P-gasket and exhaust manifold

[aosias]

New leaks on the 300tdi. Looks to me like it's the p-gasket and then the exhaust manifold. Any other gaskets I should order or consider while I am doing this? I know water pump gasket and the plug next to the p-gasket.

Also, it seems like this gets me halfway to a timing belt change. Is that an accurate assumption?

Planning to clean all the hoses for the intercooler/turbo while I have it this far apart. I'm beginning to think my turbo is failing- oil in the pipes, exhaust manifold leaking, decrease in power, black smoke is slowly increasing.

[Broncoduecer]

Really the timing belt is pretty separate from all of the water pump stuff. You will be removing the fan, fan shroud, and upper hose which they have in common. But you have to deal with crank pulley removal. If you don't have to special tool to immobilize the crank it's a big pain. If you are doing it consider buying new genuine front main and camshaft seals and take care of those while you are in there.
I used some hylomar spray on my p gasket and its hasn't leaked. Granted I don't have many miles on it.
Good post here: 300TDI p gasket - Land Rover Technical Archive - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

[aosias]

Thanks for the write up, I'll save the timing belt for another day.

With all these newly acquired leaks, I'm wondering if she's trying to tell me about a bigger issue. I wouldn't consider these old or worn out, they were all replaced 15-20k miles ago.

What causes the p-gasket and exhaust gasket to fail? I have another oil gasket leaking on the other side of the motor too. It seems like she went from finally not leaking to having these little leaks everywhere.

Alex

[aosias]

I can't get the exhaust manifold off. I have removed all the nuts and hit it with a rubber mallet. It's fused on with the gasket. I remove nuts for the exhaust down pipe too and nothing. Doesn't budge.

Ideas?

[Viton]

Yamaha makes a gasket sealer for sever vibration applications, that's what i used on my P gasket 3 years ago and it's still fine.

[rdavisinva]

Originally Posted by aosias

I can't get the exhaust manifold off. I have removed all the nuts and hit it with a rubber mallet. It's fused on with the gasket. I remove nuts for the exhaust down pipe too and nothing. Doesn't budge.

Ideas?

Look again.
You probably missed something like one of the bolts.

[Red90]

Originally Posted by aosias

I can't get the exhaust manifold off. I have removed all the nuts and hit it with a rubber mallet. It's fused on with the gasket. I remove nuts for the exhaust down pipe too and nothing. Doesn't budge.

Ideas?

How many nuts did you remove?

[aosias]

Gasket arrived...I see where I am have one nut left...

Am I going to regret installing a Britpart P-gasket?

[GM13]

While your manifold is off you may want to consider tapping it for an EGT sensor, easiest way to keep the filings out of the turbo. Can plug it for the time being but if any tuning is in your future it's nice to have.

[aosias]

I have the p-gasket exposed and there is a lot of black silicone or gasket stuff. Do I need to add all this when I do the new one or just scrape it all off to bare metal and then use the new metal gasket?

I have a new freeze plug I can install but this one looks good and like it hasn't been leaking. Is it ok to leave well enough alone or will I regret that?

[Uncle Douglas]

I use a razorblade scraper and then a scotchbrite pad to clean things up.
I'd leave that freeze plug alone.

[Red90]

I would use a light amount of a quality sealant on both metal surfaces if it is a metal gasket. Just be happy. That port is a huge PITA to fix on a 200TDI.

[aosias]

That was my thought- leave the freeze plug alone.

What kind of sealant?

[aosias]

The exhaust manifold gasket area is still leaking. I have removed the inlet to check the other bolts. It looks like the oil is leaking from the inlet manifold.

The lower two nuts have washers, should those be there or should it just be the nuts? I'm assuming I would have only put those there if they were there when I removed the parts.

[Naplm00]

Sealant: pick your poison i use Black RTV for oil retaining locations and hondabond HT for pretty much everything else. Honestly you will get a different answer from everyone, just make sure its good quality and the mating faces are clean.


oil from the inlet manifold is most likely from the oil vapor cyclone breather putting dirty air into the intake and the turbo cold side and it being blown down into the engine. This is how its supposed to work.

This annoyed myself as well so i disconnected the vapor return to the airfilter and let it vent to the atmosphere.



EDIT: one more note on the crank bolt - ive never once used the holding tool to remove it, before i had an electric impact I would put the socket on a breaker bar and put the bar against the frame and bump the starter. Def not a factory approved method but worked every time. Then i bought a electric impact (ditched the air compressor with my old house) and haven't looked back

[D90user]

Just another vote for hondbond HF or halomar on the p-gasket. I've used both with good results for over 60k miles and still going.

One thing on the crank bolt. I've never had a problem getting it off (I use the starter) its getting it back on tight enough that has always worried me. That's why I just bought one of Mr. Davis's tools!

[Gren_T]

With the P gasket get both surfaces as clean as possible, I have also replaced the water pump while doing the P gasket - at least strip the pump to check it before reasembly as you will need to do the pump gasket also.
Ensure the pump P side mating face is flat, I stick a piece of 120grit wet n dry paper to a sheet of glass and rub the mating surface over it till its clean & smooth.

With your exhaust removed you may find the "horns" are loose or fall out of the center part of the manifold - use a little exhaust paste on reassembly to avoid seam leaks until the soot seals the seams.

If you have turbo worries the ideal time to check the play in the turbo's shaft is when the manifold is off, get a new gasket for the oil rtn pipe to manifold joint.


regards all