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Topic: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please (Read 637 times) |
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smarty
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24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« on: Oct 10th, 2006, 4:43pm » |
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Hi everyone,
My 96 Cossie has been diagnosed with a blown head gasket due to hydrocarbons in the coolant. I've been adding coolant for a while and there was no obvious leak (apart from 2 new radiators in six months). The car is now difficult to start with a lot of white exhaust but seems to drive ok after a few minutes.
I've read through the engine manual for replacing the heads but the question is can someone with little experience attempt this kind of repair? As the car also has a rattle on start up I imagine that this would also be the time to replace the chains and associated parts.
Can anyone who has carried out this repair advise if they would do it again and offer any advice with any problems they encountered.
Many thanks
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Dave
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Tourmallard 24v (ex-owner)
Posts: 1984
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #1 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 6:07pm » |
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I have not done this work but understand if you are a keen DIY-er with a decent range of tools (or can get hold of them) it isn't beyond you.
Dave (Howiedintheplace) has experience of this so will probably be considerably more help 
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howiedintheplace
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Based near Evesham
Posts: 1194
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #2 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 6:28pm » |
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It is possible for a DIY-er but tell me what kind of things have you done before, maybe a big step up 
Take your time is the key, even garages race at it & F it up 
Allow a week some where warm & dry for the work.
All in all will probably take you about 20 hours work.
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Dave
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solarpanel
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #3 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 6:35pm » |
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yes i agree with dave,just done heads and guides on mine,it runs dave just got to mot it now
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twinturbo
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24V's Me game!
Posts: 904
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #4 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 6:51pm » |
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There's nothing mystical about engine mechanics, you just need to follow the instructions, have the tools, have the replacement parts, and hope to hell that nothing is seized..
I find it easier and cheaper to just change an engine rather than a head gasket 
TT
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howiedintheplace
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Based near Evesham
Posts: 1194
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #5 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 6:51pm » |
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There you go solarpanel was a 24V virgin until he rebuilt his engine.
If I remember correctly he bought a sick car that was in a very poor state, it ran but he even found the valves where bent.
Good one mate.
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Dave
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solarpanel
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #6 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 6:57pm » |
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yes im not a 24v virgin any more i can pull one to bits in no time at all, wife said i even doing it in my sleep
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Spannerdemon
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #7 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 7:02pm » |
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Hi Smarty: Long post so bear with me.
I'm not far off 60 now, and I've repaired my own vehicles ever since I owned my first motorcycle.
Over the years I've repaired many many cars both for myself, and for others, and never had a bad repair yet, which I'll wager is something most garages can't say!
I've had to repair my own vehicles through financial necessity, so I learned to go carefully and get it right to avoid extra expense.
My Grandfather was an engineer, and he always taught me this saying.
"Look first, before you ever touch". That means take as many photos or make as many drawings as you can as you dismantle. That way, putting it all back together is easy. Number parts if you need to.
It has been solid advice that's carried me through many a successful repair. My advice is Go Ahead. Take as many photos as you can before and during dismantling.
Check every single part for wear or damage as you take it off, and I always put everything on the work bench in a line as I dismantle. that way, you just work your way back.
If you're not sure of anything, you have the best online repair site in the world in my humble opinion right here.
Make sure that you have a good clean area set aside, you'll be surprised how much bench space you'll need.
It's essential to have somewhere under cover to do this work, where you can leave the car and lock it up at the end of each day until you complete the work.
As far as cylinder heads and cylinder head gaskets go, there's no big mystery to them. As long as your block is OK then all you need to do is take the heads to an engine rebuilder who will skim the head mating surfaces for you. Might also be a good idea to get him to grind in and check all the valves at the same time. Realistically this needs proper equipment so it's money well spent.
Re-assembly is a direct reverse of dismantling paying particular attention to cleanliness. DON'T RUSH ANYTHING.
Yes, you'll need tools so make sure you have these before you start. Youll need patience, a sense of humour, and lots of old rags.
Final advice would be this. Before you start that engine up again, CHECK for oil and water and that everything is tight, and that you haven't left any tools or rags under the bonnet. A flying 10mm spanner can do an awful lot of damage to a radiator, not to mention your eyes!!
There's a great satisfaction in rebuilding a broken motor and then seeing and hearing it all running smoothly again. You'll have learned more about your car in a week than most owners do in a lifetime.
Particularly so if YOU have done the work yourself. You will KNOW that it's been done properly. You'll never look at a garage the same again.
My advice to you would be to read the Engine section of any Haynes Granada manual. Engines are engines, and you'll get a good idea of what's involved in the work to be done. Have a good read, and you'll start to understand the techniques.
Go for it!!
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Simmo
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #8 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 7:12pm » |
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You could also have a look at This and This
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Spannerdemon
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #9 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 7:16pm » |
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That's brilliant Simmo. Really good clear photos with lots of detail.
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pappa
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VM Diesel 2.5Tdi 90kW
Posts: 259
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #10 on: Oct 10th, 2006, 7:21pm » |
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on Oct 10th, 2006, 4:43pm, smarty wrote:
...
The car is now difficult to start with a lot of white exhaust but seems to drive ok after a few minutes.
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Hi!
Sorry to hear about your trouble. If possible, DON'T drive
the car. The mixture of coolant & Oil equals to stuck piston
rings, bearings and tons of problems. Oil + Coolant
together creates "colophony/rosin - hopefully this is a
correct translation...". Anyway It's like fibreglass.
I've dismantled one "engine" (from a LADA  ) and seen
it happen. It won't happen suddenly, it takes a while, but
then it's Game over. Very, very hard to clean and probably cloggs tight oil channels etc.
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My cars are the best and the pigs and cows fly.
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smarty
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I love YaBB 1G - SP1!
Posts: 14
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #11 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 9:04am » |
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Thanks everyone for your thoughts on whether to attempt a repair. I havn't got access to a garage so I guess that really makes the whole thing a non-starter.
As much as I would like to try and repair her, I've also got a few other problems. Oil leak from somewhere, probable centre bearing shot and a gearbox that has recently slipped out of gear a couple of times. It's a real shame as the bodywork and interior are in fantastic condition!
This is my second scorpio and has only got 102000 miles on the clock. The first one I had in 1997 was bought with 15000 miles and the timing chain went at 96000 a couple of years ago. Maybe I'm just unlucky!!
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howiedintheplace
Senior Member
Based near Evesham
Posts: 1194
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Re: 24V Blown head gasket - advice please
« Reply #12 on: Oct 11th, 2006, 9:17am » |
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Shame mate.
It's common for 24V BOBs to have issues around the 80K onwards mark. So I would not say that your that unlucky.
Regular oil changes is so important on them
That's why if you ever fit a replacement engine you must check it over first as it's probably no better than your own
If you do scrap it let us know as I will probably have the engine off you
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Dave
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