Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

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JulesMartin
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Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:54 pm

Hi Guys. 5 weeks in to owning my Bongo 2.5 TD. I couldn't really get to the bottom of why the expansion tank was gassing when the engine was cold and perfectly ok when hot. Bought a sniff tester and this went yellow in seconds but only when the engine was hot. So much contradicting evidence I've decided to take the head off and see what's what. I need some help though identifying a couple of bits if you'd be so kind. On top of the inlet manifold is a group of 4 units with electric connectors and vacuum pipes. Of the 4, the unit nearest the back of the engine has a pipe with no vacuum tube connected to it. This looks like it was quite recent as its still shiny but I can't find a pipe anywhere that this would connect to. Any help identifying what these units are would be great and if possible a picture or schematic of where the vacuum pipes go to would be brilliant.
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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Northern Bongolow
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by Northern Bongolow » Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:21 pm

It should have a one way green valve in line to it's connection into the air pipe at the rear of the head.
Viewing from the driver's side follow the 4 inch pipe from the air filter box to the rear driver side of the head, the 4 inch pipe should have a10 mm nipple to connect to to on the top most surface, this usually snaps off leaving a 3/ 4 mm ragged hole.
It works the solenoids vac system by pulling a vac along the pipe to the solenoids when a throttle vac is detected on the large bore pipe turning off the vac to the cold start solenoids as it is not needed when accelerating.
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Fri Nov 22, 2019 2:24 am

Thanks NB for your reply. Is this the hard plastic pipe going from the air filter to the turbo, I'm assuming? I'll take a look again in the day light maybe I pulled it off the solenoid without realizing when I was stripping it down. At the moment it's looking like its just a blown gasket. the head gasket has de-laminated and I can see soot tracks between each cylinder and across to the water jacket holes. I've now got to strip out the valves so that I can get it to my local engineering shop for a skim and pressure test. I'm wondering if it may be better to save some time and just order a second hand head from Bongo Spares for £300? have you had any dealings with these heads? my budget won't stretch to a new head unless I forgo the body work it needs. I guess if the head proves ok (skim and test £55) it will be worth the time and effort lapping in the valves and setting the head up properly and I'll know that its been done. It was evident from some of the bolts being missing and some loose and different torque readings on a lot of the head bolts plus the two way water connector, that this head has been replaced and probably fairly recently. I'm thinking that it probably had a cracked head. the previous owner has got the work done and its been bodged and so he's cut his losses and sold it on.
Martin
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Flanners
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by Flanners » Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:21 am

You did post I remember that the Van was sold for spares or repair due to overheating issues, not nice having to do the work but unfortunately not completely unexpected :(. Hopefully with the repair it will still be cost effective.
2002 2.0 Aero with Outback Conversion and Roof Top Tent
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:21 am

Flanners wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:21 am You did post I remember that the Van was sold for spares or repair due to overheating issues, not nice having to do the work but unfortunately not completely unexpected :(. Hopefully with the repair it will still be cost effective.
True, True, but looking at the rather large pile of bits and bobs on the conservatory floor this morning and several bags of nuts and bolts I'm wondering if this was the right decision :D :D :D :D . Have Commitments not bongo related today and this weekend so no chance of getting it down to the skimmers until Monday. Fingers crossed they don't find anything untoward
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Sat Nov 23, 2019 2:19 pm

Did manage to get a quick look at the head in daylight and can see definite black track between the very last water journal and the back cylinder and even a track between the last journal and the end of the head. Also black marking between 4 and 3 and 3 and 2. I'll try and put a pic up of what it looks like currently and see what you all think. won't be today though as still tied up with work stuff. I'm thinking that it looks like a blow between 4 and the water jacket but also a blow across the last 3 cylinders!
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Sun Nov 24, 2019 11:37 am

plonkatronix wrote: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:35 am Whilst the head is off, check the cylinder bores... I found a 4inch C shape crack in mine :evil:
Oh ok I'll have a look at that too. I was trying to avoid turning the engine at all but I guess I'll have to be safe rather than sorry later :( :(
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Mon Nov 25, 2019 2:33 am

Wow! were they able to repair that or was that a new short block? I'm almost too scared to look. This £1k doer uper is already hitting the top end of my budget and I've not got the rear arches done yet!
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
Mark Wilson
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by Mark Wilson » Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:47 pm

JulesMartin wrote: Mon Nov 25, 2019 2:33 am and I've not got the rear arches done yet!
Hopefully not being pessimistic, just realistic - but if you are having the bodywork done, rather than doing it yourself, have you had it looked at in detail and quoted for? Would be worth knowing as much as you can about the extent and cost of the next stages before you throw too much more money at the engine.

Mark
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:26 pm

Thanks for your replies and excellent advise. It has already oddly had the sills and cross beam replaced. I've taken the Bongo up to Trevor in Braintree who was recommended to me. he's had a good look at it and agreed on the work needed. Both rear arches inner and outer, a dent in the R/N/S corner a few other digs and scrapes, lower lip of tailgate and respray from front door shuts to back of Bongo and up to the bottom of the windows, £800. I'm looking to order that gaskets required and need some more advise please? Bongospares head set is £30 the BongoLand set is £115. has anybody had experience of either/both? they both seem to contain the same amount of gaskets.
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:32 am

Blimey, doesn't sound good. was this from Bongo Spares? I'm taking my head down to my engineering Co this morning. i can't find any cracks just a shoddy job when it was put on first time. this is not the original head as it only has the two way water connector and bolts were missing or loose not all torqued down the same. I'll be advised by the garage as to if it needs a new head and if it does then Ian's my man and the body work will have to wait until next Xmas :( :(
Can anybody advise if the front bolt hole holding the exhaust Manifold on should go right through into the head bolt hole? That bolt was tight when I took it out but the exhaust was blowing a lot there. I suspect it was tightening up against the head bolt and not the banana shaped exhaust manifold!! I'm having the manifold skimmed as well today
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:57 am

plonkatronix wrote: Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:44 am Good call on the manifold skim
No, it wasn't bongo spares, I bought that pile of crock from an ebay user called mitsabishi and mazda specialist or something along those lines... Joke!

Fingers crossed re the head [-o<
Just dropped it off there. took the multi layer head gasket along as well for him to look/laugh at! He thinks it was just a really bad job done, can't at the moment (visually) see any evidence of cracks but obvious signs of blowing across rear three and across rear water journal and out the back of the head. he's going to pressure test, crack test and skim and if needed re-seat all the valves [-o< [-o< [-o< . will keep you posted.
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by teenmal » Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:31 pm

JulesMartin wrote: Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:57 am
plonkatronix wrote: Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:44 am Good call on the manifold skim
No, it wasn't bongo spares, I bought that pile of crock from an ebay user called mitsabishi and mazda specialist or something along those lines... Joke!

Fingers crossed re the head [-o<
Just dropped it off there. took the multi layer head gasket along as well for him to look/laugh at! He thinks it was just a really bad job done, can't at the moment (visually) see any evidence of cracks but obvious signs of blowing across rear three and across rear water journal and out the back of the head. he's going to pressure test, crack test and skim and if needed re-seat all the valves [-o< [-o< [-o< . will keep you posted.



You shouldn't laugh at the multi layer gasket ……… the WLTD (normally) uses a multi layer gasket .

Take care.
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Tue Nov 26, 2019 4:35 pm

It wasn't the multi layer that caused the mirth but it's condition and how badly blown it was with signs of a badly installed head. :D :D
Martin
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JulesMartin
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Re: Head Gasket removal ancillary bits Help!!

Post by JulesMartin » Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:47 pm

WOO HOO!!!! got the head back this afternoon with a clean bill of health! No Cracks, No Leaks just really badly fitted gasket. They have given the head a 10thou skim to get it all flat. Pressure checked and crack tested both tests coming back with a pass. they have removed all the valves and lapped them back in again for me. They also skimmed ..and skimmed...and skimmed the exhaust manifold going as far as they could in order to get it flat across all four ports. £228, job done and both head and manifold back home ready for the long haul of putting it all back together again at the weekend. :D :D :D :D :D
Martin
1996 2.5 TDi Silver pop top unconverted
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