Snagger Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Having repaired the transmission and it now running without noises or jumping out of 4th, the head gasket has failed. I spent today stripping the head off and taking it to the local engineering workshop. It has slight erosion between a waterway and the top of the no.2 bore, and I'm hoping it is repairable, being a 200 head. They're pressure testing it first, and if it passes, they'll be going over the whole assembly with a fin tooth comb to cure the oil burning that plagued the engine since I rebuilt its bottom end and installed it in 2008 - the symptoms suggest it's the valve guides and stemn seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 That'll be a Land Rover then. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 They are a lot like painting that forth bridge ...... Except the corrosion is worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 <br />That is a sore one! How many miles on that gasket then?<br /><br />Thing is that however they are rebuilt, it remains that many parts are quite old in them.<br />I think you have went well beyond the call of duty overall on this truck mate.<br />What can you do? you don't own it, it owns you lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Oh dear!, well when i did mine it has corrosion on several of the waterways, way back in 05. I got it all welded up and skimmed and its been fine ever since (touch wood). Mine actually failed at the number 4 bore to the pushrod oil gallery. The water ways were the horror when i took it off! 200 heads are pretty good compared to the 300's so you should be fine. I will try to find some pics......... One of the water ways The whole head, you can just see they all had some corrosion Skimmed and all done, you can see where the welding was done. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 I should have known better, really. When I bought the engine, the head had clearly been very recently worked over - it was spotless. Of course, being a suspicious bugger, as soon as I got home I pulled it off and found the damage to the no.1 bore and piston from a seizure. So, the bottom end was completely rebuilt with a rebore and oversized pistons, and the fuel system was sent away for refurbishment. The head looked good and seemed flat, so I did nothing with it. I'm pretty sure that it has suffered worn valves or guides, though, because it has always burnt a little oil at idle and on the over-run. I don't think the gasket failure is related, though. It seems to have a little gas erosion on the edge of no.2 bore towards the water passage between 2 and 3, and there is a pale rust stain on the same area of the block deck. The gasket was one of the replacement three-piece type, supposed to be more reliable than the single-piece type with the red goo rings (which is similar to those used in the K-Series engines). I should hear today whether it passes it pressure test, and I have every expectation that it will. My concern is the erosion - it's small, but is it too deep for skimming? Can they mig weld it with aluminium wire to fill the shallow spot? I know that welding draws the surrounding material in, creating a shallow moat around the weld itself, but done before skimming it might work well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 <br />I think they would TIG it Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 Well, the head passed it's pressure test, and they found the exhaust guides are worn, explaining the oil burning. They said the valves and seats are all good and will be re-cut rather than replaced, so it should be fairly straight forward. Rather than replacing the guides, they recommend reaming them out and putting in bronze phosphor inserts, just like Turner Engineering do. They'll be supplying the Elring gaskets and sealing kit. They reckon the head will be finished on Tuesday, at a cost of £210 plus the gasket kits. In the mean time, I have some Wynn's EGR cleaning spray, which is doing a good job of dissolving the coke on the edges of the piston crowns and top edges of the bores. It's going to be a relief to have an engine that doesn't consume oil and need regular topping up. It had always irritated me, even though it was only an amount so small as for these local engineers, Turner, Wards and ACR all to advise living with rather than getting sorted out. The RRC's 300Tdi on the other hand, with over 198k on the clock, doesn't lose a drop, despite the fact that it's going off to Turner as soon as I pull it out (it's getting a full rebuild and gas flowing for the head) , already paid for as a present from my wife. That sort of reliability is great. On the plus side, this 200Tdi has always started on the button, far quicker than the 2.4l Puma in our Defender (except when I had a leaky lift pump and feed pipe), even with this gasket failure, so I'll have plenty of confidence in the unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 That is what is brill about Land Rover........the rebuildability! Good result. If you ever get Mildly miffed off fixing them, there is no hope for the rest of us lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 Thanks. I'd just like the chance to start on the RR - it has a lot of work needing doing to the inner shell, the engine will be out for refurb, the transmission likewise, the body panels will all need doing again from scratch (found a local body shop that does great work, including mint restorations on E-Type bodies; the boss is a former Wood & Pickett man and loved this RR when he saw it), axle refurb and a few bits of interior trim. It's going to take time and money, and the 109 is getting in its way. That's what always seems to happen - work on one (or plan to), and the other gets jealous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Yes infact its my motto never to own 2 land rover products in one family! G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 The RR rebuild is interesting.<br />Such a lovely place to be in those vehicles and very useable with classic status as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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