Head gasket/ cracked head ?

[makeitfit]

I'm beginning to think I have a cracked head of head gasket issue. I've not been able to trace the cause of my missfire.
So rather than tinker about I think I'll just bite the bullet and oik off the head, have a look see and sort it accordingly.
Rick, how long do you reckon it'll take ?
Any pointers ?

 

[solarman216]

head off an back in a day, exhaust manifold/turbo are worst bits, if I remember yours is a Zexel head, a Bosch will be no good to you, if you need a head let me know, Rick

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

I'm beginning to think I have a cracked head of head gasket issue. I've not been able to trace the cause of my missfire.
So rather than tinker about I think I'll just bite the bullet and oik off the head, have a look see and sort it accordingly.
Rick, how long do you reckon it'll take ?
Any pointers ?

When we went to do my head, we wasted most of the day trying to drill out the old broken glow plug, but once we decided that we were not making any progress, and actually got on with the job, it only took about 3 hours.

Don't forget to make sure you get a head set that includes the bolts, as they are supposed to be changed at the same time.

 

[makeitfit]

Good point about the bolts

 

[solarman216]

When we went to do my head, we wasted most of the day trying to drill out the old broken glow plug, but once we decided that we were not making any progress, and actually got on with the job, it only took about 3 hours.

Don't forget to make sure you get a head set that includes the bolts, as they are supposed to be changed at the same time.

Better memory than me Clive, but then I did have your very able help, also remember going to Norfolk to do what I thought was a fan/rad for Briggie ended up doing a gasket, think Clivvy was there but we did stay one or two nights, Rick

 

[Banshee]

That doesn't sound too good Pete

Have you been pumping too much LPG into it causing an increase in pressure? :nenau

 

[rustic]

Are you able to do a compression test, might be a burnt valve or rupture of the head gasket between cylinders.
Have you done a tapped clearance check, maybe a valve has worn and not shutting, as gap too small. Next option, injector spray pattern?

Back in the 70's you had to do decoke every 2-3 years, on the old pushrod engines, simple carb, it was a doddle, use all the old bolts, new head gasket, as a minimum, a few hours including grinding valves lol. Easiest was a 2 1/4 litre petrol series IIa landrover, sit in the engine bay a doddle.
Most cars now do close to 150k miles or more before any head servicing.

 

[Banshee]

Are you able to do a compression test, might be a burnt valve or rupture of the head gasket between cylinders.
Have you done a tapped clearance check, maybe a valve has worn and not shutting, as gap too small. Next option, injector spray pattern?

Back in the 70's you had to do decoke every 2-3 years, on the old pushrod engines, simple carb, it was a doddle, use all the old bolts, new head gasket, as a minimum, a few hours including grinding valves lol. Easiest was a 2 1/4 litre petrol series IIa landrover, sit in the engine bay a doddle.
Most cars now do close to 150k miles or more before any head servicing.

At what kind of age/mileage should we be taking the heads of the TD27, and if anything what should be serviced and replaced :nenau

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

At what kind of age/mileage should we be taking the heads of the TD27, and if anything what should be serviced and replaced :nenau

When Rick and I did mine, it was at 118K miles, and there was hardly any deposits at all, and that was even with some scoring on the centre two pistons bores.

I think with the modern fuels, heat modern engines burn at, and just how efficient they are, deposits are pretty much a thing of the past. You only need to remove the head if you are pretty sure there is something wrong, that can't be fixed without moving it...

I would imagine most T2 heads that have been removed, is because of seized glow plugs than for all the other reasons added together.

 

[Banshee]

When Rick and I did mine, it was at 118K miles, and there was hardly any deposits at all, and that was even with some scoring on the centre two pistons bores.

I think with the modern fuels, heat modern engines burn at, and just how efficient they are, deposits are pretty much a thing of the past. You only need to remove the head if you are pretty sure there is something wrong, that can't be fixed without moving it...

I would imagine most T2 heads that have been removed, is because of seized glow plugs than for all the other reasons added together.

I'd be interested to see what mine looks like as I run it on pure veg all year round now :nenau

Wonder if the deposits are more or less than with Diesel, I'd say it's cleaner :nenau

 

[Terrano Steve]

I'd be interested to see what mine looks like as I run it on pure veg all year round now :nenau

Wonder if the deposits are more or less than with Diesel, I'd say it's cleaner :nenau

You could get an endoscope to look inside the engine now, obviously not much use for any one suspecting head gasket.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

You could get an endoscope to look inside the engine now, obviously not much use for any one suspecting head gasket.

I think when Rick looked at mine, it was not really possible to use an endoscope, as the glowplug hole is too small to get one through, and the Injectors are in a chamber to the edge of the piston, so you can't see into the piston area.

Hopefully he will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[solarman216]

Lots of points here, no he has not enabled the Propane system, no an endoscope is no use, no there is no need to remove a head unless there is a problem, yes Pete has done a compression test and although his gauge is not accurate they were all within a bit of each other, and no I do not think removing the head will prove of benefit, I would go for pump as Pete said he has done the injectors, although I have to say that that would have been my first bet, and after hearing it in Wales I would still go for that or another type of problem with EGR blanking or Propane system sitting idle, and the ECU being perhaps programmed for it to be on line, but honestly do not think head removal will show anything, hope I am not too late Pete, Rick

 

[solarman216]

I think when Rick looked at mine, it was not really possible to use an endoscope, as the glowplug hole is too small to get one through, and the Injectors are in a chamber to the edge of the piston, so you can't see into the piston area.

Hopefully he will correct me if I am wrong.

the only ways to see the piston/bore with an endoscope is via a valve, (very limited) or by dropping a valve onto the piston and winding the piston to the bottom, then entering the endoscope via the valve guide, but there is a risk the valve may tip and not re enter the guide when coming back up but a magnet on a stick might sort that but nonetheless very risky, unless of course what you see is bad in which case nothing is lost, Rick

 

[makeitfit]

ooo lots of chat, excellent :thumb2
Been working doing work n that, paid that is not truck jobs
Right then I've dione several compresion tests and conclude that all cylinders are within 5-10% of each other. The earlier figures I posted at high levels were I think due to cranking too many times. Anyway done it all ways now and same results every which way
LPG not commissioned again yet simply due to my new wiring loom in progress.
However just before it got laid up 4 or 5 years back it started this "misfire" kind of thing. Many people suggested injectors. I've since fitted a refurbished set of injectors to no effect. When it was on LPG the missfire went :nenau

ECU checked on laptop as in all sensors were in range and doing what they should.
I'm not sure how much "learning" these old ECUs can do. If any ?
Inlet manifold has been off the truck and EGR blanked properly, defo no leaks there.
I was only thinking head gasket as pretty much all else I think is covered? Possibly valves I guess.
Rustic, I've not done tappets , but will check them 1st just incase :thumb2
Any other points on the pump to look for Rick ?

 

[solarman216]

if compression test is OK tappets are immaterial unless you have a sticking valve in which case back all the tappets off by one whole turn and give it a go, (let me know the results) otherwise I will still go injectors, the number of times I had crap injector servicing I cannot count enough digits on my toes and hands, that is why I got my governor to get a test rig, simple pump with pressure gauge you could hold near cracking pressure to check for leakage, pull lever hard to test cracking pressure and spray pattern, simple, Rick

 

[makeitfit]

I l;ike simple

 

[solarman216]

if you have the time you could send me your injectors and I can test them, Rick

 

[rustic]

if you have the time you could send me your injectors and I can test them, Rick

Wow, what an offer. :thumb2 If Rick has had problems with refurbished injectors before, sounds like a good plan.

I think elimination of the lower cost issues is the way to go.

I trust we have eliminated air filter, fuel filter and minifilter, what fuel are you using? maybe give it a run with a couple of gallons in a "daytank" of premium diesel, like shell optima, bypass the main fuel filter.
Or simply... it just needs a good thrashing, red line it in each gear a few times, when at operating temperature.

Works wonders on my Mav, as it's not doing the mileage now.
Rustic

 

[Blocky10]

Or simply... it just needs a good thrashing, red line it in each gear a few times, when at operating temperature.

Works wonders on my Mav, as it's not doing the mileage now.
Rustic

Good call rustic. I did think he was driving miss daisy in Wales:lol