hoppy

Hi, you say that you pulled the head down in the correct order, but I dont see any reference to allowing the engine to tick-over to obtain normal running temperature, and then re-tighten the head studs whilst warm.?????? did you do that ?

Regards.

Ray.

Ray

Must admit I was chatting to a good mate tonight as he dropped a hedge cutter off, he asked how the jeep was going so I gave him all the woes......

During our chat he asked the same question, now the engine was run up to temperature before being driven but must admit the studs were not tightened up at all.

Try to attend our next meeting!!!!!

Ray

Would do but working nights and can not get time off. Will keep scratching my head and see about next months meeting.

I wonder just how much coolant you are losing?.

To try to pin things down a little more have a think or disregard the following;

 

If you have a leak head to cylinder I would expect to find that you lose coolant in the form of vapour out of the exhaust and pressurise your cooling system. Visible signs can be water constantly blown out of the overflow ( don't get confused by a little as the stat opens and the system comes up to temperature that's normal)or if you remove the rad cap bubbles or a lot of froth in the header tank (this may only be evident after the engine reaches running temperature).

 

Try doing a compression test although in the case of a water jacket/cylinder leak this may not be definitive.

 

You may have a crack in the distributor shaft housing in the block, this is not uncommon and will result in oil dilution without loss of compression however I would not expect to see any vapour from your exhaust as this is independent from the combustion chambers, unless it's extreme and you are sucking vapour out of the sump back into the inlet manifold via the closed breather when the engine comes up to temperature. I don't think this is likely but it ties in with my first question how much and how quickly is your coolant going down.

 

As Richard has already said you may well have a head/gasket/block face/ stud/bolt issue I'm afraid it could be any one, or a combination of these, a compression test may help to narrow this down a little but you may well be down to stripping the head and careful observation for signs of water stain/rust marks and then doing as Richard suggests.

 

Not really a definitive answer I'm afraid, with the type of problem you have it's very much a case of working methodically away from the most obvious and least expensive answer until you find the cause. I would suggest you get a pad and pencil and as you try/examine each option write the findings and results of tests down, you will think you'll remember but you wont and it will save you time and money in the long run.

 

Good luck

 

Pete

Pete

Many thanks, I think the methodical approach will work out; I hope. What gets me is the the engine has just come back from being worked on, new valves pistons rings etc.

Hi Hoppy,

If both surfaces were skimmed, and absolutely true, then the gasket should have sealed, unless there was a small "foreign body" trapped between the gasket, or the head was not pulled down in the correct tightening pattern. Previous to the rebuild, how was the engine running, and leaking problems then?

Richard

Engine was running fine (no leaks or anything) upto the point where it began to misfire, the cause of that was a valve insert that came unpinned, the result being that the engine was removed and sent off for the engineering side of things, from there bits and bobs were sorted including block and head skimmed.

They replaced and refitted the head gasket/head, but due to an oversight on my behalf it was down to me to tighten up. I followed the pattern for tightening up from the manual. As said I have driven about 100 miles since the refit, the only issue was the possibility of coolant leaking from a stud or two.

The jeep runs OK and I just wonder if it is just a fact that the fluids need a complete flush through; I will have to point I am no mechanic having been bought up with vehicles where you need a computer to plug in.t

Many thanks for your time.

I suspect from what you have told us, that there might have been residual coolant in the exhaust system after you renewed the head gasket, and also a water still present in the engine, ie. oil filter, unless you renewed it again. I can recommend a very good sealant to put in the coolant called K-Seal, usually available in motor factors. Might be worth trying this and keeping an eye on things. If it still persists, then further investigation might be necessary. Best of luck.

Richard

Many thanks for your input.

Right this afternoon checked oil filter, on taking the cover off 1 blob of coolant present; on the dipstick 5-6 smallish blobs.

Photos attached of filter (hopefully) oil is quite cloudy bearing in mind it's fresh oil.

On running up for 2-3 minutes nothing coming out of the exhuast then small amount of steam builing up and moisture leaking out of pipe and front of silencer; also had steam coming from the same front connection to the silencer.

After replacing gasket I did not flush either oil or radiator.

The initial reason we think was not the fact the gasket failed; it was brand new with the refit/rebuild. We think that due to being skimmed etc when the head was put back on and torqued down there was a gap between block/gasket. If this is possible I do not not but the block was pressure tested and checked for cracks on the refit.

I think I may be right in saying that even a fraction of a thousandeth of an inch would cause a leak.

The block incidently has studs.

you havnt told us if the head gasket had blown when striped. but sounds to me like no puolled down rightt

Gasket not blown at all

Hoppy,

Does your engine have studs or bolts holding the head on? Could be coolant leaking past the threads and into the combustion chamber, or a block cracked in the inlet port area.

Just before the initial problem noticed that there were a few bubbles which I now suspect was coolant bubbling through one of the nuts holding the head on, that has now stopped.

Sadly just changing a gasket without checking why it went in the first place is a bit of a risk...

 

I think I could write a book on the subject but I wont. Pop the head back off and have a really good look for cracks in the block and the head. It is well worth getting some crack testing dye penetrant off fleabay, and it is always worth getting a post-head gasket failure head skinmmed before it goes back on.

 

If you find nothing and want to put it all back again make sure that all surfaces are spotlessly (and I mean spotlessly) clean and use some wellseal sparingly.

 

Fingers crossed ....

Paul

The engine has just been rebuilt, head and block were skimmed. The gasket itself is fine and was fitted using copper sealant. I have done no more than 100 miles since the build.

I did scrape the old gasket of and rubbed down using fine wet and dry. Would it have been advisable to use some degreaser as well?

Also would it depend on how well the engine oil was flushed out.

And again would there be any issues with coolant being left in from the initial problem?

//

I would like some advice etc on a problem I have got, I may be missing something obvious.........................

Last week having a trouble free drive, jeep started spluttering misfiring and a cloud of smoke appeared that a battery of 25lb's would have been proud of.

Pulled up and after a few thoughtful words checked the oil dipstick and saw a bit of coolant. Long story short recovered home and on taking the head off (afterdraining radiator) found cylinders full of coolant. At the time I cleaned everything through plugs out etc.

I have replaced the gasket today new oil in coolant topped up and after a few turns the engine turned over and is running very smoothly; HOWEVER I am still getting smoke out of the exhaust, not so much but it still looks as though I'm on fire, I have a lot of moisture coming out of the exhaust, coolant is leaking out of the silencer and it appeares that there is a small trace of coolant on the dipstick, as I said the engine is purring away though; temperature/oil pressures spot on

What am I missing or done wrong??

Looks as though the garage is going to grt strewn with parts again then, thanks for the replies guys.

Hope I have read it some where (can not remember where) or is just my jeep that sometimes; not very often mind you, that jumps out of 2nd gear. Normally it's just after taking junctions and accelerating away. :-|

Looks like a fun event.

 

The 3 axle Jeep, would that be a original WW2 conversion or a modern replica/conversion?

The jeep is well descibed in WARTIME JEEPS by Graham Scott

Looks like a fun event.

 

The 3 axle Jeep, would that be a original WW2 conversion or a modern replica/conversion?

Willys MT-TUG

Finally up and running........................ sounds sweet as a nut one or two little issues to put right; coolant leak from thermostat, idling a bit to high oil pressure seems to be a bit low even after top up but did replace oil filter as part of the refit process and a great run out this afternoon, screen down mouth full of bugs!

Will have to make the running notice as well then....................

Just refitted a rebuilt engine into my jeep, apart from the obvious oil level, coolant, priming the fuel what tips or pointers should I look for for?

Hi all

Would like to ask if there is anyone out there that could point me in the direction of a source for some clasps such as the attached photos.

Cheers

On the M6 northbound Stafford at about 3 o'clock this afternoon 4 mud covered jeeps on a low loader with a weapons carrier, caked with all that mud I wonder were they had been...................

Closely followed by an immaculate lightweight P registered Land Rover in deep bronze green.

Hi

I am looking for a cheap and easy way to stress and age some fresh stencilling that needs to be done on a jeep trailer if anyone can help please.

Cheers

Just a few more

Just a few more pictures

We are looking at 40 vehicles so far, we are only taking bookings for ex military vehicles i,m afraid, we have got several tracked vehicles booked in so far, this show is also to see if there is enough interest to start up War Wheels agin.

Paul

May not be able to attend this weekend, at least with the jeep (something seems to be missing) might be able to sort by the end of the week fingers crossed. Hope the weather keeps fine. I'm sure there would be plenty of interest in starting War Wheels again.

Regards

How large are the photograghs?

 

I normally resize my pictures to 800 X 600 before posting.

Just the job thanks have been able to update Ashdown event from this weekend

Some pictures from the show

Hi all

Having problems downloading photo's and attaching them to threads if someone can help please, on downloading get the error code DSC02307.JPG:upload of file failed. DSC02307 being the picture but if anyone can help me with the error would be most grateful.

Just as footnote, I can save photographs from the web in files and then attach them to posts in the normal manner and I can also attach links; any ideas?