Head Gasket Leak

funnyman06 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:46 pm **Posts:** 180

Hey Guys,

Just bought a 05 CRD liberty, 136,000 miles and it appears to have a head gasket leak. If it is just a head gasket leak how hard is it to get the head off? And what are the chances that is it just a head gasket issue? Jeep runs like a champ, and if i didn't have pressure in the overflow tank while cold i wouldn't think anything of it. If i do pull the head ill pick up the arp studs while I'm there.

naturist · **Posted:** Sun Aug 03, 2014 6:08 pm

Head pulling is a lot of work on these engines. And for what it is worth, blown head gaskets seem to come with a cracked head more often than not. And yes, the engine runs like a champ, but of course, once it starts leaking, it only gets worse. Better to tackle the job before further damage gets done by coolant getting in places you don't want it to go.

I believe the job is supposed to be 5 hours to get the head off, but the diesel mechanic I had replace mine a while back said it took him more like 8 hours.

I would seriously consider throwing on a new timing belt & tensioners, water pump, and thermostat while you are in there, for the simple reason that the only cost will be parts, and the thermostat is a known 40,000 mile-to-failure piece of junk.

funnyman06 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:46 pm **Posts:** 180

Good to know, I was told that the jeep just got a new timing belt and the whole jazz before i got it but ill probably just order that stuff as well and know its done and good. With out any books in front of me i figure its pull the wiring harness from the top of the engine, pull glow plugs, tackle injection system, tackle intake/exhaust manifold(turbo), pull valve cover, take off timing gear, pull rockers, head bolts and with a little black magic poof one head. lol

Should the head be cracked is there anywhere cheaper to get one than IDParts, for about 1800 bucks, or are you pretty much screwed on that? I plan on keeping this thing for a while and if there is anything that I should do while I'm there I want to get it done.

flman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:41 am

Mine was not cracked, and I do not recall many of the others here having a cracked head? But we do get a lot of leaky HGs due to a problem with the head bolts.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:37 am

You are at the mileage where HG leaks seem to occur. If coolant is not disappearing and you just have residual pressure in the header tank after overnight cooldown, I would not be concerned about a cracked head. You may be tempted to just install ARPs, but based on recently having gone through all this, I would suggest replacing through HG. (Remember to remove the turbo drain tube.)

DOC

WolverineFW · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 3:52 pm

naturist wrote:

And for what it is worth, blown head gaskets seem to come with a cracked head more often than not.

Says who? flman did not have a cracked head. DOC4444 did not have a cracked head. I did not have a cracked head. We all had almost identical symtoms to the OP. New head gaskets and ARP studs fixed the problem.

naturist wrote:

I believe the job is supposed to be 5 hours to get the head off, but the diesel mechanic I had replace mine a while back said it took him more like 8 hours.

I agree with this, especially if you have not done one before.

naturist wrote:

I would seriously consider throwing on a new timing belt & tensioners, water pump, and thermostat while you are in there, for the simple reason that the only cost will be parts, and the thermostat is a known 40,000 mile-to-failure piece of junk.

IMHO This should be automatic unless they were recently changed.

WolverineFW · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 3:54 pm

DOC4444 wrote:

You are at the mileage where HG leaks seem to occur. If coolant is not disappearing and you just have residual pressure in the header tank after overnight cooldown, I would not be concerned about a cracked head. You may be tempted to just install ARPs, but based on recently having gone through all this, I would suggest replacing through HG. (Remember to remove the turbo drain tube.)

DOC

X2. Once you are in far enought to get at the head bolts, it is a no brainer to spend the small amount of extra time to replace the head gasket.

funnyman06 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:46 pm **Posts:** 180

Thanks for the heads up guys, i feel slightly better about my current predicament. Ill order the gaskets and studs when I come back from some much needed vaca and will start to tear into it. How do you guys bleed the pressure out of the high pressure fuel rail? That's about the only part of this i have not had experience with yet?

Also looking at the part number for the studs at IDParts, is this the same kit for a VW?

flman · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:34 pm

funnyman06 wrote:

Thanks for the heads up guys, i feel slightly better about my current predicament. Ill order the gaskets and studs when I come back from some much needed vaca and will start to tear into it. How do you guys bleed the pressure out of the high pressure fuel rail? That's about the only part of this i have not had experience with yet?

Also looking at the part number for the studs at IDParts, is this the same kit for a VW?

You really need to identify the head gasket you need, no hole, 1 hole or 2 hole. It is hard to tell until you pull the manifold off. There is no pressure on the rail, it all bleeds out the PVC puck when you turn the key off.

funnyman06 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:46 pm **Posts:** 180

That's the intake manifold correct?

Rock Rash · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:09 pm

Before you tear into your motor try using K-Seal. I personally have seen this product work on several Land rovers and basket case Ford 5.4 V-8. The head gasket on the 5.4 Ford was so bad it was blowing steam out the exhaust and well as dripping coolant. One little bottle of K-Seal sealed the leak. So far it has held up for almost 3 years and about 50,000 miles. It is about $15.00 per bottle.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/k-se ... erm=k-seal

Hexus · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:12 pm

I might use that on a weed eater, or a 400k+ Honda, however I would not use it on a High Compression Diesel Engine prone to hydro-locking with a known Bolt and head gasket issue.

Fix it right, the first time, or you'll be fixing it again or scrapping it.

Rock Rash · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 12:08 pm

If the thing is leaking so bad that you think it might hydro lock then a tear down and head gasket replacement is the only option. If the head gasket is starting to go then K-Seal is worth a try. It will ether fix it or it will not fix it. I have never been a believer in miracle cures for mechcanical problems that come in a can. Short of Marvel Mystery oil freeing up a stuck lifter once in the past none have come close to doing what the manufacturer claims it will do. When the head gasket on my Discovery started to fail for the 2nd time someone told me to try K-Seal before tearing into the motor. I did and it worked. Unless you are dumping coolant into the cylinders it shouldn’t hurt anything to give K-Seal a try.

flman · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 6:41 pm

funnyman06 wrote:

That's the intake manifold correct?

Yeah, it is all one piece valve cover, intake and cam support.

flman · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 6:42 pm

Rock Rash wrote:

Before you tear into your motor try using K-Seal. I personally have seen this product work on several Land rovers and basket case Ford 5.4 V-8. The head gasket on the 5.4 Ford was so bad it was blowing steam out the exhaust and well as dripping coolant. One little bottle of K-Seal sealed the leak. So far it has held up for almost 3 years and about 50,000 miles. It is about $15.00 per bottle.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/k-se ... erm=k-seal

He does not have a cooling leak, he has a head gasket leak.

geordi · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:57 pm

Ask RacerTracer about K-seal. He tried it on a bona-fide HG leak, and it did precisely zilch to stop the leak. What it might do is gum up the already small water passages, and we wouldn't want that to be happening, that will only make the cooling problems worse.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 09, 2014 3:30 pm

K-Seal is great product and I would bet if you installed ARPs and used plenty of K-Seal, it would work. However, I would not do it in your situation because once you have access to the head bolts, it is not much more work to replace the HG. Then you have virtually a guarantee of success and you will not have to do it all over again. I guarantee you K-Seal will not work long term without ARPs. If you are just trying to get a few more miles out of it, it will not hurt to try K-Seal. Unlike other stopleak products, it will not plug anything to the point that it cannot be flushed out if you eventually do a "proper" repair. I would use two bottles directly in the radiator. You will have to drain some coolant, first.

(This product has the name it does because of the Rover "K" motor that will have chronic head gasket leaks without it."

DOC

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:06 pm

I was able to identify which head gasket we had (one hole) by using a bore camera without removing anything.

Allows you to order before taking apart.

DOC

flman · **Posted:** Sat Aug 09, 2014 9:30 pm

So Doc, why did you not just use the K seal?

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:36 pm

Same reason I just cited. When you get far enough to replace the head bolts, it is not much more work to replace the HG and achieve the most likely to be successful repair. I did not want to save a little time and money, have it fail and have to take it apart all over again.

K-Seal has been working great in our Kubota diesel tractor for 5 years. Runs cooler with it, as well.

DOC

Head Gasket Leak

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