How can I check whether my TD5 head is cracked?

mikerajjers · Jun 15, 2017

I bought a 2000 defender TD5 last week and I am paranoid diesel is getting into the oil (I had this problem on my Disco 2). What is the best way to check without taking the engine apart?

If I drain the oil and let it settle for a day or two, will the diesel separate from the oil?

Reason I'm worried is that there is an oil leak somewhere (taking it to mechanic on Monday) and the oil level on the dipstick is above max. I don't know if its been overfilled or whether there's diesel in the mix.

Cheers

johnlad · Jun 15, 2017

drain all oil, re fill with cheap stuff leave to settle on a flat surface overnight, mark dipstick at the level, then use the car for a day and then park in same place, leave overnight and check oil level against mark on dipstick

mojo247 · Jun 15, 2017

could just be the gasket, although not sure how you could check without taking the head off!

mikerajjers · Jun 15, 2017

mojo247 said:
could just be the gasket, although not sure how you could check without taking the head off!

I think it is just the gasket.... cleaned up the mess and changed the oil. Revved the engine for about 30 seconds and there was a tiny pool of water ... see image. Am I correct in assuming it is likely the gasket?

Other than a new gasket, will I need any other new parts? Like bolts or anything?

Cheers

mikerajjers · Jun 15, 2017

The old oil that I drained didn't seem to contain any diesel (i couldnt smell any and it didn't look thinned)....I've put it in a see through container and will let it sit for a few days to check.
Where can I find the engine code to buy the correct gasket? Is this it (image)?

johnlad · Jun 15, 2017

that number is just the head casting number.
when you strip the head the old gasket has holes punched into it, order one with the same number of holes.
Cant remember if a portion of gasket sticks out with the holes punched into it, check all the way round the head

markomate2 · Jun 16, 2017

Had my original head crack twice, 2nd time after it was repaired.
They seem to crack at No1 injector pocket.
You should be able to spot a leak by doing the following;
Remove the cam/rocker cover, lots of small bolts but not difficult.
Clean the area around each pocket, it should be pretty clean anyway.
Turn ignition on DO NOT start the engine!
You can do a purge if you want but its not required.
Use a torch and very carefully look at the outside of each injector pocket.
If you have a crack, you will see a very small weep coming from the side of the pocket.

Its not a fail safe check but It allowed me to see mine had cracked.
Mark

mikerajjers · Jun 16, 2017

markomate2 said:
Had my original head crack twice, 2nd time after it was repaired.
They seem to crack at No1 injector pocket.
You should be able to spot a leak by doing the following;
Remove the cam/rocker cover, lots of small bolts but not difficult.
Clean the area around each pocket, it should be pretty clean anyway.
Turn ignition on DO NOT start the engine!
You can do a purge if you want but its not required.
Use a torch and very carefully look at the outside of each injector pocket.
If you have a crack, you will see a very small weep coming from the side of the pocket.

Its not a fail safe check but It allowed me to see mine had cracked.
Mark

Did you eventually buy a new head? I´ve been reading online that AMC heads are supposed to be better than the original ones. My mate who´s a mechanic will look at it on Monday...fingers crossed it is just the gasket

Brown · Jun 17, 2017

That engine looks nice and clean.

Whilst it's possible for the head to crack, don't forget the injector seals and washers too. The O rings lose their bounce after a while and don't provide a good seal and so let fuel into the sump. That picture of where the water is coming out looks like the spout where the radiator hose joins the head. In which case it might just be the gasket where the hose flange joins the head. Are you sure it's definitely coming out of the join between the head and the block? Clean it up carefully and see if you can see it oozing out.

v8landyman · Jun 17, 2017

mikerajjers said:
I bought a 2000 defender TD5 last week and I am paranoid diesel is getting into the oil (I had this problem on my Disco 2). What is the best way to check without taking the engine apart?

If I drain the oil and let it settle for a day or two, will the diesel separate from the oil?

Reason I'm worried is that there is an oil leak somewhere (taking it to mechanic on Monday) and the oil level on the dipstick is above max. I don't know if its been overfilled or whether there's diesel in the mix.

Cheers

Diesel will not separate from the oil. They are fully miscible with each other. Other than analysis, then thinning, smell or rising levels are the only indicators.

gazman · Jun 18, 2017

if the oil is going up do the injector seals 1st.

markomate2 · Jun 20, 2017

+1 on doing injector seals first!
When the injectors are out you will be able to see if any of the pockets are cracked, but it wont be very obvious, just use a good torch and carefully look for a hairline crack.
When my head cracked it put 6 litres of diesel in the sump before the combined oil/diesel level caused the engine to run away.
I know it was 6 litres because Id just changed the oil, when I drained the sump afterwards I used a big cement mixing tray and then decanted it into three oil "cans"!
I replaced the head with an AMC head, much better!.
Ill find the link to the thread I did.
Here you go;
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/fitting-a-td5-amc-head.301080/
And one for the rebuild after the runaway
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/td5-stripdown-and-rebuild.284052/

Mark

sandu · May 6, 2020

I am suspecting a cracked head on a friends’s D2. Injector seals and washers were done recently, when a partial rebuild has been performed.

shall I remove the cam cover and try to figure out if there are cracks near injectors?
Are these the only places where it may crack?

johnlad · May 6, 2020

sandu said:
I am suspecting a cracked head on a friends’s D2. Injector seals and washers were done recently, when a partial rebuild has been performed.

shall I remove the cam cover and try to figure out if there are cracks near injectors?
Are these the only places where it may crack?

If it’s diesel into sump then crack is normally around an injector. If the coolant system is pressurised then crack is on internal galleries and can be seen in situ

sandu · May 6, 2020

thanks for this information.
it is diesel in sump, because the oil level is raising day by day.

can you suggest how can be verified where exactly the crack is?
can we pressurize the fuel system with cam cover removed? somebody is suggesting to block the fuel return in FPR and flow 4 bar in fuel system

johnlad · May 6, 2020

sandu said:
thanks for this information.
it is diesel in sump, because the oil level is raising day by day.

can you suggest how can be verified where exactly the crack is?
can we pressurize the fuel system with cam cover removed? somebody is suggesting to block the fuel return in FPR and flow 4 bar in fuel system

If you remove rocker cover and switch on fuel pump you may see bubbling around an injector. Best method is to remove head and have it pressure tested.

sandu · May 6, 2020

the reason I ask this is because the pressurized test performed by local workshops are only for cooling channels... they say they cannot pressurize the fuel channels.

sandu · May 7, 2020

I removed the cam cover.
Turned ignition and started purging process. No bubbles or signs of cracks around injectors.
I removed the rocker shaft. Can I blow 4 bar in the fuel channels now and see if anywhere is a leak?

markomate2 · May 18, 2020

Hi, Sandu The leak will not be obvious. After you pressurise the fuel system by starting the purge you have to wait for a few minutes and keep watching the side of the pocket. Have some blue tissue to hand, it shows leaks really well. Wipe around the area of the pocket on all cylinders, its No1 that usually cracks, but not always. I saw my leak after a few minutes, you will see a "fuel bubble" /drip form on the side of the pocket. Use the blue tissue to double-check. Mark

sandu · May 19, 2020

Hi,
Well, we did the purge process several times, we monitored at least 3-4 hours.
No leak has been seen in the camshaft area.

We removed the injectors, and it seems that the last workshop man damaged these during installation.
Ordered new rings and shims. Will do this one more time and will start analyzing again.

How can I check whether my TD5 head is cracked?

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