head gasket

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tonys.dhse

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warrington
hey guys how comon is it for a diesel p38 with bmw engine head gasket to blow ?
the uthere day on motor way car over heated when i stoped the top of the radiator was cracked aparently comman problem.
got new rad replaced but as car is runing the is rathere a lot off presure building up that much presure the water pipes are bowing out unscrew the filler cap and the presure blows off.
water pump is ok tuck out the thermostat but still getting a lot of presure and bubbles threw expantion tank.
took the fan belt off so the water pump will not be runing.
run the engine and still getting air bubbles threw expantion tank defo thinking system is getting engine gasses in to the water system but i am not getting oil in water system or water in oil.
also is there any thing i need to look out for when changing the head gasket

thanks guys
 
tonys.dhse said:
hey guys how comon is it for a diesel p38 with bmw engine head gasket to blow ?
the uthere day on motor way car over heated when i stoped the top of the radiator was cracked aparently comman problem.
got new rad replaced but as car is runing the is rathere a lot off presure building up that much presure the water pipes are bowing out unscrew the filler cap and the presure blows off.
water pump is ok tuck out the thermostat but still getting a lot of presure and bubbles threw expantion tank.
took the fan belt off so the water pump will not be runing.
run the engine and still getting air bubbles threw expantion tank defo thinking system is getting engine gasses in to the water system but i am not getting oil in water system or water in oil.
also is there any thing i need to look out for when changing the head gasket

thanks guys
Click to expand...

A competent mechanic. :D
 
the hooded claw said:
You've probs got an AIRLOCK ..how did you refill yer system ????
hi m8 i am pretty shore it is not a air lock as i say the reason i say that is i took off the fan belt witch will disable the water pump with the engine switched off there was now bubble coming from the expantion tank.
but as soon as i started the engine i started getting bubbles in the expantion tank

as for filling i did it the way it says in the book fill to level run car till warm switch off then recheak and fill as needed but as soon as i put cap back on the presure started to build can not leave cap on for to long because i am woried about blowing the top of the rad again

tony
Click to expand...
 
Probably the easiest and quickest may to check the head gasket it to get someone with a "sniffer" to test it.

As said before if you have the heaters on full to clear the air in the matrix then it's poss its the gasket.

A sniffer test (though not always right) is probably the easiest way to check
 
Hate to be a prophet of doom, but from what I have seen a cracked head is just as likely as a failed head gasket. Hope you are lucky and it's the gasket.
 
Datatek said:
Hate to be a prophet of doom, but from what I have seen a cracked head is just as likely as a failed head gasket. Hope you are lucky and it's the gasket.
Click to expand...

yes i have to agree with u i must be the head gasket or cracked head keep me busy for a few weeks hay :eek:
 
ok guys finaly got the head off to day can not see any thing ovious can not see any cracks at all
is there a coman place where the may be a crack or if there was a crack would i see it straght away because as i say can not see any crack at all and block looks ok.
so hopfuly it is just a failed gasget
any thoughts would be helpfull

chears guys
 
A failed head gasket should be obvious, you should see marks where gasses passed, a cracked head is another matter, I reckon the cracks would be all but invisible when the metal is cold. Others may know better but I think the cracks are often around the valve seats, particularly the exhaust.
 
Hi, Im no mechanic and have probz galore on my 2.5DSE, the chap thats looking at it said not the head gasket or it would be running lumpy, (water would find its way into the bore) ???? and the motor runs fine, just overheats, he does tell me tho that a common prob on these cars is that the radiator blocks up, cant say true or not, but if it helps, good luck
 
i was getting gasses in the water way as soon as the engine was started
and i did notes the some of the head bolts were not that tite ie did not have to put much fores to loosen them but sume of the othere were realy tite.
 
hi can any body tell me now i have got the head off when i am putting it back to gether do i need to renew the head bolts or can i reuse the old ones
thanks guys
 
ok spent this morning cleaning up the head i think i may have found a crack between exhaust and in let valves for number 2 piston
dose any body know if the water jackets run between the inlet ad exhaust valves.
 
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