Had a quick look on the way to work this morning. The head is true but there is a slight dip on the block, maybe 2 thou between cyls 3 & 4 and slightly less between 1 & 2.

Doubt if that will seal up. Might be more likely to do so with a composite gasket.
 
Doubt if that will seal up. Might be more likely to do so with a composite gasket.

I thinking that maybe she got proper cooked at some point in the past that a compo gasket sealed (it's what was in there when I did it over Christmas) but left a vulnerability.

I might grease up the holes and spend a hour or 2 with a piece of glass and wet and dry
 
Check the website. How hot does the block get?
I use steel stick for most fast fixes it like putty.
IMG_6439.PNG
 
I thinking that maybe she got proper cooked at some point in the past that a compo gasket sealed (it's what was in there when I did it over Christmas) but left a vulnerability.

I might grease up the holes and spend a hour or 2 with a piece of glass and wet and dry

I think the blocks can be refaced, but you have to strip the whole engine to have it done. JM would be the man to do it.

"Try" some metal weld. Not used this on a head yet but is strong stuff & flats down.

http://www.jb-weld.co.uk/j-b-weld-reviews-and-guides/glue-metal-to-metal

That will probably work for a while, but it will need a good deal of skill to get it flat enough, and to avoid getting bits of the stuff where it doesn't belong in the engine.
I think that would be the sort of repair I would do on a vehicle I was planning to move on quick and cheap. Not sure if I would do it on a cherished vehicle I was planning to run myself.
 
Last edited:
I thinking that maybe she got proper cooked at some point in the past that a compo gasket sealed (it's what was in there when I did it over Christmas) but left a vulnerability.

I might grease up the holes and spend a hour or 2 with a piece of glass and wet and dry
 
I would be concerned about the temp it can withstand. depending on where it it would be used.

Cheers

I have seen it done before. The combustion gases are much hotter than that. It holds for a bit, but there is a hint of burning plastic around the exhaust pipe! ;):D
 
That looks like it didn't have enough pressure on the head gasket between any of the cylinders. If you look closely can you see the block and head machining marks pressed into the gasket all over or are there smooth areas?. Does the LR manual require a head re-torque after a few hundred miles? Its critcal on the Perkins engines. You will see elsewhere I had a simalar problem - head gasket fail, then change, then 6 months then fail again. It looked very much like yours, I found the block was burned where the head gasket had failed (it failed the same place twice) and ended up changing the block as I felt sure it would fail the same place again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8ha
That looks like it didn't have enough pressure on the head gasket between any of the cylinders. If you look closely can you see the block and head machining marks pressed into the gasket all over or are there smooth areas?. Does the LR manual require a head re-torque after a few hundred miles? Its critcal on the Perkins engines. You will see elsewhere I had a simalar problem - head gasket fail, then change, then 6 months then fail again. It looked very much like yours, I found the block was burned where the head gasket had failed (it failed the same place twice) and ended up changing the block as I felt sure it would fail the same place again.

I don't retorque them on landrovers, although I would on Perkins.
I think he would do much better with a composite gasket, they are more tolerant of imperfections in the head and block.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8ha
I did retorque though I couldn't find anything to say I should.

I've ground the point off a drill that slips down the threads and will make sure there's no build up of anything at the bottom of the holes.
 
I did retorque though I couldn't find anything to say I should.

I've ground the point off a drill that slips down the threads and will make sure there's no build up of anything at the bottom of the holes.

Good plan, and make sure there is no liquid down there too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8ha
I must have been very lucky in the past, I've taken a few heads off different engines. Never replaced the bolts, never cleaned the threads or checked for dirt or water, never retorqued the bolts and on a couple of occasions I have put the original head gasket back on and not had any problems. It is only when I follow the book that I seem to come unstuck.

Col
 
I must have been very lucky in the past, I've taken a few heads off different engines. Never replaced the bolts, never cleaned the threads or checked for dirt or water, never retorqued the bolts and on a couple of occasions I have put the original head gasket back on and not had any problems. It is only when I follow the book that I seem to come unstuck.

Col
I have only ever changed two and had no issues. I have never owned a torque wrench either. Wouldn’t know how to set one.
 
Back up and running.

Gave everything a good polish and blew out with the air line. The flattened drill bit pulled some crud out of a few of the holes, in particular the middle bolt hole nearest where the gasket blew between 3 & 4.

Running very nicely atm, I've got some desperately needed materials to pick up from town tomorrow and when I've finished work I'll retorque and adjust tappets to be sure.
 

Similar threads