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This past Saturday I replaced my head gasket. Due to work and other priorities, I just got it all bolted back together last night. I tried to drive it this morning. It is severely overheating. It hit against the 240 redline several times before I could turn it around and get it back home.

I need this truck for work, and I changed the head gasket myself attempting to save a few dollars. I may have done myself no favors though.

I have no idea what to check. I torqued the head down properly, and I do not see any leaks from the head gasket itself. I torqued the exhaust manifold and intake manifolds, and replaced all high pressure fuel lines. I snugged the fuel line connections at the head and vp-44. I reconnected the turbo, MAP, IAT and Engine Coolant temp sensors, and reconnected the air intake, belts and hoses. I verified that coolant is flowing in the top radiator hose. I had recently replaced the thermostat and it did not overheat before this head gasket R&R.

I thought maybe I dorked up one of the injectors while installing the head gasket, or that I didn't tighten the high pressure fuel lines, but it seems to run too smoothly for that to be the case. It does have VERY low power though.

The truck did not overheat before I changed the head gasket. I followed my Haynes manual instructions to the best of my ability.

PLEASE advise, as I need this thing running.

Many thanks to anyone that can offer advice.

Ted

 

Did you check cylinder head for warpage?
The distortion of the combustion deck face is not to exceed 0.010 mm (0.0004 inch) in any 50.8 mm (2.00 inch) diameter. Overall variation end to end or side to side 0.30 mm (0.012 inch).


Possible indications of the cylinder head gasket leaking between a cylinder and an adjacent water jacket are:
Engine overheating
Loss of coolant
Excessive steam (white smoke) emitting from exhaust
Coolant foaming
CYLINDER-TO-WATER JACKET LEAKAGE TEST
WARNING: USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN THE ENGINE IS OPERATING WITH COOLANT PRESSURE CAP REMOVED.

VISUAL TEST METHOD
With the engine cool, remove the coolant pressure cap. Start the engine and allow it to warm up until thermostat opens.

If a large combustion/compression pressure leak exists, bubbles will be visible in the coolant.

COOLING SYSTEM TESTER METHOD
WARNING: WITH COOLING SYSTEM TESTER IN PLACE, PRESSURE WILL BUILD UP FAST. EXCESSIVE PRESSURE BUILT UP, BY CONTINUOUS ENGINE OPERATION, MUST BE RELEASED TO A SAFE PRESSURE POINT. NEVER PERMIT PRESSURE TO EXCEED 138 kPa (20 psi).

Install Cooling System Tester 7700 or equivalent to pressure cap neck. Start the engine and observe the tester's pressure gauge. If gauge pulsates with every power stroke of a cylinder a combustion pressure leak is evident.

CHEMICAL TEST METHOD
Combustion leaks into the cooling system can also be checked by using Bloc-Chek Kit C-3685-A or equivalent. Perform test following the procedures supplied with the tool kit.

Did you tighten all blots to spec?
lightly oil bolts
Cylinder Head—Bolts
Step 1 80 — 59 ft lbs
Step 2 105 — 77 ft lbs
Step 3 Verify 105 — 77 ft lbs
Step 4 Rotate All Bolts 1/4 Turn
Was cylinder head cleaned
CLEANING—CYLINDER HEAD
CAUTION: Do not wire brush head surface while fuel injectors are still installed. Fuel injector damage can result.

Clean the carbon from the injector nozzle seat with a nylon or brass brush.

Scrape the gasket residue from all gasket surfaces.

Wash the cylinder head in hot soapy water solution (88°C or 140°F).

After rinsing, use compressed air to dry the cylinder head.

Polish the gasket surface with 400 grit paper. Use an orbital sander or sanding block to maintain a flat surface.
Hope this was of some help, did you install proper thickness head gastket? Sure you didn't miss any bolts when tightening. Check bolts at 100 ft lbs if any do not hold torque you missed tightening it the additional 1/4 turn. I always put dab of paint on bolt head after turning 1/4 turn.

 

Thanks BigIron70 - Yes, I followed all the manual instructions. I will try the steps you mentioned to test for coolant and compression leakage.

Ted

 

I had other thoughts about what is causing the overheating... First, and worst - When replacing the old HG, though I tried to be very sure the head and block surfaces were very clean and that the new head gasket was installed dry and lined up correctly over the dowels... What if I inadvertently installed the gasket wrong and now there is another HG leak somewhere. Would this cause this severe overheating in the 3-4 miles I drove before turning around?

I don't see any external leakage on the passenger side of the engine where there were always coolant stains before I replaced the HG. Checking the drivers side is a bit more difficult due to the fuel lines etc..

If the new HG has a leak big enough to cause this overheating (240 degrees several times while limping it home) would I see oil in the coolant overflow or radiator? I checked the oil once this morning when it was overheating, and there were a few bubbles which I attribute to some water left over from when I washed the head out with warm soapy solution. I was going to change the oil this evening. I also eyeballed the coolant overflow reservoir and it had what looked to be good coolant in it from where I refilled it and the radiator last night. I couldn't open the radiator cap to check it for oil because of the hot coolant. I'll do this when I get home from work.

Also, I wonder if I added so much coolant that the thermostat is closed and stays closed. I didn't see the coolant level in the overflow bottle come down any at all, which I would expect it to after being completely drained and refilled.

Any help is appreciated.

Ted

 

Did you bleed the air out by pulling plug in top of head or heater hose on top of cylinder head? Did you replace Tstat? Did you have coolant flow through radiator top hose and radiator is getting hot. If you look at your old head gastket in the front there should be a diamond or a square. Should have the same marking on replacement gastket in the front of block you should be able to see it looking with a flash light. Where cylinder head meets the block in front of block at top.

 

BigIron70, you are correct... I needed to get the coolant circulating in the block, and I failed to do so. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my head gasket install. I went home at lunch and messed with it... I turned the heater on and topped off the coolant overflow reservoir. This fixed the overheating.

I missed the forest for all the trees. I did a great job R&R'ing the head gasket but fell on my face with the last but not least detail of adding coolant!

Thank you for your help - Ted

 

That is great! glad I could be of some help. Getting the air pocket out on diesels can be a real pain sometimes.