V6 Head Gasket Failure

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 14, 2006

Hi again folks (Sorry Ming - still whingeing)

i have a V6 with suspected HG Failure (bubbling in expansion tank) have taken to local garage who tell me that local Landrover agent (Webbers) suggest they "dont touch it as they (Webbers) will always replace the engine" because "as soon as you remove the heads, the liners move and it is never right again". Having had a HGF two years ago,

What are your thoughts on this?
Do I replace the complete lump?

Replace the HG's and pray?

Replace the HG's and get shot to some other unfortunate?

Send the engine to an Engine Specialist and have it rebuilt?

Chuck it in the dustbin?

Try changing the lump to a TD4?

Any ideas or experts wanting to volunteer?
(even more gold pieces for you Clutchdust?)

clutchdust · Aug 14, 2006

webbers are covering their own arse on this as the V6 can cause problems after changing head gaskets, the main thing is they are a right **** to bleed the cooling system afterwards and can hold an air lock for days after the job has been done, then without warning, throw the coolant out of the expansion bottle, if you keep driving it unknowingly, the heads will go again.

first things first, check the expansion bottle for cracks and make sure the cap seals properly, if not it will throw the coolant out as the engine (like the 1.8) runs at about 110 degrees and so it must be under pressure to raise the boiling point of the coolant

if all thats ok then drain the coolant and then refill it by vacuum bleeding, this is the only way to get all the air out, what can happen is if you get a small leak somewhere like from the expansion cap, the coolant will boil and its the boiling that puts air in the system which will give the symptms of over heating or head gasket failure.

if after vacuum bleeding theres still no joy then the heads will have to come off and checked along with liner prutrusion, if all is well there is no reason why it cant be put back together with new gaskets.

as long as all the air is out of the system it will be fine

best bet though would be to get it sorted then sell or p/x for a td4

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 14, 2006

Thanks Clutchdust (fancy a job - heehee)

Is it worth removing or drilling hole in thermostat (to act as bypass) as I wud rather have an engine that takes longer to get warm, than one that blows HG's every couple of years (cheaper too)

clutchdust · Aug 14, 2006

id do it if it was a 1.8 but i'm not doing a v6 on the side of the road!!!! you have to take the engine out, well......... you dont but its alot easier if you do.

dont take the thermostat out or alter it, for one its not nice to get to (its in the vee) and i think, if i remember rightly, its a sealed unit in its own housing.

Do like i said and check the simple things first, i've had a few where the HG's weren't gone but gave the sympoms because the cap wasn't sealing under pressure or the tank had cracks, they crack on the top, lift the yellow label up and you can see them quite clearly, tank and cap will cost about £7 from a dealer and they're the later type with the ratcheting cap.

you may have to vacuum bleed as you said there were bubbles so there will be air in the system, you can bleed them without the vacuum thing but it'll take ages and you'll waste loads of antifreeze as it keeps chucking it out

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 15, 2006

Thanks Clutchdust.

will keep youz all posted

tinytdi · Aug 16, 2006

Hi Clutchdust - sorry to hijack this thread but I have just dropped and refilled my coolant in my L Series. Does the same apply regarding bleeding? I refilled with the bleed screw removed and ran for 30 mins or so with it back on and losened the screw again when warmed up to expel any air. 3 days later it warms up great and the heaters are nice and toasty. Does it sound like its ok to you?

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 16, 2006

Oh Tiny.....

and I thought you were the fount of all knowledge...

tinytdi · Aug 16, 2006

Nah, I make it up as I go along!
No, the reason I ask is that the dealers looked at me funny when I asked their advice. I just replaced a HUGE mass of pipes under Tiny's bonnet and when I picked up the new part I asked how much coolant I should expect to need. They said 5 litres of coolant and top up with water then gave me a long stare and said "they're a bugger to bleed you know"...All seems to have gone well - just wated to check I had not overlooked anything..."almost too easy..."

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 16, 2006

tinytdi said:
Nah, I make it up as I go along!

I am getting worrited now - you given that answer to another of my threads (touch of "deja vu")

I read ya thread re pipes - i woz the one that suggested Dremel - so now yu got a bugg**** screw as well. - oops!

cummon - yo'll be telling me next that Ming aint from another galaxy and that Clutchdust is just that!

tinytdi · Aug 16, 2006

Ha, yeah - I have now worked out how to do ANYTHING without removing the belly pan!

I can vouch for Ming though - he's a Zog lad through and through!

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 16, 2006

Changing subject (back again)
Having removed engine garage has now found plastic housing at rear of? thermostat housing is cracked - they think that could be cause of air ingress - not gasket - however that dont allow for sniffer test saying there are "gasses" in the water!

as a further developement - "gasses" just mean that - so it could have been air!!!
does anyone know the part number for this plastic housing at end of rocker cover - apparently Webbers (local agent) dont know wot we talkin about! Sorry discription is vague - but it is third hand!

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 16, 2006

Here are piccies of "plastic bits". does anyone know what they are called and pref the lr part numbers? cos my local LR agent dont!

it dont look too pretty - diz it?

clutchdust · Aug 16, 2006

tinytdi said:
Hi Clutchdust - sorry to hijack this thread but I have just dropped and refilled my coolant in my L Series. Does the same apply regarding bleeding? I refilled with the bleed screw removed and ran for 30 mins or so with it back on and losened the screw again when warmed up to expel any air. 3 days later it warms up great and the heaters are nice and toasty. Does it sound like its ok to you?

ello, na, L series is a different animal and don't cause any problems with regards to bleeding, the bleed screw on the heater hose should be removed, fill it up till there is just coolant coming out of the bleed hole, put the screw back then start it up and let it run, job done

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 17, 2006

Hello?

It appears plastic bits are thermostat et al. - so good news is (hopefully) thats all it is - bad news is engine is now sitting on floor, in bits,

away from freebie? sound like lots of spondulix!.

does anyone know the time allowed for a thermostat change?

clutchdust · Aug 17, 2006

why take the engine out to do a thermostat???

clutchdust · Aug 17, 2006

The Mad Hat Man said:
Here are piccies of "plastic bits". does anyone know what they are called and pref the lr part numbers? cos my local LR agent dont!

it dont look too pretty - diz it?

that definately leaking!!!!!

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 17, 2006

clutchdust said:
why take the engine out to do a thermostat???

Coz garage said they thort it was HG - so took engine out and on dismantling saw coolant in V. (see initial thread opening)

clutchdust · Aug 17, 2006

The Mad Hat Man said:
Coz garage said they thort it was HG - so took engine out and on dismantling saw coolant in V. (see initial thread opening)

sorry didn't read that bit, your dealer is a bit "dive in there" rather than have a look first and they're charging you for the labour?

if it was me, id have a real good look first before comitting myself to taking the engine out, you can see that leak quite clearly (especially how bad yours is!) with the engine in and manifolds on

The Mad Hat Man · Aug 17, 2006

(cry)

where yu based Clutchdust? Mite let ya have a look sumtime if yu got a week or 6

. mind yu - it outta be fixed after this - waaranty co picking up tab for Thermo change - hence the request on times - wanna know how its like to pan out on ££££

PS is that engine in that motor - or is it just 4 show?

clutchdust · Aug 17, 2006

The Mad Hat Man said:
(cry)

where yu based Clutchdust? Mite let ya have a look sumtime if yu got a week or 6 . mind yu - it outta be fixed after this - waaranty co picking up tab for Thermo change - hence the request on times - wanna know how its like to pan out on ££££

PS is that engine in that motor - or is it just 4 show?

I'm near cardiff, south wales.

as for repair times, i know V6 heads are 12.5 hours and you'll never do it in the time they give, not sure on thermostat, i'd hazzard a guess at 4 hours

My pic is a replica of the mad max interceptor, it has a big block V8 but not sure if the blower is real or not, I'm into stuff like that and drive a mk5 cortina with a mildly tuned range rover V8 in it.

V6 Head Gasket Failure

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