Time for a new head?

Oliver_110 · May 6, 2023

Hi All, got a feeling it’s time to replace the head / head gasket but looking to sense check before giving it a go for the first time…

When the engen gets warm the oil pressure light starts blinking if the engin idels. She’s chewing through coolant and the temperature gets up towards the red after about 20 mins.

I can‘t see any obvious leaks on the coolant system and it doesn’t seem to be using a lot of oil (to be fair, i don’t drive her far or particularly often though).

I took the air filter out and the hose connecting to the engine top was full of grease and dripping water. Hose to turbo has oil around the sides. Air filter it’s self had greease in the bottom and blue staining on one side which I’m guessing will be where the coolant is going.

I can’t see any obvious oil leaks, but am wondering if there is perhaps a little around one of the fuel injectors.

Would the head be the logical place to start? Any thoughts / advise would be greatly appreciated.

lynall · May 6, 2023

I reckon easy fix
1, reroute the pipe that runs from the cyclone separator to the air filter inlet over to the servo area and let it dangle there
2, blank the stub where the old pipe went into the air filter
3, drive it and dont worry anymore, looks like a good run will clear it out, then change the oil to be sure.

Did this to mine years ago, and it has been clean since.

lynall · May 6, 2023

See this pic, look at the cyclone top pipe and note where it goes and also the blanked air filter stub.

Oliver_110 · May 6, 2023

Appreciate the reply thank you. Like the electric blue!

Would that explain the coolant in there & low oil pressure? I’m guessing that’s just because it’s not returning properly?

tottot · May 6, 2023

Looks to me like a head gasket leak, allowing coolant into the engine. Result is that blamonge in the pipe work, a mix of oil and water. Much of the water will evaporate and escape through the exhaust as steam. Some will remain in the sump mixing and thinning the oil [oil light ]
As for any head or other replacement You will not know until it is off.
All the above about rerouting the pipe from the cyclone only helps with a worn unit that is using oil. Yours need sorting asap.

lynall · May 6, 2023

Oliver_110 said:
Appreciate the reply thank you. Like the electric blue!

Would that explain the coolant in there & low oil pressure? I’m guessing that’s just because it’s not returning properly?

Snot in pipes will be due to the engine running to cold for to long ie short runs.

Sorry missed the oil pressure light flickering bit, that will be a separate issue from the crud in the pipes, could be as simple as oil switch weak or idle speed to low, or the oil you are using is to thin.
Cannot beat good old fashioned 15/40 mineral oil for the 200.
The other not so good issue with 200 is their oil light flickering is the cam bushes worn, causing the oil pressure to drop, they also like some new o rings at the top of the oil pump drive shaft under the vac pump.

One of my old 200 is truly worn out and breaths like a steam engine after a fast run, I keep that one alive on 20/50 oil!

payydg · May 6, 2023

Oliver_110 said:
Hi All, got a feeling it’s time to replace the head / head gasket but looking to sense check before giving it a go for the first time…

When the engen gets warm the oil pressure light starts blinking if the engin idels. She’s chewing through coolant and the temperature gets up towards the red after about 20 mins.

I can‘t see any obvious leaks on the coolant system and it doesn’t seem to be using a lot of oil (to be fair, i don’t drive her far or particularly often though).

I took the air filter out and the hose connecting to the engine top was full of grease and dripping water. Hose to turbo has oil around the sides. Air filter it’s self had greease in the bottom and blue staining on one side which I’m guessing will be where the coolant is going.

I can’t see any obvious oil leaks, but am wondering if there is perhaps a little around one of the fuel injectors.

Would the head be the logical place to start? Any thoughts / advise would be greatly appreciated.

View attachment 287745 View attachment 287746 View attachment 287747 View attachment 287748

My concern is this might not be a head gasket issue. The oil pressure light coming on when hot is classic of worn bottom end bearings and is unrelated to the mayonnaise you’ve got. That is oil and coolant mixing. Is it also in the pipe at the bottom of cyclone breather and in the other breather pipe that runs from the block to rocker cover? If so it might be the block that’s cracked. The classic place is in the cam gallery. I suppose the only way to know is take the head off and check the state of the gasket. Either way a new HG won’t solve your low oil pressure issues that will almost certainly be a bottom end bearing issue. Also you’ve got an over heating issue which will need solving. Could be a blocked radiator. All in all this is not a happy engine and I would prepare yourself for a fair bit of work.

Steed171 · May 24, 2023

lynall said:
See this pic, look at the cyclone top pipe and note where it goes and also the blanked air filter stub.

View attachment 287749

Hi. Does the cyclone top pipe attach to anything. I've seen a diagram for the 300tdi (below)where this goes back to the turbo somehow

D1Nut · May 24, 2023

That pipe - no 4 in your pic should connect to the air intake pipe just before it enters the turbo

Steed171 · May 24, 2023

D1Nut said:
That pipe - no 4 in your pic should connect to the air intake pipe just before it enters the turbo

I looked at the diagram for a 200tdi air cleaner - top diagram- and it doesn't have the connection to attach the pipe. whereas the 300 tdi one does, below,

lynall · May 24, 2023

Steed171 said:
I looked at the diagram for a 200tdi air cleaner - top diagram- and it doesn't have the connection to attach the pipe. whereas the 300 tdi one does, below, View attachment 288954 View attachment 288955

200 air filter housing pic, the arrow head for item number 10 is just behind where the stub for the breather pipe is located.

You can see it in this old pic where it has been blanked off with a silicone blank, then the breather hose from the cyclone routed off to the drivers side inner wing vented to atmosphere.

Time for a new head?

Oliver_110

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lynall

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Oliver_110

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tottot

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