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Defender td5 head removal


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In the process of replacing my head gasket as been running hot last week. Radiator was leaking. Going to replace the water pump as well.

As she has 150k miles on it I think replacing the head gasket now while I'm at it makes sense!!

Just wondering before you remove the chain tensioner, you alingn the 2 coloured link to the notch!! Then do you just cable tie it in position before removing the front cover etc?

Any pointers will be very helpful.

Thanks

Thierry

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The notch lines up with a hole in the head - rotate so the chain/sprocket are at the top and the notch is over the hole.

there is a special tool to insert to lock the cam, I use a drill bit, but the thing doesn't tend to move anyway - and if it does, just line it back up with the hole before putting the chain back on.

I guess it's more important not to rotate the crankshaft.

Just take your time with it - it is simple but slow, make sure to use new bolts, get steel dowels for the head, a good quality gasket, and follow the procedure for tightening the head bolts carefully.

The head is heavy!, it is best to have someone to help lift it off unless you have a hoist of some kind - also very diffcult to put back on if you are on your own and trying to do it without a hoist.

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It's worth getting hold of a set if timing pins for the TD5.

One goes into the flywheel (through the bell-housing) when at tdc and the other in the head to lock the cam.

You can line up the bright links, the cam hole and the flywheel hole but it may take up to 18 revolutions for it all to line up. Be patient, keep going and you will see. (The cam gears are made to rotate so the chain and gears wear evenly and can take a lot of turns to get it all lined up)

Using the timing pins is the way of getting the timing right when you put it back together.

When it's all back on and tightened down, before putting the chain tensioner back in, put the leading edge of the chain (Right hand side of the engine as you look from the front) under tension when you tighten the three bolts that fix it to the Cam. It's amazing what a difference this makes to the running.. A few degrees is very noticeable.

I would get new exhaust manifold studs while it's apart. I use the Wurth ones.. Longer but they are stronger too.

Probably wise to get a top end gasket set from the likes of Turners... Everything you need (And a few left over like valve seals) including o-rings for the injector loom etc. ( http://www.turnerengineering.co.uk/acatalog/TD5-Gasket-Set-Top-520.html )

I also stole an idea from another who had posted up somewhere online. I wrote the bolt numbers on the head before tightening. I also marked each bolt (nearby) after each stage of tightening in the 5 stage process. That way it's easier to follow the correct sequence and harder to lose your place and not know what stage of the tightening process you are on...

As others have said.. It's heavy so invest in a strong friend or some sort of lifting gear.

Good guide to removal....

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/66259-td5-cylinder-head-removal-how.html

Have a look for a few post by this guy.... They are quite helpful....

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/66645-how-fit-td5-head-pt1.html

Some bit are fiddly but take your time, be meticulous in your cleaning and preparation and all should be fine.

Neil

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Hey guys thanks for the advice.

So head is ready to be unbolted and lift out but before i just wanted to double check a few stuffs with you:

1. I have the cam lock and cable tie the chain to the sprocket. will the chain not drop down and out of the crank below? Is there a way of keeping it up?

2 .(Using the timing pins is the way of getting the timing right when you put it back together.

When it's all back on and tightened down, before putting the chain tensioner back in, put the leading edge of the chain (Right hand side of the engine as you look from the front) under tension when you tighten the three bolts that fix it to the Cam. It's amazing what a difference this makes to the running.. A few degrees is very noticeable) Neil Sorry for being a bit thick!!! but how do you put the chain under tension? do you put back the allen key which i think id the guide for the chain!!!

3. Do i need to skim the head? I know this topic has been discussed loads but I've heard some people just replace the head gasket without skimming the head as it's not suppose to be re-machined!! will i just get away with the gasket.

I'll keep you guys update with my progress and if i hit some problems.

It's going to be longer than i thought!! so far things i need to do to get her going :

head gasket

exhaust re-machined ( i have the upgraded studs)

Turbo recondition

Front crank seal

new radiator and intercooler (both crack and were falling apart when i was removing them)

water pump,thermostat and expansion tank

both front swivel as balls are pitted and leaking bad

I'm sure i forgot a few more.

Hopefully i'll get it done before the irish summer is over

Thierry

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1. I have the cam lock and cable tie the chain to the sprocket. will the chain not drop down and out of the crank below? Is there a way of keeping it up?

2 .Neil Sorry for being a bit thick!!! but how do you put the chain under tension? do you put back the allen key which i think id the guide for the chain!!!

3. Do i need to skim the head? I know this topic has been discussed loads but I've heard some people just replace the head gasket without skimming the head as it's not suppose to be re-machined!! will i just get away with the gasket.

1 - No.. It does drop down but then stays where it is and lifts up and into place once the head is back on....

Have a read through the last link I posted above... Picture just above the dowel comparison picture shows the timing chain and sprocket in situ before the head goes back on.. it just sits there waiting for you :)

Have you got a timing pin set and have you got the pin in the flywheel as well??

2 - Before tightening the three retaining bolts, and with both timing pins in, turn, lever, gently force the chain wheel anti-clockwise so the chain on the right is tight. Hold it like this while you tighten your first bolt. Loctite and tighten the other two and tighten to correct torque, then remove and loctite the last one. The pins can be removed now and tensioners inserted etc.

In the same thread mentioned he inserts the cam tensioners before tightening the three cam bolts. In the official procedure it's tighten the cam bolts first and then insert tensioners to remove the slack... Doing as I describe above certainly returned my engine to previous performance. Doing it the way of the linked thread it was slightly lacking, and when checked again with the timing pins, a few degrees out too....

3 - Some have done it but Land rover say don't and it can't be skimmed.... Depends if you believe the surface is flat (very flat) or not...

I was "lucky" in that I didn't know if I had a cracked head so replaced the head. No issues with skimming... Having cleaned my old head carefully, I'd use it again without skimming.

It's probably wise to do the front crank seal when the radiator is out but engine still whole... You will turn the engine over at some point undoing the crank bolt and doing it up therefore do it while the engine is in a known and moveable state.

When putting it all back together, take your time and set the injectors adjustment properly (Google it, it's well documented) and make sure you have a very well charged battery and potentially a jump vehicle / pack.

Purge the fuel system at least 6 times....

Remove the connector to the crash switch on the bulkhead and crank until your oil pressure light goes out. Attatch the switch connector again and then crank for real.. Fingers crossed you will have purged enough / all of the air for it to fire and run sweet....

Neil

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Neil great advice thanks

Makes a bit more sense now. I have the cam lock. But don't have the crank in the flywheel lock I had a look in under the landy flywheel area where you should insert the lock pin. I can see where the pin actually lock in it but the flywheel doesn't seem to be in line with the hole in the bell housing so the pin goes straight. ( if it makes sense what I'm trying to explain)!!!

I had a look at the link you send me it's very good and did see that the cam chain stay in place.

I don't think I have a crack head I'm assuming that if I did have one I would be getting a bit of diesel in the head and oil!!! I'm I right? It's a 15p engine so metal dowel should be in already but I'm still going to replace the old ones.

I'm thinking of just clean and replace the gasket.

Can you tell me where is the switch you said to remove to get the oil pressure please?

Thanks again

Thierry

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Thierry,

The place for the pin to go into the bell housing and lock the flywheel is covered with a plug....

In this picture is the one near top right of the picture in flat surface of the bell housing (The one that is looking down and obviously not bolting the bell housing to the engine...)

post-1475-0-23577500-1465888314_thumb.jpg

The pins are widely available from a lot of suppliers.

The larger of the two is threaded and screws into the bell housing when the engine is in the correct position only...

post-1475-0-42348900-1465888315_thumb.jpg

This is what it looks like when it's inserted..... (representative picture as this might not be the right gearbox but I'm sure you get the idea....)

post-1475-0-74115000-1465888314_thumb.jpg

If you have the pin in the cam and cannot screw the pin into the bell housing / flywheel it's probably because the timing is out and the only solution is to remove the top cam pin, move the engine around the fraction required to insert the pin into the bell housing and release the three bolts holding the cam chain to the cam a little so you can also insert the pin in the top of the engine....

The Inertia switch I was referring to is the one shown here in the middle of this picture....

post-1475-0-98880700-1465888738_thumb.jpg

Taking the plug off the bottom stops the engine from running (Just like it would be if the switch is tripped in a crash) but lets you crank it over....

Regards

Neil

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Thanks Neil pictures are worth a lot I was looking in the wrong hole!!! Probably the wading hole. When I had my last 300tdi the pin went in the wading hole I think.

I'll have a go tonight and and see if all line up.

Thierry

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Some update on the landy.

.So I unbolted the head yesterday to specify procedure and at some stage I could hear cracking noise from the head which hit me a bit worried!! Is that normal or something bad just happened?

I'm still in between minds of getting it skim or not 150k miles on it.

As for locking the flywheel I've made a lock pin as I couldn't find mine tool I bought. Basically I drill a hole in the centre of the plug which bolt on the bell housing to access the flywheel and had a has drill bit to the correct size through it and fixed with jb weld so it doesn't drop out( I'll take a photo and post it here)

I'll get head gasket set at turner they seem to be good!

The big question is to skim or not. Oil level never rise and no coolant in oil when I drain it!

Would like to hear your thoughts on rematch I I g the head or not! Thanks

Waiting on a friend to give me a hand to lift it tonight so I guess I'll know better of the state of the head surface

Thierry

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I wasn't sure Les but was hoping it was the gasket. I've asked a couple of machine shop here but I'm not sure they have much experience with the td5 engine compare to the Uk. They've all told me they've done it before and skim it no bother. Not sure if it's just to get the business in!!

I'll stick a steel ruler on it tonight and see how she looks. It turns out to be a 10p engine in a late td5 (2004) which makes me think that the swap the engine before!!

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I've had them skimmed with no problem. If you do that though you will need to strip the head down completely- no biggie but a bunch more bolts to buy, and the correct sealant for the cam carrier.

If there's no head hasket damage though or reason to suspect warping, my own preference would be just clean it up and refit it.

Definitely replace injector washers while you're at it, and be absolutely scrupulous about cleaning out the injector holes and injectors. The slightest speck of carbon and they leak (300tdi washers seem to be a slightly better option)

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Lifted the head off today and check with a straight steel ruler and doesn't looks to bad! Had a torch under the ruler to see if the light pass through looks OK to me. Bare in mind I haven't scrape any of the remaining gasket. The head gasket looks good to me. Water marks only around the water ports. Just wondering how to post a few photos on here

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Here's the tool I made to lock the crank. 6.5mm harden drill bit through measure how far it goes in and use some jb well to lock it. Didn't want to put a tack on it just in case the thread got damage. It case anyone is stuck without the tool pin

post-23501-0-70820500-1466021074_thumb.jpeg

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Just a quick question:

The workshop manual said to keep the lash adjuster upright position.

I done intend to remove it but I'm going to clean the old gasket off the head was going to put it upside down will that affect the lash adjuster? Should I remove it first and store it upright?

Thanks

Thierry

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