300 TDI head gasket replacement

[Cruzer]

Good day

Any recommendations on a local mechanic in the Edmonton area

[binch]

Can't say about Edmonton but Sports Car Centre in Edmonton have experience with the land rover TDi engines.   But with the sun coming out and the weather warming up all of the Triumphs, MG's, Healy's, Jag's, Jenson's, Aston Martin's, etc are coming out from hibernation and it's get busy there....best book sooner rather then later. ;)

[Cruzer]

Buddy had her on highway when she blew a lower hose

Found electric fan to be fried

Replaced fan and lower hose, but now I have massive over pressure in reservoir

Put a new cab on, and conducted ever air bleed off I could. Must be getting gas build up from engine

[binch]

If the engine was overheated you may have warped your head...?

[Red90]

Yes. Most likely you need a new head. Fortunately they are available new and not crazy expensive. Just don't get one of the Chinese knockoffs.

[Cruzer]

Started removing stuff of the engine and I just found the bleeder hose off the thermostat going into junction split plugged. The hose from reservoir to junction and the hose from junction to rad was free. Would this create enough pressure to blow rad hose ?

[Red90]

I doubt that would create an issue. That hose is there to bleed air out of the engine.

Run the engine with the cap off the reservoir. If gas is bubbling out, the head gasket is blown.

[Cruzer]

Yup gas bubbles out with cap off

[Red90]

If it were me, I'd get a fully built head from Turner Engineering. That plus a head gasket, head bolts and upper end gasket set and you are good to go. Easy to do yourself and only takes a few hours.

Then get yourself a coolant level alarm.

[binch]

Do you know if the engine has been rebuilt earlier???   The thickness of the head gasket required may be affected...no????

[Cruzer]

Rebuilt 2 years ago and currently has a 3 hole head gasket. I started the tear down tonight, fingers crossed that there's no block damage. Didn't really want to do outside but I already have a sprinter diesel project apart in garage. Shopping for complete head in the morning. This time around I'm installing a low coolant alarm in cockpit. I guess it a good time to upgrade injectors now to 😁
Thanks for advise.

[Red90]

Rebuilt 2 years ago and currently has a 3 hole head gasket. I started the tear down tonight, fingers crossed that there's no block damage. Didn't really want to do outside but I already have a sprinter diesel project apart in garage. Shopping for complete head in the morning. This time around I'm installing a low coolant alarm in cockpit. I guess it a good time to upgrade injectors now to 😁
Thanks for advise.

Measure the piston protrusion as per the manual and select the correct head gasket.  A lot of people put in 3 hole gaskets to avoid measuring anything.  If you do not need it, your compression is reduced.

The blocks are always fine.  The heads warp when overheated.

[Alex C]

its a simple job to check head with a straight edge, and dye penetrate if you want to check for cracks