Club 80-90 Forums

After replacing the head gasket carefull following the owners work shop manual.Only 800 miles aprox there is loss of coolent pressure and oil in the coolent.I suspect the cylinder head may be warped .On reading the Peter Russek manual it said if the head is warped it can not be skimmed.I went to a local engine reconditioner to obtain the head gasket and asked if they can skim the head.They said they could but i was reluctant to have it done after reading the manual.They said the steel inserts would have to be removed before they can skim it. Can some one advice me if a 1.6TD cylinder can be skimmed without any problems .Thanks

The first thing you will need to check out is if you can get hold of a thicker head gasket as it is normal to change to a thicker one once a head of a diesel engine has been skimmed due to the compression ratio. So if they are available, then its pretty fair to asssume the head may be skimmed. You will never be able to remove the swirl chambers as these are of an interferance fit and they will be bl@@dy tight too. But the good news is thatthey are usually thick enough to be skimmed at the same time as the head without danger of going through. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

The head gasket is a two notch/hole regarding tolerances i discussed this with the reconditioner and they would have adviced me the limits after checking if the head was warped.I noticed when i removed the head the oil gallery where one head bolt screws into the block this was very close to a water way.This area along side the block was leaking oil and there was oil in the expansion tank.That was the reason to change the head gasket.When i removed the head bolts the bolt that screwed into oil gallery as mention was easy and not tight.all the others where difficult to undo.On examination the area on the head near the oil gallery where this bolt was seemed diffrent.I replaced the head gasket without having the head skimmed.The engine has done aprox 130.000 miles but still has good oil pressue but smokes a lot when first started then clears when hot.I am in two minds as to obtain a replacement to AAZ OR 1.9 NA. To obtain a good engine might be better than a head job on the 1.6TD and still have a problem

Fitting a thicker head gasket just because the head has been skimmed is cobblers.
The cylinder head is flat, so skimming it just makes it, er, flat.
There are different thicknesses of gaskets to suit the amount the piston protrudes from the engine block.
Piston protrusion should measured with a DTI and checked off against a list to work out which gasket you need.
People just normally fit a 3 notch, because they are the thickest and least likely to cause and piston to head interfearance, but you end up with slightly lower compressions if really you should have a 1 or 2 notch gasket.
low compressions leads to smokey start ups, lower power outputs etc.

If you have oil in your water have you replace the £30 oil cooler thats probably putting the oil in the water, very common.

Thanks i will check the oil cooler not sure how but i will just replace it.My reason for the head gasket change was becouse of oil running out and along the head and dripping off the bellhousing.Also there was a large amount collecting in the expansion tank.There have been other problems now after about 800 miles since i did the job.The tempreture was running hot ie off the gauge scale.I have had to remove the thermostat to keep the temp down.Regarding the head skim are you saying the head is flat and not warped ?.I think i understand what you mean by piston protrusion to measure it a straight edge coming off the top dead centre piston and a measurement taken from the block surface between.I appreciate the info about the oil cooler and am going to check this out as soon as possible.

camper wrote:Thanks i will check the oil cooler not sure how but i will just replace it.My reason for the head gasket change was becouse of oil running out and along the head and dripping off the bellhousing.Also there was a large amount collecting in the expansion tank.There have been other problems now after about 800 miles since i did the job.The tempreture was running hot ie off the gauge scale.I have had to remove the thermostat to keep the temp down.Regarding the head skim are you saying the head is flat and not warped ?.I think i understand what you mean by piston protrusion to measure it a straight edge coming off the top dead centre piston and a measurement taken from the block surface between.I appreciate the info about the oil cooler and am going to check this out as soon as possible.

What I meant is that the combustion chambers are in the pistons and not in the head, meaning no matter how much you skim the head the compression ratio will stay the same.

Oil coolers are cheap, if it is at all suspect then just replace it.
Combustion chambers come out easily, but need to be lefg in to skim, as if you don't they will sit proud when refitted.

Your explanation is understood thanks.I have replaced the oil cooler and cleaned out the expansion tank.Only done a few miles but it looks okay i will take it for a good run today and see how it is later.Thanks for you advice.

Took it for a run aprox 70 miles .There is a small amount of oil collected on the plastic expansion tank inner surface.I think this is only residues running around the coolent from the leaks which hopfully are now fixed.But nothing like it was .

Small bits of oil will carry on coming out for months.
Use some household washing powder in the tank, this will hold the oil in suspension, then flush the system, properly! then refil with fresh coolant.

I will do what you said .Thanks David