Les I got it right, it just that top wir to the sensor seems veery tight

[TwelvestringTrev]

Difficult to tell if its water or fuel, the gasket went badly over the weekend emptying the water in no time. It left residue in the inlet maniflod and everywhere.I shall keep trying if I could just get a couple going then I realise it will clear iself. I had thought about the WD40 but was not sure it was a good idea. I have also marked the reservoir and left it over night to make certain nothing else is ceeping by. How I hate head gasket problems.

Thanks Les good advice I shall persevere.

Warped Head ? Freelanders are blessed with that fault.

[Billy Whizz]

Today I changed the head gasket on my Freelander 1.8i, all went well and I chcked carefully that my valve timing was correct, now it seems that it won't start. it attempts to fire then the plugs get wet. It seems that its cyclinders 1 & 2 that are the wettest loocking through the plug hole. anyone have any suggestions for drying them out or reason why it won't run it has a good spark.

don't know if you have sorted this but i got called out to a freelander after a diy headgasket job turned out the guy had cam wheels fitted wrong just remove bolts to check pins in both cams fitted line up as i refitted cam wheels correctly and it fired up first turn of the key

I hope this helps